(a) Tax exempt status. Except for for-profit centers and sponsoring organizations of such centers, institutions must be public, or have tax exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(b) New applications and renewals. Each new institution must submit to the State agency an application with all information required for its approval, as set forth in §§ 226.6(b)(1) and 226.6(f). This information must demonstrate that a new institution has the administrative and financial capability to operate the Program, as described in the performance standards set forth in § 226.6(b)(1)(xviii). Renewing institutions must annually certify that they are capable of operating the Program, as set forth in § 226.6(b)(2).

(c) Responsibility. Each institution shall accept final administrative and financial responsibility for Program operations. No institution may contract out for management of the Program.

(d) Staffing. Each institution shall provide adequate supervisory and operational personnel for management and monitoring of the Program.

(e) Recordkeeping. Each institution shall establish procedures to collect and maintain all program records required under this part, as well as any records required by the State agency. Failure to maintain such records shall be grounds for the denial of reimbursement for meals served during the period covered by the records in question and for the denial of reimbursement for costs associated with such records. At a minimum, the following records shall be collected and maintained:

(1) Copies of all applications and supporting documents submitted to the State agency;

(2) Documentation of the enrollment of each participant at centers (except for outside-school-hours care centers, emergency shelters, and at-risk afterschool care centers). All types of centers, except for emergency shelters and at-risk afterschool care centers, must maintain information used to determine eligibility for free or reduced-price meals in accordance with § 226.23(e)(1). For child care centers, such documentation of enrollment must be updated annually, signed by a parent or legal guardian, and include information on each child's normal days and hours of care and the meals normally received while in care.

(3) Documentation of: The enrollment of each child at day care homes; information used to determine the eligibility of enrolled providers' children for free or reduced price meals; information used to classify day care homes as tier I day care homes, including official source documentation obtained from school officials when the classification is based on school data; and information used to determine the eligibility of enrolled children in tier II day care homes that have been identified as eligible for free or reduced price meals in accordance with § 226.23(e)(1). Such documentation of enrollment must be updated annually, signed by a parent or legal guardian, and include information on each child's normal days and hours of care and the meals normally received while in care.

(4) Daily records indicating the number of participants in attendance and the daily meal counts, by type (breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks), served to family day care home participants, or the time of service meal counts, by type (breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks), served to center participants. State agencies may require family day care homes to record meal counts at the time of meal service only in day care homes providing care for more than 12 children in a single day, or in day care homes that have been found seriously deficient due to problems with their meal counts and claims.

(5) Except at day care homes, daily records indicating the number of meals, by type, served to adults performing labor necessary to the food service;

(6) Copies of invoices, receipts, or other records required by the State agency financial management instruction to document:

(i) Administrative costs claimed by the institution;

(ii) Operating costs claimed by the institution except sponsoring organizations of day care homes; and

(iii) Income to the Program.

(7) Copies of all claims for reimbursement submitted to the State agency;

(8) Receipts for all Program payments received from the State agency;

(9) If applicable, information concerning the dates and amounts of disbursement to each child care facility or adult day care facility under its auspices;

(10) Copies of menus, and any other food service records required by the State agency;

(11) If applicable, information concerning the location and dates of each child care or adult day care facility review, any problems noted, and the corrective action prescribed and effected;

(12) Information on training session date(s) and location(s), as well as topics presented and names of participants; and

(13) Documentation of nonprofit food service to ensure that all Program reimbursement funds are used: (i) Solely for the conduct of the food service operation; or (ii) to improve such food service operations, principally for the benefit of the enrolled participants.

(14) For sponsoring organizations, records documenting the attendance at annual training of each staff member with monitoring responsibilities. Training must include instruction, appropriate to the level of staff experience and duties, on the Program's meal patterns, meal counts, claims submission and claim review procedures, recordkeeping requirements, and an explanation of the Program's reimbursement system.

(f) Day care home classifications. Each sponsoring organization of day care homes shall determine which of the day care homes under its sponsorship are eligible as tier I day care homes. A sponsoring organization may use current school or census data provided by the State agency or free and reduced price applications collected from day care home providers in making a determination for each day care home. When using school or census data for making tier I day care home determinations, a sponsoring organization shall first consult school data, except in cases in which busing or other bases of attendance, such as magnet or charter schools, result in school data not being representative of an attendance area's household income levels. In these cases, census data should generally be consulted instead of school data. A sponsoring organization may also use census data if, after reasonable efforts are made, as defined by the State agency, the sponsoring organization is unable to obtain local school attendance area information. A sponsoring organization may also consult census data after having consulted school data which fails to support a tier I day care home determination for rural areas with geographically large school attendance areas, for other areas in which a school's free and reduced price enrollment is above 40 percent, or in other cases with State agency approval. However, if a sponsoring organization believes that a segment of an otherwise eligible school attendance area is above the criteria for free or reduced price meals, then the sponsoring organization shall consult census data to determine whether the homes in that area qualify as tier I day care homes based on census data. If census data does not support a tier I classification, then the sponsoring organization shall reclassify homes in segments of such areas as tier II day care homes unless the individual providers can document tier I eligibility on the basis of their household income. When making tier I day care home determinations based on school data, a sponsoring organization shall use attendance area information that it has obtained, or verified with appropriate school officials to be current, within the last school year. Determinations of a day care home's eligibility as a tier I day care home shall be valid for one year if based on a provider's household income, five years if based on school data, or until more current data are available if based on census data. However, a sponsoring organization, State agency, or FNS may change the determination if information becomes available indicating that a home is no longer in a qualified area. The State agency shall not routinely require annual redeterminations of the tiering status of tier I day care homes based on updated school data.

(g) Area eligibility determinations for at-risk afterschool care centers. Sponsoring organizations of at-risk afterschool care centers must provide information, as required by the State agency, which permits the State agency to determine whether the centers they sponsor are located in eligible areas. Such information may include the most recent free and reduced-price school data available pursuant to § 226.6(f)(1)(ix) and attendance area information that it has obtained, or verified with the appropriate school officials to be current, within the last school year.

(h) Payment to employees. No institution that is a sponsoring organization of family day care homes and that employs more than one person is permitted to base payment (including bonuses or gratuities) to its employees, contractors, or family day care home providers solely on the number of new family day care homes recruited for the sponsoring organization's Program.

(i) Claims submission. Each institution shall submit claims for reimbursement to the State agency in accordance with § 226.10.

(j) Program agreement. Each institution shall enter into a Program agreement with the State agency in accordance with § 226.6(b)(4).

(k) Commodities. Each institution receiving commodities shall ensure proper commodity utilization.

(l) Special Milk Program. No institution may participate in both the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Special Milk Program at the same time.

(m) Elderly feeding programs. Institutions which are school food authorities (as defined in part 210 of this chapter) may use facilities, equipment and personnel supported by funds provided under this part to support a nonprofit nutrition program for the elderly, including a program funded under the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.).

(n) Regulations and guidance. Each institution must comply with all regulations issued by FNS and the Department, all instructions and handbooks issued by FNS and the Department to clarify or explain existing regulations, and all regulations, instructions and handbooks issued by the State agency that are consistent with the provisions established in Program regulations.

(o) Information on WIC. Each institution (other than outside-school-hours care centers, at-risk afterschool care centers, emergency shelters, and adult day care centers) must ensure that parents of enrolled children are provided with current information on the benefits and importance of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the eligibility requirements for WIC participation.

[47 FR 36527, Aug. 20, 1982] Editorial Note:For Federal Register citations affecting § 226.15, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.govinfo.gov.

(a) Each sponsoring organization shall comply with all provisions of § 226.15.

(b) Each sponsoring organization must submit to the State agency with its application all information required for its approval, and the approval of the facilities under its jurisdiction, as set forth in §§ 226.6(b) and 226.6(f). The application must demonstrate that the institution has the administrative and financial capability to operate the Program in accordance with the Program regulations. In addition to the information required in §§ 226.6(b) and 226.6(f), the application must include:

(1) A sponsoring organization management plan and administrative budget, in accordance with §§ 226.6(b)(1)(iv), 226.6(b)(1)(v), 226.6(b)(2)(i), 226.6(f)(2)(i), and 226.7(g), which includes information sufficient to document the sponsoring organization's compliance with the performance standards set forth at § 226.6(b)(1)(xviii) and 226.6(b)(2)(vii). As part of its management plan, a sponsoring organization of day care homes must document that, to perform monitoring, it will employ the equivalent of one full-time staff person for each 50 to 150 day care homes it sponsors. As part of its management plan, a sponsoring organization of centers must document that, to perform monitoring, it will employ the equivalent of one full-time staff person for each 25 to 150 centers it sponsors. It is the State agency's responsibility to determine the appropriate level of staffing for monitoring for each sponsoring organization, consistent with these specified ranges and factors that the State agency will use to determine the appropriate level of monitoring staff for each sponsor. The monitoring staff equivalent may include the employee's time spent on scheduling, travel time, review time, follow-up activity, report writing, and activities related to the annual updating of children's enrollment forms. Sponsoring organizations that were participating in the Program on July 29, 2002, were to have submitted, no later than July 29, 2003, a management plan or plan amendment that meets the monitoring staffing requirement. For sponsoring organizations of centers, the portion of the administrative costs to be charged to the Program may not exceed 15 percent of the meal reimbursements estimated or actually earned during the budget year, unless the State agency grants a waiver in accordance with § 226.7(g). A sponsoring organization of centers must include in the administrative budget all administrative costs, whether incurred by the sponsoring organization or its sponsored centers. If at any point a sponsoring organization determines that the meal reimbursements estimated to be earned during the budget year will be lower than that estimated in its administrative budget, the sponsoring organization must amend its administrative budget to stay within the 15 percent limitation (or any higher limit established pursuant to a waiver granted under § 226.7(g)) or seek a waiver. Failure to do so will result in appropriate fiscal action in accordance with § 226.14(a).

(2) An application for participation, or renewal materials, for each facility accompanied by all necessary supporting documentation;

(3) Timely information concerning the eligibility status of facilities (such as licensing/approval actions);

(4) For sponsoring organizations applying for initial participation, if required by State law, regulation, or policy, a bond in the form prescribed by such law, regulation, or policy;

(5) A copy of the sponsoring organization's notice to parents, in a form and, to the maximum extent practicable, language easily understandable by the participant's parents or guardians. The notice must inform them of their facility's participation in CACFP, the Program's benefits, the name and telephone number of the sponsoring organization, and the name and telephone number of the State agency responsible for administration of CACFP;

(6) If the sponsoring organization chooses to establish procedures for determining a day care home seriously deficient that supplement the procedures in paragraph (l) of this section, a copy of those supplemental procedures. If the State agency has made the sponsoring organization responsible for the administrative review of a proposed termination of a day care home's agreement for cause, pursuant to § 226.6(l)(1), a copy of the sponsoring organization's administrative review procedures. The sponsoring organization's supplemental serious deficiency and administrative review procedures must comply with paragraph (l) of this section and § 226.6(l);

(7) A copy of their outside employment policy. The policy must restrict other employment by employees that interferes with an employee's performance of Program-related duties and responsibilities, including outside employment that constitutes a real or apparent conflict of interest;

(8) For sponsoring organizations of day care homes, the name, mailing address, and date of birth of each provider; and

(9) For sponsoring organizations of unaffiliated centers, the name and mailing address of each center.

(c) Each sponsoring organization shall accept final administrative and financial responsibility for food service operations in all facilities under its jurisdiction.

(d) Each sponsoring organization must provide adequate supervisory and operational personnel for the effective management and monitoring of the program at all facilities it sponsors. Each sponsoring organization must employ monitoring staff sufficient to meet the requirements of paragraph (b)(1) of this section. At a minimum, Program assistance must include:

(1) Pre-approval visits to each facility for which application is made to discuss Program benefits and verify that the proposed food service does not exceed the capability of the child care facility;

(2) Training on Program duties and responsibilities to key staff from all sponsored facilities prior to the beginning of Program operations. At a minimum, such training must include instruction, appropriate to the level of staff experience and duties, on the Program's meal patterns, meal counts, claims submission and review procedures, recordkeeping requirements, and reimbursement system. Attendance by key staff, as defined by the State agency, is mandatory;

(3) Additional mandatory training sessions, as defined by the State agency, for key staff from all sponsored facilities not less frequently than annually. At a minimum, this training must include instruction, appropriate to the level of staff experience and duties, on the Program's meal patterns, meal counts, claims submission and review procedures, recordkeeping requirements, and reimbursement system.

(4)(i) Review elements. Reviews that assess whether the facility has corrected problems noted on the previous review(s), a reconciliation of the facility's meal counts with enrollment and attendance records for a five-day period, as specified in paragraph (d)(4)(ii) of this section, and an assessment of the facility's compliance with the Program requirements pertaining to:

(A) The meal pattern;

(B) Licensing or approval;

(C) Attendance at training;

(D) Meal counts;

(E) Menu and meal records; and

(F) The annual updating and content of enrollment forms (if the facility is required to have enrollment forms on file, as specified in §§ 226.15(e)(2) and 226.15(e)(3)).

(ii) Reconciliation of meal counts. Reviews must examine the meal counts recorded by the facility for five consecutive days during the current and/or prior claiming period. For each day examined, reviewers must use enrollment and attendance records (except in those outside-school-hours care centers, at-risk afterschool care centers, and emergency shelters where enrollment records are not required) to determine the number of participants in care during each meal service and attempt to reconcile those numbers to the numbers of breakfasts, lunches, suppers, and/or snacks recorded in the facility's meal count for that day. Based on that comparison, reviewers must determine whether the meal counts were accurate. If there is a discrepancy between the number of participants enrolled or in attendance on the day of review and prior meal counting patterns, the reviewer must attempt to reconcile the difference and determine whether the establishment of an overclaim is necessary.

(iii) Frequency and type of required facility reviews. Sponsoring organizations must review each facility three times each year, except as described in paragraph (d)(4)(iv) of this section. In addition:

(A) At least two of the three reviews must be unannounced;

(B) At least one unannounced review must include observation of a meal service;

(C) At least one review must be made during each new facility's first four weeks of Program operations; and

(D) Not more than six months may elapse between reviews.

(E) The timing of unannounced reviews must be varied so that they are unpredictable to the facility; and

(F) All types of meal service must be subject to review and sponsoring organizations must vary the meal service reviewed.

(iv) Averaging of required reviews. If a sponsoring organization conducts one unannounced review of a facility in a year and finds no serious deficiencies (as described in paragraph (l)(2) of this section, regardless of the type of facility), the sponsoring organization may choose not to conduct a third review of the facility that year, and may make its second review announced, provided that the sponsoring organization conducts an average of three reviews of all of its facilities that year, and that it conducts an average of two unannounced reviews of all of its facilities that year. When the sponsoring organization uses this averaging provision, and a specific facility receives two reviews in one review year, its first review in the next review year must occur no more than nine months after the previous review.

(v) Follow-up reviews. If, in conducting a facility review, a sponsoring organization detects one or more serious deficiency, the next review of that facility must be unannounced. Serious deficiencies are those described at paragraph (l)(2) of this section, regardless of the type of facility.

(vi) Notification of unannounced reviews. Sponsoring organizations of centers must provide each center with written notification of the right of the sponsoring organization, the State agency, the Department, and other State and Federal officials to make announced or unannounced reviews of its operations during the center's normal hours of operation, and must also notify sponsored centers that anyone making such reviews must show photo identification that demonstrates that they are employees of one of these entities. For sponsored centers participating on July 29, 2002, the sponsoring organization was to have provided this notice no later than August 29, 2002. For sponsored centers that are approved after July 29, 2002, the sponsoring organization must provide the notice before meal service under the Program begins. Sponsoring organizations must provide day care homes notification of unannounced visits in accordance with § 226.18(b)(1).

(vii) Other requirements pertaining to unannounced reviews. Unannounced reviews must be made only during the facility's normal hours of operation, and monitors making such reviews must show photo identification that demonstrates that they are employees of the sponsoring organization, the State agency, the Department, or other State and Federal agencies authorized to audit or investigate Program operations.

(viii) Imminent threat to health or safety. Sponsoring organizations that discover in a facility conduct or conditions that pose an imminent threat to the health or safety of participating children or the public, must immediately notify the appropriate State or local licensing or health authorities and take action that is consistent with the recommendations and requirements of those authorities.

(5) For sponsoring organizations, as part of their monitoring of facilities, compliance with the household contact requirements established pursuant to § 226.6(m)(5) of this part.

(e) Each sponsoring organization shall comply with the recordkeeping requirements established in §§ 226.10(d) and 226.15(e) and any recordkeeping requirements established by the State agency in order to justify the administrative payments made in accordance with § 226.12(a). Failure to maintain such records shall be grounds for the denial of reimbursement.

(f) The State agency may require a sponsoring organization to enter into separate agreements for the administration of separate types of facilities (child care centers, day care homes, adult day care centers, emergency shelters, at-risk afterschool care centers, and outside-school-hours care centers).

(g) Each sponsoring organization electing to receive advance payments of program funds for day care homes shall disburse the full amount of such payments within five working days of receipt from the State agency. If the sponsor requests the full operating advance to which it is entitled, the advances to day care homes shall be the full amount which the sponsor expects the home to earn based on the number of meals projected to be served to enrolled children during the period covered by the advance multiplied by the applicable payment rate as specified in § 226.13(c). If a sponsor elects to receive only a part of the operating advance to which it is entitled, or if the full operating advance is insufficient to provide a full advance to each home, the advance shall be disbursed to its homes in a manner and an amount the sponsor deems appropriate. Each sponsor shall disburse any reimbursement payments for food service due to each day care home within five working days of receipt from the State agency. Such payment shall be based on the number of meals served to enrolled children at each day care home, less any payments advanced to such home. However, the sponsoring organization may withhold from Program payments to each home an amount equal to food service operating costs incurred by the sponsoring organization in behalf of the home and with the home provider's written consent. If payments from the State agency are not sufficient to provide all day care homes under the sponsoring organization's jurisdiction with advance payments and reimbursement payments, available monies shall be used to provide all due reimbursement payments before advances are disbursed.

(h) Sponsoring organizations shall make payments of program funds to child care centers, adult day care centers, emergency shelters, at-risk afterschool care centers, or outside-school-hours care centers within five working days of receipt from the State agency, on the basis of the management plan approved by the State agency, and may not exceed the Program costs documented at each facility during any fiscal year; except in those States where the State agency has chosen the option to implement a meals times rates payment system. In those States which implement this optional method of reimbursement, such disbursements may not exceed the rates times the number of meals documented at each facility during any fiscal year.

(i) Disbursements of advance payments may be withheld from facilities which fail to submit reports required by § 226.15(e).

(j) A for-profit organization shall be eligible to serve as a sponsoring organization for for-profit centers which have the same legal identity as the organization, but shall not be eligible to sponsor for-profit centers which are legally distinct from the organization, day care homes, or public or private nonprofit centers.

(k) Before sponsoring organizations expend administrative funds to assist family day care homes in becoming licensed, they shall obtain the following information from each such home: a completed free and reduced price application which documents that the provider meets the Program's income standards; evidence of its application for licensing and official documentation of the defects that are impeding its licensing approval; and a completed CACFP application. These funding requests are limited to $300 per home and are only available to each home once.

(l) Termination of agreements for cause—(1) General. The sponsoring organization must initiate action to terminate the agreement of a day care home for cause if the sponsoring organization determines the day care home has committed one or more serious deficiency listed in paragraph (l)(2) of this section.

(2) List of serious deficiencies for day care homes. Serious deficiencies for day care homes are:

(i) Submission of false information on the application;

(ii) Submission of false claims for reimbursement;

(iii) Simultaneous participation under more than one sponsoring organization;

(iv) Non-compliance with the Program meal pattern;

(v) Failure to keep required records;

(vi) Conduct or conditions that threaten the health or safety of a child(ren) in care, or the public health or safety;

(vii) A determination that the day care home has been convicted of any activity that occurred during the past seven years and that indicated a lack of business integrity. A lack of business integrity includes fraud, antitrust violations, embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, receiving stolen property, making false claims, obstruction of justice, or any other activity indicating a lack of business integrity as defined by the State agency, or the concealment of such a conviction;

(viii) Failure to participate in training; or

(ix) Any other circumstance related to non-performance under the sponsoring organization-day care home agreement, as specified by the sponsoring organization or the State agency.

(3) Serious deficiency notification procedures. If the sponsoring organization determines that a day care home has committed one or more serious deficiency listed in paragraph (l)(2) of this section, the sponsoring organization must use the following procedures to provide the day care home notice of the serious deficiency(ies) and offer it an opportunity to take corrective action. However, if the serious deficiency(ies) constitutes an imminent threat to the health or safety of participants, or the day care home has engaged in activities that threaten the public health or safety, the sponsoring organization must follow the procedures in paragraph (l)(4) of this section instead of those in this paragraph (l)(3).

(i) Notice of serious deficiency. The sponsoring organization must notify the day care home that it has been found to be seriously deficient. The sponsoring organization must provide a copy of the serious deficiency notice to the State agency. The notice must specify:

(A) The serious deficiency(ies);

(B) The actions to be taken by the day care home to correct the serious deficiency(ies);

(C) The time allotted to correct the serious deficiency(ies) (as soon as possible, but not to exceed 30 days);

(D) That the serious deficiency determination is not subject to administrative review.

(E) That failure to fully and permanently correct the serious deficiency(ies) within the allotted time will result in the sponsoring organization proposed termination of the day care home's agreement and the proposed disqualification of the day care home and its principals; and

(F) That the day care home's voluntary termination of its agreement with the sponsoring organization after having been notified that it is seriously deficient will still result in the day care home's formal termination by the sponsoring organization and placement of the day care home and its principals on the National disqualified list.

(ii) Successful corrective action. If the day care home corrects the serious deficiency(ies) within the allotted time and to the sponsoring organization's satisfaction, the sponsoring organization must notify the day care home that it has temporarily defer its determination of serious deficiency. The sponsoring organization must also provide a copy of the notice to the State agency. However, if the sponsoring organization accepts the provider's corrective action, but later determines that the corrective action was not permanent or complete, the sponsoring organization must then propose to terminate the provider's Program agreement and disqualify the provider, as set forth in paragraph (l)(3)(iii) of this section.

(iii) Proposed termination of agreement and proposed disqualification. If timely corrective action is not taken to fully and permanently correct the serious deficiency(ies) cited, the sponsoring organization must issue a notice proposing to terminate the day care home's agreement for cause. The notice must explain the day care home's opportunity for an administrative review of the proposed termination in accordance with § 226.6(l). The sponsoring organization must provide a copy of the notice to the State agency. The notice must:

(A) Inform the day care home that it may continue to participate and receive Program reimbursement for eligible meals served until its administrative review is concluded;

(B) Inform the day care home that termination of the day care home's agreement will result in the day care home's termination for cause and disqualification; and

(C) State that if the day care home seeks to voluntarily terminate its agreement after receiving the notice of intent to terminate, the day care home will still be placed on the National disqualified list.

(iv) Program payments. The sponsoring organization must continue to pay any claims for reimbursement for eligible meals served until the serious deficiency(ies) is corrected or the day care home's agreement is terminated, including the period of any administrative review.

(v) Agreement termination and disqualification. The sponsoring organization must immediately terminate the day care home's agreement and disqualify the day care home when the administrative review official upholds the sponsoring organization's proposed termination and proposed disqualification, or when the day care home's opportunity to request an administrative review expires. At the same time the notice is issued, the sponsoring organization must provide a copy of the termination and disqualification letter to the State agency.

(4) Suspension of participation for day care homes.

(i) General. If State or local health or licensing officials have cited a day care home for serious health or safety violations, the sponsoring organization must immediately suspend the home's CACFP participation prior to any formal action to revoke the home's licensure or approval. If the sponsoring organization determines that there is an imminent threat to the health or safety of participants at a day care home, or that the day care home has engaged in activities that threaten the public health or safety, and the licensing agency cannot make an immediate onsite visit, the sponsoring organization must immediately notify the appropriate State or local licensing and health authorities and take action that is consistent with the recommendations and requirements of those authorities. An imminent threat to the health or safety of participants and engaging in activities that threaten the public health or safety constitute serious deficiencies; however, the sponsoring organization must use the procedures in this paragraph (l)(4) (and not the procedures in paragraph (l)(3) of this section) to provide the day care home notice of the suspension of participation, serious deficiency, and proposed termination of the day care home's agreement.

(ii) Notice of suspension, serious deficiency, and proposed termination. The sponsoring organization must notify the day care home that its participation has been suspended, that the day care home has been determined seriously deficient, and that the sponsoring organization proposes to terminate the day care home's agreement for cause, and must provide a copy of the notice to the State agency. The notice must:

(A) Specify the serious deficiency(ies) found and the day care home's opportunity for an administrative review of the proposed termination in accordance with § 226.6(l);

(B) State that participation (including all Program payments) will remain suspended until the administrative review is concluded;

(C) Inform the day care home that if the administrative review official overturns the suspension, the day care home may claim reimbursement for eligible meals served during the suspension;

(D) Inform the day care home that termination of the day care home's agreement will result in the placement of the day care home on the National disqualified list; and

(E) State that if the day care home seeks to voluntarily terminate its agreement after receiving the notice of proposed termination, the day care home will still be terminated for cause and disqualified.

(iii) Agreement termination and disqualification. The sponsoring organization must immediately terminate the day care home's agreement and disqualify the day care home when the administrative review official upholds the sponsoring organization's proposed termination, or when the day care home's opportunity to request an administrative review expires.

(iv) Program payments. A sponsoring organization is prohibited from making any Program payments to a day care home that has been suspended until any administrative review of the proposed termination is completed. If the suspended day care home prevails in the administrative review of the proposed termination, the sponsoring organization must reimburse the day care home for eligible meals served during the suspension period.

(m) Sponsoring organizations of day care homes or unaffiliated centers must not make payments to employees or contractors solely on the basis of the number of homes or centers recruited. However, employees or contractors may be paid or evaluated on the basis of recruitment activities accomplished.

[47 FR 36527, Aug. 20, 1982; 47 FR 46072, Oct. 15, 1982, as amended at 48 FR 21530, May 13, 1983; 50 FR 8580, Mar. 4, 1985; 50 FR 26975, July 1, 1985; 53 FR 52591, Dec. 28, 1988; 63 FR 9729, Feb. 26, 1998; 64 FR 72260, Dec. 27, 1999; 67 FR 43490, June 27, 2002; 69 FR 53544, Sept. 1, 2004; 71 FR 5, Jan. 3, 2006; 72 FR 41608, July 31, 2007; 76 FR 34571, June 13, 2011; 78 FR 13451, Feb. 28, 2013; 88 FR 57856, Aug. 23, 2023]

(a) Child care centers may participate in the Program either as independent centers or under the auspices of a sponsoring organization; provided, however, that public and private nonprofit centers shall not be eligible to participate in the Program under the auspices of a for-profit sponsoring organization. Child care centers participating as independent centers shall comply with the provisions of § 226.15.

(b) All child care centers, independent or sponsored, shall meet the following requirements

(1) Child care centers must have Federal, State, or local licensing or approval to provide day care services to children. Child care centers, which are complying with applicable procedures to renew licensing or approval, may participate in the Program during the renewal process, unless the State agency has information that indicates that renewal will be denied. If licensing or approval is not available, a child care center may participate if it demonstrates compliance with the CACFP child care standards or any applicable State or local child care standards to the State agency.

(2) Except for for-profit centers, child care centers shall be public, or have tax exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(3) Each child care center participating in the Program must serve one or more of the following meal types—breakfast; lunch; supper; and snack. Reimbursement must not be claimed for more than two meals and one snack or one meal and two snacks provided daily to each child.

(4) Each child care center participating in the Program shall claim only the meal types specified in its approved application in accordance with the meal pattern requirements specified in § 226.20. For-profit child care centers may not claim reimbursement for meals served to children in any month in which less than 25 percent of the children in care (enrolled or licensed capacity, whichever is less) were eligible for free or reduced price meals or were title XX beneficiaries. However, children who only receive at-risk afterschool snacks and/or at-risk afterschool meals must not be included in this percentage. Menus and any other nutritional records required by the State agency shall be maintained to document compliance with such requirements.

(5) A child care center with preschool children may also be approved to serve a breakfast, snack, and supper to school-age children participating in an outside-school-hours care program meeting the criteria of § 226.19(b) that is distinct from its day care program for preschool-age children. The State agency may authorize the service of lunch to such participating children who attend a school that does not offer a lunch program, provided that the limit of two meals and one snack, or one meal and two snacks, per child per day is not exceeded.

(6) A child care center with preschool children may also be approved to serve a snack to school age children participating in an afterschool care program meeting the requirements of § 226.17a that is distinct from its day care program for preschool children, provided that the limit of two meals, and one snack, or one meal and two snacks, per child per day is not exceeded.

(7) A child care center may utilize existing school food service facilities or obtain meals from a school food service facility, and the pertinent requirements of this part shall be embodied in a written agreement between the child care center and school. The center shall maintain responsibility for all Program requirements set forth in this part.

(8) Child care centers shall collect and maintain documentation of the enrollment of each child, including information used to determine eligibility for free and reduced price meals in accordance with § 226.23(e)(1). In addition, Head Start participants need only have a Head Start statement of income eligibility, or a statement of Head Start enrollment from an authorized Head Start representative, to be eligible for free meal benefits under the CACFP. Such documentation of enrollment must be updated annually, signed by a parent or legal guardian, and include information on each child's normal days and hours of care and the meals normally received while in care.

(9) Each child care center must maintain daily records of time of service meal counts by type (breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks) served to enrolled children, and to adults performing labor necessary to the food service.

(10) Each child care center must require key staff, as defined by the State agency, to attend Program training prior to the center's participation in the Program, and at least annually thereafter, on content areas established by the State agency.

(c) Each child care center shall comply with the recordkeeping requirements established in § 226.10(d), in paragraph (b) of this section and, if applicable, in § 226.15(e). Failure to maintain such records shall be grounds for the denial of reimbursement.

(d) If so instructed by its sponsoring organization, a sponsored center must distribute to parents a copy of the sponsoring organization's notice to parents.

(e) Unaffiliated sponsored child care centers must enter into a written permanent agreement with the sponsoring organization. The agreement must specify the rights and responsibilities of both parties. At a minimum, the agreement must include the provisions set forth in paragraph (b) of this section.

(f) Independent child care centers must enter into a written permanent agreement with the State agency. The agreement must specify the rights and responsibilities of both parties as required by § 226.6(b)(4). At a minimum, the agreement must include the provisions set forth in paragraph (b) of this section.

[47 FR 36527, Aug. 20, 1982, as amended at 52 FR 36907, Oct. 2, 1987; 53 FR 52591, Dec. 28, 1988; 54 FR 26724, June 26, 1989; Amdt. 22, 55 FR 1378, Jan. 14, 1990; 61 FR 25554, May 22, 1996; 62 FR 23619, May 1, 1997; 63 FR 9729, Feb. 26, 1998; 64 FR 72261, Dec. 27, 1999; 67 FR 43493, June 27, 2002; 69 FR 53546, Sept. 1, 2004; 70 FR 43262, July 27, 2005; 72 FR 41608, July 31, 2007; 75 FR 16328, Apr. 1, 2010; 78 FR 13451, Feb. 28, 2013; 88 FR 57856, Aug. 23, 2023]

(a) Organizations eligible to receive reimbursement for at-risk afterschool snacks and at-risk afterschool meals—(1) Eligible organizations. To receive reimbursement for at-risk afterschool snacks, organizations must meet the criteria in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) through (a)(1)(iv) of this section. To receive reimbursement for at-risk afterschool meals, organizations must meet the criteria in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) through (a)(1)(v) of this section.

(i) Organizations must meet the definition of an At-risk afterschool care center in § 226.2. An organization may participate in the Program either as an independent center or as a child care facility under the auspices of a sponsoring organization. Public and private nonprofit centers may not participate under the auspices of a for-profit sponsoring organization.

(ii) Organizations must operate an eligible afterschool care program, as described in paragraph (b) of this section.

(iii) Organizations must meet the licensing/approval requirements in § 226.6(d)(1).

(iv) Except for for-profit centers, at-risk afterschool care centers must be public, or have tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or be currently participating in another Federal program requiring nonprofit status.

(v) Organizations eligible to be reimbursed for at-risk afterschool meals must be located in one of the eligible States designated by law or selected by the Secretary as directed by law.

(2) Limitations. (i) To be reimbursed for at-risk afterschool snacks and/or at-risk afterschool meals, all organizations must:

(A) Serve the at-risk afterschool snacks and/or at-risk afterschool meals to children who are participating in an approved afterschool care program; and

(B) Not exceed the authorized capacity of the at-risk afterschool care center.

(ii) In any calendar month, a for-profit center must be eligible to participate in the Program as described in the definition of For-profit center in § 226.2. However, children who only receive at-risk afterschool snacks and/or at-risk afterschool meals must not be considered in determining this eligibility.

(b) Eligible at-risk afterschool care programs—(1) Eligible programs. To be eligible for reimbursement, an afterschool care program must:

(i) Be organized primarily to provide care for children after school or on weekends, holidays, or school vacations during the regular school year (an at-risk afterschool care center may not claim snacks during summer vacation, unless it is located in the attendance area of a school operating on a year-round calendar);

(ii) Have organized, regularly scheduled activities (i.e., in a structured and supervised environment);

(iii) Include education or enrichment activities; and

(iv) Except for Emergency shelters as defined in § 226.2, be located in an eligible area, as described in paragraph (i) of this section.

(2) Eligibility limitation. Organized athletic programs engaged in interscholastic or community level competitive sports are not eligible afterschool care programs.

(c) Eligibility requirements for children. At-risk afterschool snacks and/or at-risk afterschool meals are reimbursable only if served to children who are participating in an approved afterschool care program and who either are age 18 or under at the start of the school year or meet the definition of Persons with disabilities in § 226.2.

(d) Licensing requirements for at-risk afterschool care centers. In accordance with § 226.6(d)(1), if Federal, State or local licensing or approval is not otherwise required, at-risk afterschool care centers must meet State or local health and safety standards. When State or local health and safety standards have not been established, State agencies are encouraged to work with appropriate State and local officials to create such standards. Meeting these standards will remain a precondition for any afterschool center's eligibility for CACFP nutrition benefits. In cases where Federal, State or local licensing or approval is required, at-risk afterschool care centers that are complying with applicable procedures to renew licensing or approval may participate in the Program during the renewal process, unless the State agency has information that indicates the renewal will be denied.

(e) Application procedures—(1) Application. An official of the organization must make written application to the State agency for any afterschool care program that it wants to operate as an at-risk afterschool care center.

(2) Required information. At a minimum, an organization must submit:

(i) An indication that the applicant organization meets the eligibility criteria for organizations as specified in paragraph (a) of this section;

(ii) A description of how the afterschool care program(s) meets the eligibility criteria in paragraph (b) of this section;

(iii) In the case of a sponsoring organization, a list of all applicant afterschool care centers;

(iv) Documentation that permits the State agency to confirm that all applicant afterschool care centers are located in an eligible area, as described in paragraph (i) of this section; and

(v) Other information required as a condition of eligibility in the CACFP must be submitted with an application for participation in accordance with § 226.6(b)(1).

(f) State agency action on applications—(1) State agency approval. The State agency must determine the eligibility of the afterschool care program for each sponsored afterschool care center based on the information submitted by the sponsoring organization in accordance with §§ 226.6(b)(1) and 226.15(g) and the requirements of this section. The State agency must determine the eligibility of the afterschool care programs of independent afterschool care centers based on the information submitted by the independent center in accordance with § 226.6(b)(1) and the requirements of this section. The State agency must determine the area eligibility of independent at-risk afterschool care centers in accordance with the requirements of § 226.6(f)(1)(ix)(B). An approved organization must enter into an agreement with the State agency as described in paragraph (f)(2) of this section.

(2) Agreements. The State agency must enter into a permanent agreement with an institution approved to operate one or more at-risk afterschool care centers, as described in § 226.6(b)(4). The agreement must describe the approved afterschool care programs and list the approved centers. The agreement must also require the institution to comply with the applicable requirements of this part 226.

(i) Unaffiliated sponsored afterschool care centers must enter into a written permanent agreement with the sponsoring organization. The agreement must specify the rights and responsibilities of both parties. At a minimum, the agreement must include the applicable provisions set forth in this section.

(ii) Independent afterschool care centers must enter into a written permanent agreement with the State agency. The agreement must specify the rights and responsibilities of both parties as required by § 226.6(b)(4). At a minimum, the agreement must include the applicable provisions set forth in this section.

(g) Application process in subsequent years. To continue participating in the Program, independent at-risk afterschool care centers must comply with the annual information submission requirements, as described in §§ 226.6(b)(2)(i) and (f)(3)(ii). Sponsoring organizations of at-risk afterschool care centers must comply with the annual information submission requirements, as described in in § 226.6(b)(2)(ii), and provide area eligibility data, as described in § 226.15(g).

(h) Changes to participating centers. Independent at-risk afterschool care centers or sponsors of at-risk afterschool care centers must advise the State agency of any substantive changes to the afterschool care program. Sponsoring organizations that want to add new at-risk afterschool care centers must provide the State agency with the information sufficient to demonstrate that the new centers meet the requirements of this section.

(i) Area eligibility. Except for emergency shelters, at-risk afterschool care centers must be located in an area described in paragraph (a) of the Eligible area definition in § 226.2 and in paragraph (i)(1) of this section.

(1) Definition. An at-risk afterschool care center is in an eligible area if it is located in the attendance area of a school in which at least 50 percent of the enrolled children are certified eligible for free or reduced-price school meals.

(2) Data used. Area eligibility determinations must be based on the total number of children approved for free and reduced-price school meals for the preceding October, or another month designated by the State agency that administers the National School Lunch Program (the NSLP State agency). If the NSLP State agency chooses a month other than October, it must do so for the entire State.

(3) Frequency of area eligibility determinations. Area eligibility determinations are valid for five years. The State agency may determine the date in the fifth year in which the next five-year cycle of area eligibility will begin. The State agency must not routinely require redeterminations of area eligibility based on updated school data during the five-year period, except in cases where the State agency has determined it is most efficient to incorporate area eligibility decisions into the three-year application cycle. However, a sponsoring organization, the State agency, or FNS may change the determination of area eligibility if information becomes available indicating that an at-risk afterschool care center is no longer area eligible.

(j) Cost of at-risk afterschool snacks and meals. All at-risk afterschool snacks and at-risk afterschool meals served under this section must be provided at no charge to participating children.

(k) Limit on daily reimbursements. Only one at-risk afterschool snack and, in eligible States, one at-risk afterschool meal per child per day may be claimed for reimbursement. An at-risk afterschool care center that provides care to a child under another component of the Program during the same day may not claim reimbursement for more than two meals and one snack, or one meal and two snacks, per child per day, including the at-risk afterschool snack and the at-risk afterschool meal. All meals and snacks must be claimed in accordance with the requirements for the applicable component of the Program.

(l) Meal pattern requirements for at-risk afterschool snacks and at-risk afterschool meals. At-risk afterschool snacks must meet the meal pattern requirements for snacks in § 226.20(b)(6) and/or (c)(4); at-risk afterschool meals must meet the meal pattern requirements for meals in § 226.20(b)(6) and/or (c)(1), (c)(2), or (c)(3).

(m) Time periods for snack and meal services—(1) At-risk afterschool snacks. When school is in session, the snack must be served after the child's school day. With State agency approval, the snack may be served at any time on weekends and vacations during the regular school year. Afterschool snacks may not be claimed during summer vacation, unless an at-risk afterschool care center is located in the attendance area of a school operating on a year-round calendar.

(2) At-risk afterschool meals. When school is in session, the meal must be served after the child's school day. With State agency approval, any one meal may be served (breakfast, lunch, or supper) per day on weekends and vacations during the regular school year. Afterschool meals may not be claimed during summer vacation, unless an at-risk afterschool care center is located in the attendance area of a school operating on a year-round calendar.

(n) Reimbursement rates. At-risk afterschool snacks are reimbursed at the free rate for snacks. At-risk afterschool meals are reimbursed at the respective free rates for breakfast, lunch, or supper

(o) Recordkeeping requirements. In addition to the other records required by this part, at-risk afterschool care centers must maintain:

(1) Daily attendance rosters, sign-in sheets or, with State agency approval, other methods which result in accurate recording of daily attendance;

(2) The number of at-risk afterschool snacks prepared or delivered for each snack service and/or, in eligible States, the number of at-risk afterschool meals prepared or delivered for each meal service;

(3) The number of at-risk afterschool snacks served to participating children for each snack service and/or, in eligible States, the number of at-risk afterschool meals served to participating children for each meal service; and

(4) Menus for each at-risk afterschool snack service and each at-risk afterschool meal service.

(p) Reporting requirements. In addition to other reporting requirements under this part, at-risk afterschool care centers must report the total number of at-risk afterschool snacks and/or (in eligible States) the total number of at-risk afterschool meals served to eligible children based on daily attendance rosters or sign-in sheets.

(q) Monitoring requirements. State agencies must monitor independent centers in accordance with § 226.6(m). Sponsoring organizations of at-risk afterschool care centers must monitor their centers in accordance with § 226.16(d)(4).

[72 FR 41608, July 31, 2007, as amended at 75 FR 16328, Apr. 1, 2010; 78 FR 13451, Feb. 28, 2013; 88 FR 57856, Aug. 23, 2023]

(a) Day care homes shall have current Federal, State or local licensing or approval to provide day care services to children. Day care homes which cannot obtain their license because they lack the funding to comply with licensing standards may request a total limit per home of $300 in administrative funds from a sponsoring organization to assist them in obtaining their license. Day care homes that, at the option of their sponsoring organization, receive administrative funds for licensing-related expenses must complete documentation requested by their sponsor as described in § 226.16(k) prior to receiving any funds. The agreement must be signed by the sponsoring organization and the provider and must include the provider's full name, mailing address, and date of birth. Day care homes which are complying with applicable procedures to renew licensing or approval may participate in the Program during the renewal process, unless the State agency has information which indicates that renewal will be denied. If licensing or approval is not available, a day care home may participate in the Program if:

(1) It receives title XX funds for providing child care; or

(2) It demonstrates compliance with CACFP child care standards or applicable State or local child care standards to the State agency.

(b) Day care homes participating in the program shall operate under the auspices of a public or private nonprofit sponsoring organization. Sponsoring organizations shall enter into a written permanent agreement with each sponsored day care home which specifies the rights and responsibilities of both parties. Nothing in the preceding sentence shall be construed to limit the ability of the sponsoring organization to suspend or terminate the permanent agreement in accordance with § 226.16(l). This agreement shall be developed by the State agency, unless the State agency elects, at the request of the sponsor, to approve an agreement developed by the sponsor. At a minimum, the agreement shall embody:

(1) The right of the sponsoring organization, the State agency, the Department, and other State and Federal officials to make announced or unannounced reviews of the day care home's operations and to have access to its meal service and records during normal hours of operation.

(2) The responsibility of the sponsoring organization to require key staff, as defined by the State agency, to receive Program training prior to the day care home's participation in the Program, and at least annually thereafter, on content areas established by the State agency, and the responsibility of the day care home to participate in that training;

(3) The responsibility of the day care home to prepare and serve meals which meet the meal patterns specified in § 226.20;

(4) The responsibility of the day care home to maintain records of menus, and of the number of meals, by type, served to enrolled children;

(5) The responsibility of the day care home to promptly inform the sponsoring organization about any change in the number of children enrolled for care or in its licensing or approval status;

(6) The meal types approved for reimbursement to the day care home by the State agency;

(7) The right of the day care home to receive in a timely manner the full food service rate for each meal served to enrolled children for which the sponsoring organization has received payment from the State agency. However, if, with the home provider's consent, the sponsoring organization will incur costs for the provision of program foodstuffs or meals in behalf of the home, and subtract such costs from Program payments to the home, the particulars of this arrangement shall be specified in the agreement. The sponsoring organization must not withhold Program payments to any family day care home for any other reason, except that the sponsoring organization may withhold from the provider any amounts that the sponsoring organization has reason to believe are invalid, due to the provider having submitted a false or erroneous meal count;

(8) The right of the sponsoring organization or the day care home to terminate the agreement for cause or, subject to stipulations by the State agency, convenience;

(9) A prohibition of any sponsoring organization fee to the day care home for its Program administrative services;

(10) If the State agency has approved a time limit for submission of meal records by day care homes, that time limit shall be stated in the agreement;

(11) The responsibility of the sponsoring organization to inform tier II day care homes of all of their options for receiving reimbursement for meals served to enrolled children. These options include:

(i) Receiving tier I rates for the meals served to eligible enrolled children, by electing to have the sponsoring organization identify all income-eligible children through the collection of free and reduced-price applications and the sponsoring organization or day care home's possession of other proof of a child or household's participation in a categorically eligible program;

(ii) Receiving tier I rates for the meals served to eligible enrolled children, by electing to have the sponsoring organization identify only those children for whom the sponsoring organization or day care home possess documentation of the child or household's participation in a categorically eligible program, under the expanded categorical eligibility provision, as described in § 226.23(e)(1); or

(iii) Receiving tier II rates of reimbursement for all meals served to enrolled children;

(12) The responsibility of the sponsoring organization, upon the request of a tier II day care home, to collect applications and determine the eligibility of enrolled children for free or reduced price meals;

(13) The right of the tier II day care home to assist in collecting applications from households and transmitting the applications to the sponsoring organization. However, a tier II day care home may not review the collected applications. The sponsoring organizations may prohibit a tier II day care home from assisting in collection and transmittal of applications if the day care home does not comply with the process, as described in § 226.23(e)(2)(viii);

(14) The State agency's policy to restrict transfers of day care homes between sponsoring organizations;

(15) The responsibility of the day care home to notify their sponsoring organization in advance whenever they are planning to be out of their home during the meal service period. The agreement must also state that, if this procedure is not followed and an unannounced review is conducted when the children are not present in the day care home, claims for meals that would have been served during the unannounced review will be disallowed;

(16) The day care home's opportunity to request an administrative review if a sponsoring organization issues a notice of proposed termination of the day care home's Program agreement, or if a sponsoring organization suspends participation due to health and safety concerns, in accordance with § 226.6(1)(2); and

(17) If so instructed by its sponsoring organization, the day care home's responsibility to distribute to parents a copy of the sponsoring organization's notice to parents.

(c) Each day care home must serve one or more of the following meal types—breakfast, lunch, supper, and snack. Reimbursement may not be claimed for more than two meals and one snack, or one meal and two snacks, provided daily to each child.

(d) Each day care home participating in the program shall serve the meal types specified in its approved application in accordance with the meal pattern requirements specified in § 226.20. Menu records shall be maintained to document compliance with these requirements. Meals shall be served at no separate charge to enrolled children;

(e) Each day care home must maintain on file documentation of each child's enrollment and must maintain daily records of the number of children in attendance and the number of meals, by type, served to enrolled children. Such documentation of enrollment must be updated annually, signed by a parent or legal guardian, and include information on each child's normal days and hours of care and the meals normally received while in care. Each tier II day care home in which the provider elects to have the sponsoring organization identify enrolled children who are eligible for free or reduced price meals, and in which the sponsoring organization employs a meal counting and claiming system in accordance with § 226.13(d)(3)(i), shall maintain and submit each month to the sponsoring organization daily records of the number and types of meals served to each enrolled child by name. Payment may be made for meals served to the provider's own children only when (1) such children are enrolled and participating in the child care program during the time of the meal service, (2) enrolled nonresident children are present and participating in the child care program and (3) providers' children are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. Reimbursement may not be claimed for meals served to children who are not enrolled, or for meals served at any one time to children in excess of the home's authorized capacity or for meals served to providers' children who are not eligible for free or reduced-price meals.

(f) The State agency may not require a day care home or sponsoring organization to maintain documentation of home operating costs.

(g) Each day care home shall comply with the recordkeeping requirements established in § 226.10(d) and in this section. Failure to maintain such records shall be grounds for the denial of reimbursement.

[47 FR 36527, Aug. 20, 1982] Editorial Note:For Federal Register citations affecting § 226.18, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.govinfo.gov.

(a) Outside-school-hours care centers may participate in the Program either as independent centers or under the auspices of a sponsoring organization; Provided, however, That public and private nonprofit centers shall not be eligible to participate in the Program under the auspices of a for-profit sponsoring organization. Outside-school-hours care centers participating as independent centers shall comply with the provisions of § 226.15.

(b) All outside-school-hours care centers, independent or sponsored, shall meet the following requirements:

(1) In accordance with § 226.6(d)(1), if Federal, State or local licensing or approval is not otherwise required, outside-school-hours care centers must meet State or local health and safety standards. When State or local health and safety standards have not been established, State agencies are encouraged to work with appropriate State and local officials to create such standards. Meeting these standards will remain a precondition for any outside-school-hours care center's eligibility for CACFP nutrition benefits. In cases where Federal, State or local licensing or approval is required, outside-school-hours care centers that are complying with applicable procedures to renew licensing or approval may participate in the Program during the renewal process, unless the State agency has information that indicates the renewal will be denied.

(2) Except for for-profit centers, outside-school-hours care centers shall be public, or have tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(3) Nonresidential public or private nonprofit schools which provide organized child care programs for school children may participate in the Program as outside-school-hours care centers if:

(i) Children participate in a regularly scheduled program that meets the criteria of paragraph (b)(1) of this section. The program is organized for the purpose of providing services to children and is distinct from any extracurricular programs organized primarily for scholastic, cultural, or athletic purposes; and

(ii) Separate Program records are maintained.

(4) Outside-school-hours care centers shall be eligible to serve one or more of the following meal types: breakfasts, snacks and suppers. In addition, outside-school-hours care centers shall be eligible to serve lunches to enrolled children during periods of school vacation, including weekends and holidays, and to children attending schools which do not offer a lunch program. Notwithstanding the eligibility of outside-school-hours care centers to serve Program meals to children on school vacation, including holidays and weekends, such centers shall not operate under the Program on weekends only.

(5) Each outside-school-hours care center participating in the Program shall claim only the meal types specified in its approved application and served in compliance with the meal pattern requirements of § 226.20. Reimbursement may not be claimed for more than two meals and one snack provided daily to each child or for meals served to children at any one time in excess of authorized capacity. For-profit centers may not claim reimbursement for meals served to children in any month in which less than 25 percent of the children in care (enrolled or licensed capacity, whichever is less) were eligible for free or reduced price meals or were title XX beneficiaries.

(6) Each outside-school-hours care center must require key operational staff, as defined by the State agency, to attend Program training prior to the center's participation in the Program, and at least annually thereafter, on content areas established by the State agency. Each meal service must be supervised by an adequate number of operational personnel who have been trained in Program requirements as outlined in this section. Operational personnel must ensure that:

(i) Meals are served only to children and to adults who perform necessary food service labor;

(ii) Meals served to children meet the meal pattern requirements specified in § 226.20;

(iii) Meals served are consumed on the premises of the centers;

(iv) Accurate records are maintained; and

(v) The number of meals prepared or ordered is promptly adjusted on the basis of participation trends.

(7) Each outside-school-hours care center shall accurately maintain the following records:

(i) Information used to determine eligibility for free or reduced price meals in accordance with § 226.23(e)(1);

(ii) Number of meals prepared or delivered for each meal service;

(iii) Daily menu records for each meal service;

(iv) Number of meals served to children at each meal service;

(v) Number of children in attendance during each meal service;

(vi) Number of meals served to adults performing necessary food service labor for each meal service; and

(vii) All other records required by the State agency financial management system.

(8) An outside-school-hours care center may utilize existing school food service facilities or obtain meals from a school food service facility, and the pertinent requirements of this part shall be embodied in a written agreement between the outside-school-hours care center and the school. The center shall maintain responsibility for all Program requirements set forth in this part.

(c) Each outside-school-hours care center shall comply with the recordkeeping requirements established in § 226.10(d), in paragraph (b) of this section and, if applicable, in § 226.15(e). Failure to maintain such records shall be grounds for the denial of reimbursement.

(d) Unaffiliated sponsored outside-school-hours-care centers must enter into a written permanent agreement with the sponsoring organization. The agreement must specify the rights and responsibilities of both parties. At a minimum, the agreement must include the provisions set forth in paragraph (b) of this section.

(e) Independent outside-school-hours care centers must enter into a written permanent agreement with the State agency. The agreement must specify the rights and responsibilities of both parties as required by § 226.6(b)(4). At a minimum, the agreement must include the provisions described in paragraph (b) of this section.

[47 FR 36527, Aug. 20, 1982, as amended at 52 FR 36907, Oct. 2, 1987; 54 FR 26724, June 26, 1989; Amdt. 22, 55 FR 1378, Jan. 14, 1990; 56 FR 58175, Nov. 16, 1991; 61 FR 25554, May 22, 1996; 62 FR 23619, May 1, 1997; 64 FR 72261, Dec. 27, 1999; 67 FR 43493, June 27, 2002; 69 FR 53546, Sept. 1, 2004; 70 FR 43262, July 27, 2005; 72 FR 41603, 41610, July 31, 2007; 88 FR 57857, Aug. 23, 2023]

(a) Adult day care centers may participate in the Program either as independent centers or under the auspices of a sponsoring organization; provided, however, that public and private nonprofit centers shall not be eligible to participate in the Program under the auspices of a for-profit sponsoring organization. Adult day care centers participating as independent centers shall comply with the provisions of § 226.15.

(b) All adult day care centers, independent or sponsored, shall meet the following requirements:

(1) Adult day care centers shall provide a community-based group program designed to meet the needs of functionally impaired adults through an individual plan of care. Such a program shall be a structured, comprehensive program that provides a variety of health, social and related support services to enrolled adult participants.

(2) Adult day care centers shall provide care and services directly or under arrangements made by the agency or organization whereby the agency or organization maintains professional management responsibility for all such services.

(3) Adult day care centers shall have Federal, State or local licensing or approval to provide day care services to functionally impaired adults (as defined in § 226.2) or individuals 60 years of age or older in a group setting outside their home or a group living arrangement on a less than 24-hour basis. Adult day care centers which are complying with applicable procedures to renew licensing or approval may participate in the Program during the renewal process, unless the State agency has information which indicates that renewal will be denied.

(4) Except for for-profit centers, adult day care centers shall be public, or have tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(5) Each adult day care center participating in the Program must serve one or more of the following meal types—breakfast, lunch, supper, and snack. Reimbursement may not be claimed for more than two meals and one snack, or one snack and two meals, provided daily to each adult participant.

(6) Each adult day care center participating in the Program shall claim only the meal types specified in its approved application in accordance with the meal pattern requirements specified in § 226.20. Participating centers may not claim CACFP reimbursement for meals claimed under part C of title III of the Older Americans Act of 1965. Reimbursement may not be claimed for meals served to persons who are not enrolled, or for meals served to participants at any one time in excess of the center's authorized capacity, or for any meal served at a for-profit center during a calendar month when less than 25 percent of enrolled participants were title XIX or title XX beneficiaries. Menus and any other nutritional records required by the State agency shall be maintained to document compliance with such requirements.

(7) An adult day care center may obtain meals from a school food service facility, and the pertinent requirements of this part shall be embodied in a written agreement between the center and school. The center shall maintain responsibility for all Program requirements set forth in this part.

(8) Adult day care centers shall collect and maintain documentation of the enrollment of each adult participant including information used to determine eligibility for free and reduced price meals in accordance with § 226.23(e)(1).

(9) Each adult day care center must maintain daily records of time of service meal counts by type (breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks) served to enrolled participants, and to adults performing labor necessary to the food service.

(10) Each adult day care center shall maintain records on the age of each enrolled person. In addition, each adult day care center shall maintain records which demonstrate that each enrolled person under the age of 60 meets the functional impairment eligibility requirements established under the definition of “functionally impaired adult” contained in this part. Finally, each adult day care center shall maintain records which document that qualified adult day care participants reside in their own homes (whether alone or with spouses, children or guardians) or in group living arrangements as defined in § 226.2.

(11) Each adult day care center must require key operational staff, as defined by the State agency, to attend Program training prior to the facility's participation in the Program, and at least annually thereafter, on content areas established by the State agency. Each meal service must be supervised by an adequate number of operational personnel who have been trained in Program requirements as outlined in this section.

(c) Each adult day care center shall comply with the recordkeeping requirements established in § 226.10(d), in paragraph (b) of this section and, if applicable, in § 226.15(e). Failure to maintain such records shall be grounds for the denial of reimbursement.

(d) Unaffiliated sponsored adult day care centers must enter into a written permanent agreement with the sponsoring organization. The agreement must specify the rights and responsibilities of both parties. At a minimum, the agreement must address the provisions set forth in paragraph (b) this section.

(e) Independent adult day care centers must enter into a written permanent agreement with the State agency. The agreement must specify the rights and responsibilities of both parties as required by § 226.6(b)(4). At a minimum, the agreement must include the provisions described in paragraph (b) of this section.

[53 FR 52591, Dec. 28, 1988, as amended by Amdt. 22, 55 FR 1378, Jan. 14, 1990; 61 FR 25554, May 22, 1996; 62 FR 23619, May 1, 1997; 64 FR 72261, Dec. 27, 1999; 67 FR 43493, June 27, 2002; 69 FR 53546, Sept. 1, 2004; 72 FR 41610, July 31, 2007; 88 FR 57857, Aug. 23, 2023]

(a) Meal components. Except as otherwise provided in this section, each meal served in the Program must contain, at a minimum, the indicated components:

(1) Fluid milk. Fluid milk must be served as a beverage or on cereal, or a combination of both. Lactose-free and reduced-lactose milk that meet the fat content and flavor specifications for each age group may also be offered.

(i) Children 1 year old. Unflavored whole milk must be served.

(ii) Children 2 through 5 years old. Either unflavored low-fat (1 percent) or unflavored fat-free (skim) milk must be served.

(iii) Children 6 years old and older. Low-fat (1 percent fat or less) or fat-free (skim) milk must be served. Milk may be unflavored or flavored.

(iv) Adults. Low-fat (1 percent fat or less) or fat-free (skim) milk must be served. Milk may be unflavored or flavored. Six ounces (weight) or 3/4 cup (volume) of yogurt may be used to fulfill the equivalent of 8 ounces of fluid milk once per day. Yogurt may be counted as either a fluid milk substitute or as a meat alternate, but not as both in the same meal.

(2) Vegetables. A serving may contain fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables, dry beans, peas, and lentils, or vegetable juice. All vegetables are credited based on their volume as served, except that 1 cup of leafy greens counts as 1/2 cup of vegetables.

(i) Pasteurized, full-strength vegetable juice may be used to fulfill the entire requirement. Vegetable juice or fruit juice may only be served at one meal, including snack, per day.

(ii) Cooked dry beans, peas, and lentils may be counted as either a vegetable or as a meat alternate, but not as both in the same dish.

(3) Fruits. A serving may contain fresh, frozen, canned, dried fruits, or fruit juice. All fruits are based on their volume as served, except that 1/4 cup of dried fruit counts as 1/2 cup of fruit.

(i) Pasteurized, full-strength fruit juice may be used to fulfill the entire requirement. Fruit juice or vegetable juice may only be served at one meal, including snack, per day.

(ii) A vegetable may be used to meet the entire fruit requirement at lunch and supper. When two vegetables are served at lunch or supper, two different kinds of vegetables must be served.

(4) Grains—(i) Enriched and whole grains. All grains must be made with enriched or whole grain meal or flour.

(A) At least one serving per day, across all eating occasions of bread, cereals, and grains, must be whole grain-rich, as defined in § 226.2. Whole grain-rich is the term designated by FNS to indicate that the grain content of a product is between 50 and 100 percent whole grain with any remaining grains being enriched.

(B) A serving may contain whole grain-rich or enriched bread, cornbread, biscuits, rolls, muffins, and other bread products; or whole grain-rich, enriched, or fortified cereal grain, cooked pasta or noodle products, or breakfast cereal; or any combination of these foods.

(ii) Breakfast cereals. Breakfast cereals are those as defined by the Food and Drug Administration in 21 Cspan 170.3(n)(4) for ready-to-eat and instant and regular hot cereals. Through September 30, 2025, breakfast cereals must contain no more than 6 grams of total sugars per dry ounce. By October 1, 2025, breakfast cereals must contain no more than 6 grams of added sugars per dry ounce.

(iii) Desserts. Grain-based desserts do not count toward meeting the grains requirement.

(5) Meats/meat alternates—(i) Serving meats/meat alternates. Meats/meat alternates must be served in a main dish, or in a main dish and one other menu item. The creditable quantity of meats/meat alternates must be the edible portion as served of:

(A) Lean meat, poultry, or fish;

(B) Alternate protein products;

(C) Cheese, or an egg;

(D) Cooked dry beans, peas, and lentils;

(E) Peanut butter; or

(F) Any combination of these foods.

(ii) Nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds and their butters are allowed as meat alternates. Information on crediting nuts and seeds may be found in FNS guidance.

(A) Nut and seed meals or flours may credit only if they meet the requirements for alternate protein products established in appendix A of this part.

(B) Acorns, chestnuts, and coconuts do not credit as meat alternates because of their low protein and iron content.

(iii) Yogurt. Four ounces (weight) or 1/2 cup (volume) of yogurt equals one ounce of the meats/meat alternates component. Yogurt may be used to meet all or part of the meats/meat alternates component as follows:

(A) Yogurt may be plain or flavored, unsweetened, or sweetened;

(B) Through September 30, 2025, yogurt must contain no more than 23 grams of total sugars per 6 ounces. By October 1, 2025, yogurt must contain no more than 12 grams of added sugars per 6 ounces (2 grams of added sugars per ounce);

(C) Noncommercial or commercial standardized yogurt products, such as frozen yogurt, drinkable yogurt products, homemade yogurt, yogurt flavored products, yogurt bars, yogurt covered fruits or nuts, or similar products are not creditable; and

(D) For adults, yogurt may only be used as a meat alternate when it is not also being used as a fluid milk substitute in the same meal.

(iv) Tofu and soy products. Commercial tofu and soy products may be used to meet all or part of the meats/meat alternates component in accordance with FNS guidance and appendix A of this part. Non-commercial and non-standardized tofu and soy products cannot be used.

(v) Beans, peas, and lentils. Cooked dry beans, peas, and lentils may be used to meet all or part of the meats/meat alternates component. Beans, peas, and lentils include black beans, garbanzo beans, lentils, kidney beans, mature lima beans, navy beans, pinto beans, and split peas. Beans, peas, and lentils may be counted as either a meat/meat alternate or as a vegetable, but not as both in the same dish.

(vi) Other meat alternates. Other meat alternates, such as cheese, eggs, and nut butters may be used to meet all or part of the meats/meat alternates component.

(b) Infant meals—(1) Feeding infants. Foods in reimbursable meals served to infants ages birth through 11 months must be of a texture and a consistency that are appropriate for the age and development of the infant being fed. Foods must also be served during a span of time consistent with the infant's eating habits.

(2) Breastmilk and iron-fortified formula. Breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula, or portions of both, must be served to infants birth through 11 months of age. An institution or facility must offer at least one type of iron-fortified infant formula. Meals containing breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula supplied by the institution or facility, or by the parent or guardian, are eligible for reimbursement.

(i) Parent or guardian provided breastmilk or iron-fortified formula. A parent or guardian may choose to accept the offered formula, or decline the offered formula and supply expressed breastmilk or an iron-fortified infant formula instead. Meals in which a mother directly breastfeeds her child at the child care institution or facility are also eligible for reimbursement. When a parent or guardian chooses to provide breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula and the infant is consuming solid foods, the institution or facility must supply all other required meal components in order for the meal to be reimbursable.

(ii) Breastfed infants. For some breastfed infants who regularly consume less than the minimum amount of breastmilk per feeding, a serving of less than the minimum amount of breastmilk may be offered. In these situations, additional breastmilk must be offered at a later time if the infant will consume more.

(3) Solid foods. The gradual introduction of solid foods may begin at six months of age, or before or after six months of age if it is developmentally appropriate for the infant and in accordance with FNS guidance.

(4) Infant meal pattern. Infant meals must have, at a minimum, each of the food components indicated, in the amount that is appropriate for the infant's age.

(i) Birth through 5 months—(A) Breakfast. Four to 6 fluid ounces of breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula, or portions of both.

(B) Lunch or supper. Four to 6 fluid ounces of breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula, or portions of both.

(C) Snack. Four to 6 fluid ounces of breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula, or portions of both.

(ii) 6 through 11 months. Breastmilk or iron-fortified formula, or portions of both, is required. Meals are reimbursable when institutions and facilities provide all the components in the meal pattern that the infant is developmentally ready to accept.

(A) Breakfast, lunch, or supper. Six to 8 fluid ounces of breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula, or portions of both; and 0 to 1/2 ounce equivalent of iron-fortified dry infant cereal; or 0-4 tablespoons meat, fish, poultry, whole egg, cooked dry beans, peas, and lentils; or 0 to 2 ounces (weight) of cheese; or 0 to 4 ounces (volume) of cottage cheese; or 0 to 4 ounces of yogurt; and 0 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable, fruit, or portions of both. Fruit juices and vegetable juices must not be served.

(B) Snack. Two to 4 fluid ounces of breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula; and 0 to 1/2 ounce equivalent bread; or 0- 1/4 ounce equivalent crackers; or 0- 1/2 ounce equivalent infant cereal or ready-to-eat cereals; and 0 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable or fruit, or portions of both. Fruit juices and vegetable juices must not be served. A serving of grains must be whole grain-rich, enriched meal, or enriched flour.

(5) Infant meal pattern table. The minimum amounts of meal components to serve to infants, as described in paragraph (b)(4) of this section, are:

(c) Meal patterns for children age 1 through 18 and adult participants. Institutions and facilities must serve the meal components and quantities specified in the following meal patterns for children and adult participants in order to qualify for reimbursement.

(1) Breakfast. Fluid milk, vegetables or fruit, or portions of both, and grains are required components of the breakfast meal. Meats/meat alternates may be offered to meet the entire grains requirement a maximum of three times per week. The minimum amounts of meal components to be served at breakfast are as follows:

(2) Lunch and supper. Fluid milk, meats/meat alternates, vegetables, fruits, and grains are required components in the lunch and supper meals. The minimum amounts of meal components to be served at lunch and supper are as follows:

(3) Snack. Serve two of the following five components: Fluid milk, meats/meat alternates, vegetables, fruits, and grains. Fruit juice, vegetable juice, and milk may comprise only one component of the snack. The minimum amounts of meal components to be served at snacks are as follows:

(d) Food preparation. Deep-fat fried foods that are prepared on-site cannot be part of the reimbursable meal. For this purpose, deep-fat frying means cooking by submerging food in hot oil or other fat. Foods that are pre-fried, flash-fried, or par-fried by a commercial manufacturer may be served, but must be reheated by a method other than frying.

(e) Unavailability of fluid milk—(1) Temporary. When emergency conditions prevent an institution or facility normally having a supply of milk from temporarily obtaining milk deliveries, the State agency may approve the service of breakfast, lunches, or suppers without milk during the emergency period.

(2) Continuing. When an institution or facility is unable to obtain a supply of milk on a continuing basis, the State agency may approve service of meals without milk, provided an equivalent amount of canned, whole dry or fat-free dry milk is used in the preparation of the components of the meal set forth in paragraph (a) of this section.

(f) Grain substitutions. In American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and in institutions or facilities in any State that serve primarily American Indian or Alaska Native participants, any vegetable, including vegetables such as breadfruit, prairie turnips, plantains, sweet potatoes, and yams, may be served to meet the grains requirement.

(g) Modifications and variations in reimbursable meals and snacks as described in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section—(1) Modifications for disability reasons. Institutions and facilities must make meal modifications including substitutions in meals and snacks described in this section for participants with a disability and whose disability restricts their diet. The modification requested must be related to the disability and must be offered at no additional cost to the child or adult participant.

(i) In order to receive Federal reimbursement when a modified meal does not meet the meal pattern requirements specified in this section, the institution or facility must obtain from the household a written medical statement signed by a State licensed healthcare professional. By October 1, 2025, institutions and facilities must also accept a medical statement signed by a registered dietitian. The medical statement must provide sufficient information about the child or adult participant's dietary restrictions, such as foods to be omitted and recommended alternatives, if appropriate. Modified meals that meet the meal pattern requirements in this section are reimbursable with or without a medical statement.

(ii) Institutions and facilities must ensure that parents and guardians, and their children when age-appropriate at institution or facility discretion; adult participants; and persons on behalf of adult participants have notice of the procedure for requesting meal modifications for disabilities and the process for procedural safeguards related to meal modifications for disabilities. See §§ 15b.6(b) and 15b.25 of this title.

(iii) Expenses incurred when making meal modifications that exceed Program reimbursement rates must be paid by the institution or facility; costs may be paid from the institution or facility's nonprofit food service account.

(iv) A parent, guardian, adult participant, or a person on behalf of an adult participant may supply one or more components of the reimbursable meal as long as the institution or facility provides at least one required meal component.

(2) Variations for non-disability reasons. (i) Institutions and facilities should consider participants' dietary preferences when planning and preparing meals and snacks. Any variations must be consistent with the meal pattern requirements specified in this section.

(ii) Expenses incurred from variations that exceed program reimbursement rates must be paid by the institution or facility; costs may be paid from the institution or facility's nonprofit food service account.

(iii) A parent, guardian, adult participant, or a person on behalf of an adult participant may supply one component of the reimbursable meal as long as the component meets the requirements described in this section and the institution or facility provides the remaining components.

(3) Fluid milk substitutes for non-disability reasons. (i) An institution or facility may offer fluid milk substitutes based on a written request from a child's parent or guardian, an adult participant, a person on behalf of an adult participant, a State licensed healthcare professional, or registered dietitian for participants with dietary needs that are not disabilities that identifies the reason for the substitute. An institution or facility choosing to offer fluid milk substitutes for a non-disability reason is not required to offer the specific fluid milk substitutes requested but may offer the fluid milk substitutes of its choice, provided the fluid milk substitutes offered meet the requirements of paragraph (g)(3)(ii) of this section. For disability-related meal modifications, see paragraph (g)(1) of this section.

(ii) If an institution or facility chooses to offer one or more fluid milk substitutes for non-disability reasons, the fluid milk substitutes must provide, at a minimum, the nutrients listed in the following table. Fluid milk substitutes must be fortified in accordance with fortification guidelines issued by the Food and Drug Administration.

(iii) Expenses incurred when providing fluid milk substitutes that exceed Program reimbursements must be paid by the participating institution or facility; costs may be paid from the institution or facility's nonprofit food service account.

(h) Special variations. FNS may approve variations in the meal components of the meals on an experimental or continuing basis in any institution or facility where there is evidence that such variations are nutritionally sound and are necessary to meet ethnic, religious, economic, or physical needs.

(i) Meals prepared in schools. The State agency must allow institutions and facilities which serve meals to children 5 years old and older and are prepared in schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs to substitute the meal pattern requirements of the regulations governing those Programs (parts 210 and 220 of this chapter, respectively) for the meal pattern requirements contained in this section.

(j) Meal planning. Institutions and facilities must plan for and order meals on the basis of current participant trends, with the objective of providing only one meal per participant at each meal service. Records of participation and of ordering or preparing meals must be maintained to demonstrate positive action toward this objective. In recognition of the fluctuation in participation levels which makes it difficult to estimate precisely the number of meals needed and to reduce the resultant waste, any excess meals that are ordered may be served to participants and may be claimed for reimbursement, unless the State agency determines that the institution or facility has failed to plan and prepare or order meals with the objective of providing only one meal per participant at each meal service.

(k) Time of meal service. State agencies may require any institution or facility to allow a specific amount of time to elapse between meal services or require that meal services not exceed a specified duration.

(l) Sanitation. Institutions and facilities must ensure that in storing, preparing, and serving food proper sanitation and health standards are met which conform with all applicable State and local laws and regulations. Institutions and facilities must ensure that adequate facilities are available to store food or hold meals.

(m) Donated commodities. Institutions and facilities must efficiently use in the Program any foods donated by the Department and accepted by the institution or facility.

(n) Family style meal service. Family style is a type of meal service which allows children and adults to serve themselves from common platters of food with the assistance of supervising adults. Institutions and facilities choosing to exercise this option must be in compliance with the following practices:

(1) A sufficient amount of prepared food must be placed on each table to provide the full required portions of each of the components, as outlined in paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section, for all children or adults at the table and to accommodate supervising adults if they wish to eat with the children and adults.

(2) Children and adults must be allowed to serve the meal components themselves, with the exception of fluids (such as milk). During the course of the meal, it is the responsibility of the supervising adults to actively encourage each child and adult to serve themselves the full required portion of each meal component of the meal pattern. Supervising adults who choose to serve the fluids directly to the children or adults must serve the required minimum quantity to each child or adult.

(3) Institutions and facilities which use family style meal service may not claim second meals for reimbursement.

(o) Offer versus Serve. (1) Each adult day care center and at-risk afterschool program must offer its participants all of the required food servings as set forth in paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section. However, at the discretion of the adult day care center or at-risk afterschool program, participants may be permitted to decline:

(i) For adults—(A) One of the four food items required at breakfast (one serving of fluid milk; one serving of vegetable or fruit, or a combination of both; and two servings of grains, or meat or meat alternates);

(B) Two of the five meal components required at lunch (fluid milk; vegetables; fruit; grain; and meat or meat alternate); and

(C) One of the four meal components required at supper (vegetables; fruit; grain; and meat or meat alternate).

(ii) For children. Two of the five meal components required at supper (fluid milk; vegetables; fruit; grain; and meat or meat alternate).

(2) In pricing programs, the price of the reimbursable meal must not be affected if a participant declines a food item.

(p) Prohibition on using foods and beverages as punishments or rewards. Meals served under this part must contribute to the development and socialization of children. Institutions and facilities must not use foods and beverages as punishments or rewards.

(q) Severability. If any provision of this section is held to be invalid or unenforceable by its terms, or as applied to any person or circumstances, it shall be severable from this section and not affect the remainder thereof. In the event of such holding of invalidity or unenforceability of a provision, the meal pattern requirements covered by that provision reverts to the version that immediately preceded the invalidated provision.

[81 span 24377, Apr. 25, 2016, as amended at 81 span 75677, Nov. 1, 2016; 83 span 56716, Nov. 30, 2017; 84 span 50292, Sept. 25, 2019; 85 span 7855, Feb. 12, 2020; 85 span 74850, Nov. 24, 2020; 86 span 57547, Oct. 18, 2021; 87 span 4127, Jan. 27, 2022; 87 span 7007, Feb. 7, 2022; 89 span 32088, Apr. 25, 2024]

(a) Any institution may contract with a food service management company. An institution which contracts with a food service management company must remain responsible for ensuring that the food service operation conforms to its agreement with the State agency. All procurements of meals from food service management companies must adhere to the procurement standards set forth in § 226.22 and comply with the following procedures intended to prevent fraud, waste, and Program abuse:

(1) All proposed contracts shall be publicly announced at least once 14 calendar days prior to the opening of bids. The announcement shall include the time and place of the bid opening;

(2) The institution shall notify the State agency at least 14 calendar days prior to the opening of the bids of the time and place of the bid opening;

(3) The invitation to bid shall not provide for loans or any other monetary benefit or terms or conditions to be made to institutions by food service management companies;

(4) Nonfood items shall be excluded from the invitation to bid, except where such items are essential to the conduct of the food service;

(5) The invitation to bid shall not specify special meal requirements to meet ethnic or religious needs unless special requirements are necessary to meet the needs of the participants to be served;

(6) The bid shall be publicly opened;

(7) All bids totaling $50,000 or more shall be submitted to the State agency for approval before acceptance. All bids shall be submitted to the State agency for approval before accepting a bid which exceeds the lowest bid. State agencies shall respond to any request for approval within 10 working days of receipt;

(8) The institutions shall inform the State agency of the reason for selecting the food service management company chosen. State agencies may require institutions to submit copies of all bids submitted under this section.

(b) The institution and the food service management company shall enter into a standard contract as required by § 226.6(i). However, public institutions may, with the approval of the State agency, use their customary form of contract if it incorporates the provisions of § 226.6(i).

(c) A copy of the contract between each institution and food service management company shall be submitted to the State agency prior to the beginning of Program operations under the subject contract.

(d) Each proposed additional provision to the standard form of contract shall be submitted to the State agency for approval.

(e) A food service management company may not subcontract for the total meal, with or without milk, or for the assembly of the meal.

[47 FR 36527, Aug. 20, 1982, as amended at 53 FR 52594, Dec. 28, 1988; 83 FR 63791, Dec. 12, 2018; 88 FR 57857, Aug. 23, 2023]

(a) General. This section establishes standards and guidelines for the procurement of foods, supplies, equipment, and other goods and services. These standards are furnished to ensure that goods and services are obtained efficiently and economically and in compliance with the provisions of applicable Federal law and Executive orders.

(b) Compliance. Institutions may use their own procedures for procurement with Program funds to the extent that:

(1) Procurements by public institutions comply with applicable State or local laws and standards set forth in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D and USDA implementing regulations 2 CFR parts 400 and 415; and

(2) Procurements by private nonprofit institutions comply with standards set forth in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D and USDA implementing regulations 2 CFR parts 400 and 415.

(c) Geographic preference. (1) Institutions participating in the Program may apply a geographic preference when procuring unprocessed locally grown or locally raised agricultural products, including the use of “locally grown”, “locally raised”, or “locally caught” as procurement specifications or selection criteria for unprocessed or minimally processed food items. When utilizing the geographic preference to procure such products, the institution making the purchase has the discretion to determine the local area to which the geographic preference option will be applied so long as there are an appropriate number of qualified firms able to compete;

(2) For the purpose of applying the optional geographic preference in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, “unprocessed locally grown or locally raised agricultural products” means only those agricultural products that retain their inherent character. The effects of the following food handling and preservation techniques will not be considered as changing an agricultural product into a product of a different kind or character: Cooling; refrigerating; freezing; size adjustment made by peeling, slicing, dicing, cutting, chopping, shucking, and grinding; forming ground products into patties without any additives or fillers; drying/dehydration; washing; packaging (such as placing eggs in cartons), vacuum packing and bagging (such as placing vegetables in bags or combining two or more types of vegetables or fruits in a single package); addition of ascorbic acid or other preservatives to prevent oxidation of produce; butchering livestock and poultry; cleaning fish; and the pasteurization of milk.

[88 FR 57857, Aug. 23, 2023, as amended at 89 FR 32092, Apr. 25, 2024]

(a) The State agency must not enter into a Program agreement with a new institution until the institution has submitted, and the State agency has approved, a written policy statement concerning free and reduced-price meals to be used in all child and adult day care facilities under its jurisdiction, as described in paragraph (b) of this section. The State agency must not require an institution to revise its free and reduced-price policy statement or its nondiscrimination statement unless the institution makes a substantive change to either policy. Pending approval of a revision to these statements, the existing policy must remain in effect.

(b) Institutions that may not serve meals at a separate charge to children (including emergency shelters, at-risk afterschool care centers, and sponsoring organizations of emergency shelters, at-risk afterschool care centers, and day care homes) and other institutions that elect to serve meals at no separate charge must develop a policy statement consisting of an assurance to the State agency that all participants are served the same meals at no separate charge, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability and that there is no discrimination in the course of the food service.This statement shall also contain an assurance that there will be no identification of children in day care homes in which meals are reimbursed at both the tier I and tier II reimbursement rates, and that the sponsoring organization will not make any free and reduced price eligibility information concerning individual households available to day care homes and will otherwise limit the use of such information to persons directly connected with the administration and enforcement of the Program.

(c) Independent centers and sponsoring organizations of centers which charge separately for meals shall develop a policy statement for determining eligibility for free and reduced-price meals which shall include the following:

(1) The specific criteria to be used in determining eligibility for free and reduced-price meals. The institution's standards of eligibility shall conform to the Secretary's income standards;

(2) A description of the method or methods to be used in accepting applications from families for free and reduced-price meals. These methods will ensure that applications are accepted from households on behalf of a foster child and children who receive SNAP, FDPIR, or TANF assistance, or for adult participants who receive SNAP, FDPIR, SSI, or Medicaid assistance;

(3) A description of the method or methods to be used to collect payments from those participants paying the full or reduced price of the meal which will protect the anonymity of the participants receiving a free or reduced-price meal;

(4) An assurance which provides that the institution will establish a hearing procedure for use when benefits are denied or terminated as a result of verification:

(i) A simple, publicly announced method for a family to make an oral or written request for a hearing;

(ii) An opportunity for the family to be assisted or represented by an attorney or other person in presenting its appeal;

(iii) An opportunity to examine, prior to and during the hearing, the documents and records presented to support the decision under appeal;

(iv) That the hearing shall be held with reasonable promptness and convenience to the family and that adequate notice shall be given to the family as to the time and place of the hearing;

(v) An opportunity for the family to present oral or documentary evidence and arguments supporting its position;

(vi) An opportunity for the family to question or refute any testimony or other evidence and to confront and cross-examine any adverse witnesses;

(vii) That the hearing shall be conducted and the determination made by a hearing official who did not participate in making the initial decision;

(viii) The determination of the hearing official shall be based on the oral and documentary evidence presented at the hearing and made a part of that hearing record;

(ix) That the family and any designated representatives shall be notified in writing of the decision of the hearing official;

(x) That a written record shall be prepared with respect to each hearing, which shall include the decision under appeal, any documentary evidence and a summary of any oral testimony presented at the hearing, the decision of the hearing official, including the reasons therefor, and a copy of the notification to the family of the decision of the hearing official; and

(xi) That such written record of each hearing shall be preserved for a period of three years and shall be available for examination by the family or its representatives at any reasonable time and place during such period;

(5) An assurance that there will be no overt identification of free and reduced-price meal recipients and no discrimination against any participant on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or handicap;

(6) An assurance that the charges for a reduced-price lunch or supper will not exceed 40 cents, that the charge for a reduced-price breakfast will not exceed 30 cents, and that the charge for a reduced-price snack will not exceed 15 cents.

(d) Each institution shall annually provide the information media serving the area from which the institution draws its attendance with a public release, unless the State agency has issued a Statewide media release on behalf of all institutions. All media releases issued by institutions other than emergency shelters, at-risk afterschool care centers, and sponsoring organizations of emergency shelters, at-risk afterschool care centers, or day care homes must include the Secretary's Income Eligibility Guidelines for Free and Reduced-Price Meals. The release issued by all emergency shelters, at-risk afterschool care centers, and sponsoring organizations of emergency shelters, at-risk afterschool care centers, or day care homes, and by other institutions which elect not to charge separately for meals, must announce the availability of meals at no separate charge. The release issued by child care institutions which charge separately for meals shall announce the availability of free and reduced-price meals to children meeting the approved eligibility criteria. The release issued by child care institutions shall also announce that a foster child, or a child who is a member of a household receiving SNAP, FDPIR, or TANF assistance, or a Head Start participant is automatically eligible to receive free meal benefits. The release issued by adult day care centers which charge separately for meals shall announce the availability of free and reduced-price meals to participants meeting the approved eligibility criteria. The release issued by adult day care centers shall also announce that adult participants who are members of SNAP or FDPIR households or who are SSI or Medicaid participants are automatically eligible to receive free meal benefits. All releases shall state that meals are available to all participants without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.

(e)(1) Application for free and reduced-price meals. (i) For the purpose of determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals, institutions (other than emergency shelters and at-risk afterschool care centers) shall distribute applications for free and reduced price meals to the families of participants enrolled in the institution. Sponsoring organizations of day care homes shall distribute applications for free and reduced price meals to day care home providers who wish to enroll their own eligible children in the Program. At the request of a provider in a tier II day care home, sponsoring organizations of day care homes shall distribute applications for free and reduced price meals to the households of all children enrolled in the home, except that applications need not be distributed to the households of enrolled children that the sponsoring organization determines eligible for free and reduced price meals under the circumstances described in paragraph (e)(1)(vi) of this section. These applications, and any other descriptive material distributed to such persons, shall contain only the family-size income levels for reduced price meal eligibility with an explanation that households with incomes less than or equal to these levels are eligible for free or reduced price meals. Such forms and descriptive materials may not contain the income standards for free meals. However, such forms and materials distributed by child care institutions other than sponsoring organizations of day care homes shall state that, if a child is a member of a SNAP or FDPIR household or is a TANF recipient, the child is automatically eligible to receive free Program meal benefits, subject to the completion of the application as described in paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this section; such forms and materials distributed by sponsoring organizations of day care homes shall state that, if a child or a child's parent is participating in or subsidized under a Federally or State supported child care or other benefit program with an income eligibility limit that does not exceed the eligibility standard for free or reduced price meals, meals served to the child are automatically eligible for tier I reimbursement, subject to the completion of the application as described in paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this section, and shall list any programs identified by the State agency as meeting this standard; such forms and materials distributed by adult day care centers shall state that, if an adult participant is a member of a SNAP or FDPIR household or is a SSI or Medicaid participant, the adult participant is automatically eligible to receive free Program meal benefits, subject to the completion of the application as described in paragraph (e)(1)(iii) of this section. Sponsoring organizations of day care homes shall not make free and reduced price eligibility information concerning individual households available to day care homes and shall otherwise limit the use of such information to persons directly connected with the administration and enforcement of the Program. However, sponsoring organizations may inform tier II day care homes of the number of identified income-eligible enrolled children. If a State agency distributes, or chooses to permit its sponsoring organizations to distribute, applications to the households of children enrolled in tier II day care homes which include household confidentiality waiver statements, such applications shall include a statement informing households that their participation in the program is not dependent upon signing the waivers. Furthermore, such forms and materials distributed by child care institutions shall state that a foster child is automatically eligible to receive free Program meal benefits, and a child who is a Head Start participant is automatically eligible to receive free Program meal benefits, subject to submission by Head Start officials of a Head Start statement of income eligibility or income eligibility documentation.

(ii) Except as provided in paragraph (e)(1)(iv) of this section, the application for children shall contain a request for the following information:

(A) The names of all children for whom application is made;

(B) The names of all other household members;

(C) The last four digits of the social security number of the adult household member who signs the application, or an indication that the adult does not possess a social security number.

(D) The income received by each household member identified by source of income (such as earnings, wages, welfare, pensions, support payments, unemployment compensation, social security, and other cash income received or withdrawn from any other source, including savings, investments, trust accounts, and other resources);

(E) A statement which includes substantially the following information:

(1) “The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act requires the information on this application. You do not have to give the information, but if you do not, we cannot approve the participant for free or reduced-price meals. You must include the last four digits of the Social Security Number of the adult household member who signs the application. The last four digits of the Social Security Number are not required when you apply on behalf of a foster child or you list a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) case number for the participant or other (FDPIR) identifier or when you indicate that the adult household member signing the application does not have a Social Security Number. We will use your information to determine if the participant is eligible for free or reduced-price meals, and for administration and enforcement of the Program.”

(2) When either the State agency or the child care institution plans to use or disclose children's eligibility information for non-program purposes, additional information, as specified in paragraph (k) of this section, must be added to this statement; and

(F) The signature of an adult member of the household which appears immediately below a statement that the person signing the application certifies that all information furnished is true and correct; that the application is being made in connection with the receipt of Federal funds; that Program officials may verify the information on the application; and that the deliberate misrepresentation of any of the information on the application may subject the applicant to prosecution under applicable State and Federal criminal statutes.

(iii) Except as provided in paragraph (e)(1)(v) of this section, the application for adults shall contain a request for the following information:

(A) The names of all adults for whom application is made;

(B) The names of all other household members;

(C) The last four digits of the social security number of the adult household member who signs the application, or an indication that the adult does not possess a social security number.

(D) The income received by source of income (such as earnings, wages, welfare, pensions, support payments, unemployment compensation, social security, and other cash income received or withdrawn from any other source, including savings, investments, trust accounts and other resources);

(E) A statement which includes substantially the following information: “The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act requires the information on this meal benefit form. You do not have to give the information, but if you do not, we cannot approve the participant for free or reduced-price meals. You must include the last four digits of the social security number of the adult household member who signs the meal benefit form. The last four digits of the social security number are not required when you list a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) or other FDPIR identifier, SSI or Medicaid case number for the participant receiving meal benefits or when you indicate that the adult household member signing the application does not have a social security number. We will use your information to determine if the participant is eligible for free or reduced-price meals, and for administration and enforcement of the CACspan;” and

(F) The signature of an adult member of the household which appears immediately below a statement that the person signing the application certifies that all information furnished is true and correct; that the application is being made in connection with the receipt of Federal funds; that Program officials may verify the information on the application; and that the deliberate misrepresentation of any of the information on the application may subject the applicant to prosecution under applicable State and Federal criminal statutes.

(iv) If they so desire, households applying on behalf of children who are members of SNAP or FDPIR households who are TANF recipients may apply under this paragraph rather than under the procedures described in paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this section. In addition, households of children enrolled in tier II day care homes who are participating in a Federally or State supported child care or other benefit program with an income eligibility limit that does not exceed the eligibility standard for free and reduced price meals may apply under this paragraph rather than under the procedures described in paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this section. Households applying on behalf of children who are members of SNAP or FDPIR households; children who are TANF recipients; or for children enrolled in tier II day care homes, other qualifying Federal or State program, shall be required to provide:

(A) For the child(ren) for whom automatic free meal eligibility is claimed, their names and SNAP, FDPIR, or TANF case number; or for the households of children enrolled in tier II day care homes, their names and other program case numbers (if the program utilizes case numbers); and

(B) The signature of an adult member of the household as provided for in paragraph (e)(1)(ii)(G) of this section. In accordance with paragraph (e)(1)(ii)(F) of this section, if a case number is provided, it may be used to verify the current certification for the child(ren) for whom free meal benefits are claimed. Whenever households apply for children not receiving SNAP, FDPIR, or TANF benefits; or for tier II homes, other qualifying Federal or State program benefits, they must apply in accordance with the requirements set forth in paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this section.

(v) If they so desire, households applying on behalf of adults who are members of SNAP or FDPIR households or SSI or Medicaid participants may apply for free meal benefits under this paragraph rather than under the procedures described in paragraph (e)(1)(iii) of this section. Households applying on behalf of adults who are members of SNAP or FDPIR households or SSI or Medicaid participants shall be required to provide:

(A) The names and SNAP or FDPIR case numbers or SSI or Medicaid assistance identification numbers of the adults for whom automatic free meal eligibility is claimed; and

(B) The signature of an adult member of the household as provided in paragraph (e)(1)(iii)(F) of this section. In accordance with paragraph (e)(1)(iii)(G) of this section, if a SNAP or FDPIR case number or SSI or Medicaid assistance identification number is provided, it may be used to verify the current SNAP, FDPIR, SSI, or Medicaid certification for the adult(s) for whom free meal benefits are being claimed. Whenever households apply for benefits for adults not receiving SNAP, FDPIR, SSI, or Medicaid benefits, they must apply in accordance with the requirements set forth in paragraph (e)(1)(iii) of this section.

(vi) A sponsoring organization of day care homes may identify enrolled children eligible for free and reduced price meals (i.e., tier I rates), without distributing free and reduced price applications, by documenting the child's or household's participation in or receipt of benefits under a Federally or State supported child care or other benefit program with an income eligibility limit that does not exceed the eligibility standard for free and reduced price meals. Documentation shall consist of official evidence, available to the tier II day care home or sponsoring organization, and in the possession of the sponsoring organization, of the household's participation in the qualifying program.

(vii) If a tier II day care home elects to assist in collecting and transmitting the applications to the sponsoring organization, it is the responsibility of the sponsoring organization to establish procedures to ensure the provider does not review or alter the application. The household consent form must explain that:

(A) The household is not required to complete the income eligibility form in order for their children to participate in CACspan:

(B) The household may return the application to either the sponsoring organization or the day care home provider;

(C) By signing the letter and giving it to the day care home provider, the household has given the day care home provider written consent to collect and transmit the household's application to the sponsoring organization; and

(D) The application will not be reviewed by the day care home provider.

(2) Letter to households. Institutions shall distribute a letter to households or guardians of enrolled participants in order to inform them of the procedures regarding eligibility for free and reduced-price meals. The letter shall accompany the application required under paragraph (e)(1) of this section and shall contain:

(i) The income standards for reduced-price meals, with an explanation that households with incomes less than or equal to the reduced-price standards would be eligible for free or reduced-price meals (the income standards for free meals shall not be included in letters or notices to such applicants);

(ii) How a participant's household may make application for free or reduced-price meals;

(iii) An explanation that an application for free or reduced price benefits cannot be approved unless it contains complete “documentation” as defined in § 226.2.

(iv) The statement: “In the operation of child feeding programs, no person will be discriminated against because of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability”;

(v) A statement to the effect that participants having family members who become unemployed are eligible for free or reduced-price meals during the period of unemployment, provided that the loss of income causes the family income during the period of unemployment to be within the eligibility standards for those meals;

(vi) An explanation that households receiving free and reduced-price meals must notify appropriate institution officials during the year of any decreases in household size or increases in income of over $50 per month or $600 per year or—

(A) In the case of households of enrolled children that provide a SNAP, FDPIR or TANF case number to establish a child's eligibility for free meals, any termination in the child's certification to participate in the SNAP, FDPIR or TANF Programs, or

(B) In the case of households of adult participants that provide a food stamp or FDPIR case number or an SSI or Medicaid assistance identification number to establish an adult's eligibility for free meals, any termination in the adult's certification to participate in the SNAP, FDPIR, SSI or Medicaid Programs.

(3) In addition to the information listed in paragraph (e)(2) of this section pricing institutions must include in their letter to household an explanation that indicates that: (i) The information in the application may be verified at any time during the year; and (ii) how a family may appeal a decision of the institution to deny, reduce, or terminate benefits as described under the hearing procedure set forth in paragraph (c)(4) of this section.

(4) Determination of eligibility. The institution shall take the income information provided by the household on the application and calculate the household's total current income. When a completed application furnished by a family indicates that the family meets the eligibility criteria for free or reduced-price meals, the participants from that family shall be determined eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Institutions that are pricing programs shall promptly provide written notice to each family informing them of the results of the eligibility determinations. When the information furnished by the family is not complete or does not meet the eligibility criteria for free or reduced-price meals, institution officials must consider the participants from that family as not eligible for free or reduced-price meals, and must consider the participants as eligible for “paid” meals. When information furnished by the family of participants enrolled in a pricing program does not meet the eligibility criteria for free or reduced-price meals, pricing program officials shall provide written notice to each family denied free or reduced-price benefits. At a minimum, this notice shall include:

(i) The reason for the denial of benefits, e.g., income in excess of allowable limits or incomplete application;

(ii) Notification of the right to appeal;

(iii) Instructions on how to appeal; and

(iv) A statement reminding the household that they may reapply for free or reduced-price benefits at any time during the year,

The reasons for ineligibility shall be properly documented and retained on file at the institution.

(5) Appeals of denied benefits. A family that wishes to appeal the denial of an application in a pricing program shall do so under the hearing procedures established under paragraph (c)(4) of this section. However, prior to initiating the hearing procedures, the household may request a conference to provide all affected parties the opportunity to discuss the situation, present information and obtain an explanation of the data submitted on the application or the decision rendered. The request for a conference shall not in any way prejudice or diminish the right to a fair hearing. The institution shall promptly schedule a fair hearing, if requested.

(f) Free, reduced-price and paid meal eligibility figures must be reported by institutions to State agencies at least once each year and shall be based on current family-size and income information of enrolled participants. Such information shall be no more than 12 months old.

(g) Sponsoring organizations for family day care homes shall ensure that no separate charge for food service is imposed on families of children enrolled in participating family day care homes.

(h) Verification of eligibility. State agencies shall conduct verification of eligibility for free and reduced-price meals on an annual basis, in accordance with the verification procedures outlined in paragraphs (h) (1) and (2) of this section. Verification may be conducted in accordance with Program assistance requirements of § 226.6(m); however, the performance of verification for individual institutions shall occur no less frequently than once every three years. Any State may, with the written approval of FNSRO, use alternative approaches in the conduct of verification, provided that the results achieved meet the requirements of this part. If the verification process discloses deficiencies with the determination of eligibility and/or application procedures which exceed maximum levels established by FNS, State agencies shall conduct follow-up reviews for the purpose of determining that corrective action has been taken by the institution. These reviews shall be conducted within one year of the date the verification process was completed. The verification effort shall be applied without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. State agencies shall maintain on file for review a description of the annual verification to be accomplished in order to demonstrate compliance with paragraphs (h) (1) and (2) of this section.

(1) Verification procedures for nonpricing programs. Except for sponsoring organizations of family day care homes, State agency verification procedures for nonpricing programs shall consist of a review of all approved free and reduced price applications on file. For sponsoring organizations of family day care homes, State agency verification procedures shall consist of a review only of the approved free and reduced price applications (or other documentation, if vouchers or other documentation are used in lieu of free and reduced price applications) on file for those day care homes that are required to be reviewed when the sponsoring organization is reviewed, in accordance with the review requirements set forth in § 226.6(m). However, the State agency shall ensure that the day care homes selected for review are representative of the proportion of tier I, tier II, and tier II day care homes with a mix of income-eligible and non-income-eligible children in the sponsorship, and shall ensure that at least 10 percent of all free and reduced price applications (or other documentation, if applicable) on file for the sponsorship are verified. The review of applications shall ensure that:

(i) The application has been correctly and completely executed by the household;

(ii) The institution has correctly determined and classified the eligibility of enrolled participants for free or reduced price meals or, for family day care homes, for tier I or tier II reimbursement, based on the information included on the application submitted by the household;

(iii) The institution has accurately reported to the State agency the number of enrolled participants meeting the criteria for free or reduced price meal eligibility or, for day care homes, the number of participants meeting the criteria for tier I reimbursement, and the number of enrolled participants that do not meet the eligibility criteria for those meals; and

(iv) In addition, the State agency may conduct further verification of the information provided by the household on the approved application for program meal eligibility. If this effort is undertaken, the State agency shall conduct this further verification for nonpricing programs in accordance with the procedures described in paragraph (h)(2) of this section.

(2) Verification procedures for pricing programs. (i) For pricing programs, in addition to the verification procedures described in paragraph (h)(1) of this section, State agencies shall also conduct verification of the income information provided on the approved application for free and reduced price meals and, at State agency discretion, verification may also include confirmation of other information required on the application. However,

(A) If a SNAP, FDPIR or TANF case number is provided for a child, verification for such child shall include only confirmation that the child is included in a currently certified SNAP or FDPIR household or is a TANF recipient; or

(B) If a SNAP or FDPIR case number or SSI or Medicaid assistance identification number is provided for an adult, verification for such adult shall include only confirmation that the adult is included in a currently certified SNAP or FDPIR household or is currently certified to receive SSI or Medicaid benefits.

(ii) State agencies shall perform verification on a random sample of no less than 3 percent of the approved free and reduced price applications in an institution which is a pricing program.

(iii) Households shall be informed in writing that they have been selected for verification and they are required to submit the requested verification information to confirm their eligibility for free or reduced-price benefits by such date as determined by the State agency. Those households shall be informed of the type or types of information and/or documents acceptable to the State agency and the name and phone number of an official who can answer questions and assist the household in the verification effort.

(iv) Households of enrolled children selected for verification shall also be informed that if they are currently certified to participate in SNAP, FDPIR or TANF they may submit proof of that certification in lieu of income information. In those cases, such proof shall consist of a current “Notice of Eligibility” for SNAP, FDPIR or TANF benefits or equivalent official documentation issued by a SNAP, Indian Tribal Organization, or welfare office which shows that the children are members of households or assistance units currently certified to participate in SNAP, FDPIR or TANF. An identification card for any of these programs is not acceptable as verification unless it contains an expiration date. Households of enrolled adults selected for verification shall also be informed that if they are currently certified to participate in SNAP or FDPIR or SSI or Medicaid Programs, they may submit proof of that certification in lieu of income information. In those cases, such proof shall consist of:

(A) A current “Notice of Eligibility” for SNAP or FDPIR benefits or equivalent official documentation issued by a SNAP, Indian Tribal Organization, or welfare office which shows that the adult participant is a member of a household currently certified to participate in the SNAP Program or FDPIR. An identification card is not acceptable as verification unless it contains an expiration date; or

(B) Official documentation issued by an appropriate SSI or Medicaid office which shows that the adult participant currently receives SSI or Medicaid assistance. An identification card is not acceptable as verification unless it contains an expiration date. All households selected for verification shall be advised that failure to cooperate with verification efforts will result in a termination of benefits.

(v) Sources of information for verification may include written evidence, collateral contacts, and/or systems of records.

(A) Written evidence shall be used as the primary source of information for verification. Written evidence includes written confirmation of a household's circumstances, such as wage stubs, award letters, letters from employers, and, for enrolled children, current certification to participate in the SNAP, FDPIR or TANF Programs, or, for adult participants, current certification to participate in the SNAP, FDPIR, SSI or Medicaid Programs. Whenever written evidence is insufficient to confirm eligibility, the State agency may use collateral contacts.

(B) Collateral contact is a verbal confirmation of a household's circumstances by a person outside of the household. The collateral contact may be made in person or by phone and shall be authorized by the household. The verifying official may select a collateral contact if the household fails to designate one or designates one which is unacceptable to the verifying official. If the verifying official designates a collateral contact, the contact shall not be made without providing written or oral notice to the household. At the time of this notice, the household shall be informed that it may consent to the contact or provide acceptable verification in another form. The household shall be informed that its eligibility for free or reduced price meals shall be terminated if it refuses to choose one of these options. Termination shall be made in accordance with paragraph (h)(2)(vii) of this section. Collateral contacts could include employers, social service agencies, and migrant agencies.

(C) Systems of records to which the State agency may have routine access are not considered collateral contacts. Information concerning income, family size, or SNAP/FDPIR/TANF certification for enrolled children, or SNAP/FDPIR/SSI/Medicaid certification for enrolled adults, which is maintained by other government agencies and to which a State agency can legally gain access may be used to confirm a household's eligibility for Program meal benefits. One possible source could be wage and benefit information maintained by the State unemployment agency, if that information is available. The use of any information derived from other agencies must be used with applicable safeguards concerning disclosure.

(vi) Verification by State agencies of receipt of SNAP, FDPIR, TANF, SSI or Medicaid benefits shall be limited to a review to determine that the period of eligibility is current. If the benefit period is found to have expired, or if the household's certification has been terminated, the household shall be required to document their income eligibility.

(vii) The State agency may work with the institution to verify the documentation submitted by the household on the application; however, the responsibility to complete the verification process may not be delegated to the institution.

(viii) If a household refuses to cooperate with efforts to verify, or the verification of income indicates that the household is ineligible to receive benefits or is eligible to receive reduced benefits, the State agency shall require the pricing program institution to terminate or adjust eligibility in accordance with the following procedures. Institution officials shall immediately notify families of the denial of benefits in accordance with paragraphs (e)(4) and (e)(5) of this section. Advance notification shall be provided to families which receive a reduction or termination of benefits 10 calendar days prior to the actual reduction or termination. The 10-day period shall begin the day the notice is transmitted to the family. The notice shall advise the household of: (A) The change; (B) the reasons for the change; (C) notification of the right to appeal the action and the date by which the appeal must be requested in order to avoid a reduction or termination of benefits; (D) instructions on how to appeal; and (E) the right to reapply at any time during the year. The reasons for ineligibility shall be properly documented and retained on file at the institution.

(ix) When a household disagrees with an adverse action which affects its benefits and requests a fair hearing, benefits shall be continued as follows while the household awaits the hearing:

(A) Households which have been approved for benefits and which are subject to a reduction or termination of benefits later in the same year shall receive continued benefits if they appeal the adverse action within the 10-day advance notice period; and

(B) Households which are denied benefits upon application shall not received benefits.

(3) State agencies shall inform institution officials of the results of the verification effort and the action which will be taken in response to the verification findings. This notification shall be made in accordance with the procedures outlined in § 226.14(a).

(4) If the verification results disclose that an institution has inaccurately classified or reported the number of participants eligible for free, reduced-price or paid meals, the State agency shall adjust institution rates of reimbursement retroactive to the month in which the incorrect eligibility figures were reported by the institution to the State agency.

(5) If the verification results disclose that a household has not reported accurate documentation on the application which would support continued eligibility for free or reduced-price meals, the State agency shall immediately adjust institution rates of reimbursement. However, this rate adjustment shall not become effective until the affected households have been notified in accordance with the procedures of paragraph (h)(2)(vi) of this section and any ensuing appeals have been heard as specified in paragraph (h)(2)(viii) of this section.

(6) Verification procedures for sponsoring organizations of day care homes. Prior to approving an application for a day care home that qualifies as tier I day care home on the basis of the provider's household income, sponsoring organizations of day care homes shall conduct verification of such income in accordance with the procedures contained in paragraph (h)(2)(i) of this section. Sponsoring organizations of day care homes may verify the information on applications submitted by households of children enrolled in day care homes in accordance with the procedures contained in paragraph (h)(2)(i) of this section.

(i) Disclosure of children's free and reduced price meal eligibility information to certain programs and individuals without parental consent. The State agency or child care institution, as appropriate, may disclose aggregate information about children eligible for free and reduced price meals to any party without parental notification and consent when children cannot be identified through release of the aggregate data or by means of deduction. Additionally, the State agency or institution may disclose information that identifies children eligible for free and reduced price meals to the programs and the individuals specified in this paragraph (i) without parental/guardian consent. The State agency or child care institution that makes the free and reduced price meal eligibility determination is responsible for deciding whether to disclose program eligibility information.

(1) Persons authorized to receive eligibility information. Only persons directly connected with the administration or enforcement of a program or activity listed in paragraphs (i)(2) or (i)(3) of this section may have access to children's free milk eligibility information, without parental consent. Persons considered directly connected with administration or enforcement of a program or activity listed in paragraphs (i)(2) or (i)(3) of this section are Federal, State, or local program operators responsible for the ongoing operation of the program or activity or persons responsible for program compliance. Program operators may include persons responsible for carrying out program requirements and monitoring, reviewing, auditing, or investigating the program. Program operators may include contractors, to the extent those persons have a need to know the information for program administration or enforcement. Contractors may include evaluators, auditors, and others with whom Federal or State agencies and program operators contract with to assist in the administration or enforcement of their program in their behalf.

(2) Disclosure of children's names and free or reduced price meal eligibility status. The State agency or child care institution, as appropriate, may disclose, without parental consent, only children's names and eligibility status (whether they are eligible for free meals or reduced price meals) to persons directly connected with the administration or enforcement of:

(i) A Federal education program;

(ii) A State health program or State education program administered by the State or local education agency;

(iii) A Federal, State, or local means-tested nutrition program with eligibility standards comparable to the National School Lunch Program (i.e., food assistance programs for households with incomes at or below 185 percent of the Federal poverty level); or

(iv) A third party contractor assisting in verification of eligibility efforts by contacting households who fail to respond to requests for verification of their eligibility.

(3) Disclosure of all eligibility information. In addition to children's names and eligibility status, the State agency or child care institution, as appropriate, may disclose, without parental/guardian consent, all eligibility information obtained through the free and reduced price meal eligibility process (including all information on the application or obtained through direct certification) to:

(i) Persons directly connected with the administration or enforcement of programs authorized under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. This means that all eligibility information obtained for the Child and Adult Care Food Program may be disclosed to persons directly connected with administering or enforcing regulations under the National School Lunch Program, Special Milk Program, School Breakfast Program, Summer Food Service Program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) (Parts 210, 215, 220, 225 and 246, respectively, of this chapter);

(ii) The Comptroller General of the United States for purposes of audit and examination; and

(iii) Federal, State, and local law enforcement officials for the purpose of investigating any alleged violation of the programs listed in paragraphs (i)(2) and (i)(3) of this section.

(4) Use of free and reduced price meals eligibility information by programs other than Medicaid or the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). State agencies and child care institutions may use children's free milk eligibility information for administering or enforcing the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Additionally, any other Federal, State, or local agency charged with administering or enforcing the Child and Adult Care Food Program may use the information for that purpose. Individuals and programs to which children's free or reduced price meal eligibility information has been disclosed under this section may use the information only in the administration or enforcement of the receiving program. No further disclosure of the information may be made.

(j) Disclosure of children's free or reduced price meal eligibility information to Medicaid and/or SCHIP, unless parents decline. Children's free or reduced price meal eligibility information only may be disclosed to Medicaid or SCHIP when both the State agency and the child care institution so elect, the parent/guardian does not decline to have their eligibility information disclosed and the other provisions described in paragraph (j)(1) of this section are met. The State agency or child care institution, as appropriate, may disclose children's names, eligibility status (whether they are eligible for free or reduced price meals), and any other eligibility information obtained through the free and reduced price meal application or obtained through direct certification to persons directly connected with the administration of Medicaid or SCHIP. Persons directly connected to the administration of Medicaid and SCHIP are State employees and persons authorized under Federal and State Medicaid and SCHIP requirements to carry out initial processing of Medicaid or SCHIP applications or to make eligibility determinations for Medicaid or SCHIP.

(1) The State agency must ensure that:

(i) The child care institution and health insurance program officials have a written agreement that requires the health insurance program agency to use the eligibility information to seek to enroll children in Medicaid and SCHIP; and

(ii) Parents/guardians are notified that their eligibility information may be disclosed to Medicaid or SCHIP and given an opportunity to decline to have their children's eligibility information disclosed, prior to any disclosure.

(2) Use of children's free and reduced price meal eligibility information by Medicaid/SCHIP. Medicaid and SCHIP agencies and health insurance program operators receiving children's free and reduced price meal eligibility information must use the information to seek to enroll children in Medicaid or SCHIP. The Medicaid and SCHIP enrollment process may include targeting and identifying children from low-income households who are potentially eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP for the purpose of seeking to enroll them in Medicaid or SCHIP. No further disclosure of the information may be made. Medicaid and SCHIP agencies and health insurance program operators also may verify children's eligibility in a program under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 or the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.

(k) Notifying households of potential uses and disclosures of children's free and reduced price meal eligibility information. Households must be informed that the information they provide on the free and reduced price meal application will be used to determine eligibility for free or reduced price meals and that their eligibility information may be disclosed to other programs.

(1) For disclosures to programs, other than Medicaid or SCHIP, that are permitted access to children's eligibility information, without parent/guardian consent, the State agency or child care institution, as appropriate, must notify parents/guardians at the time of application that their children's free or reduced price meal eligibility information may be disclosed. The State agency or child care institution, as appropriate, must add substantially the following statement to the statement required under paragraph (e)(1)(ii)(F) of this section, “We may share your eligibility information with education, health, and nutrition programs to help them evaluate, fund, or determine benefits for their programs; auditors for program reviews; and law enforcement officials to help them look into violations of program rules.” For children determined eligible for free meals through direct certification, the notice of potential disclosure may be included in the document informing parents/guardians of their children's eligibility for free meals through direct certification.

(2) For disclosure to Medicaid or SCHIP, the State agency or child care institution, as appropriate, must notify parents/guardians that their children's free or reduced price meal eligibility information will be disclosed to Medicaid and/or SCHIP unless the parent/guardian elects not to have their information disclosed and notifies the State agency or child care institution, as appropriate, by a date specified by the State agency or child care institution, as appropriate. Only the parent or guardian who is a member of the household or family for purposes of the free and reduced price meal application may decline the disclosure of eligibility information to Medicaid or SCHIP. The notification must inform parents/guardians that they are not required to consent to the disclosure, that the information, if disclosed, will be used to identify eligible children and seek to enroll them in Medicaid or SCHIP, and that their decision will not affect their children's eligibility for free or reduced price meals. The notification may be included in the letter/notice to parents/guardians that accompanies the free and reduced price meal application, on the application itself or in a separate notice provided to parents/guardians. The notice must give parents/guardians adequate time to respond if they do not want their information disclosed. The State agency or child care institution, as appropriate, must add substantially the following statement to the statement required under paragraph (e)(1)(ii)(F) of this section, “We may share your information with Medicaid or the State Children's Health Insurance Program, unless you tell us not to. The information, if disclosed, will be used to identify eligible children and seek to enroll them in Medicaid or SCHIP.” For children determined eligible for free meals through direct certification, the notice of potential disclosure and opportunity to decline the disclosure may be included in the document informing parents/guardians of their children's eligibility for free meals through direct certification process.

(l) Other disclosures. State agencies and child care institutions that plan to use or disclose information about children eligible for free and reduced price meals in ways not specified in this section must obtain written consent from children's parents or guardians prior to the use or disclosure.

(1) The consent must identify the information that will be shared and how the information will be used.

(2) There must be a statement informing parents and guardians that failing to sign the consent will not affect the child's eligibility for free or reduced price meals and that the individuals or programs receiving the information will not share the information with any other entity or program.

(3) Parents/guardians must be permitted to limit the consent only to those programs with which they wish to share information.

(4) The consent statement must be signed and dated by the child's parent or guardian who is a member of the household for purposes of the free and reduced price meal application.

(m) Agreements with programs/individuals receiving children's free or reduced price meal eligibility information. Agreements or Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) are recommended or required as follows:

(1) The State agency or child care institution, as appropriate, should have a written agreement or MOU with programs or individuals receiving eligibility information, prior to disclosing children's free and reduced price meal eligibility information. The agreement or MOU should include information similar to that required for disclosures to Medicaid and SCHIP specified in paragraph (m)(2) of this section.

(2) For disclosures to Medicaid or SCHIP, the State agency or child care institution, as appropriate, must have a written agreement with the State or local agency or agencies administering Medicaid or SCHIP prior to disclosing children's free or reduced price meal eligibility information to those agencies. At a minimum, the agreement must:

(i) Identify the health insurance program or health agency receiving children's eligibility information;

(ii) Describe the information that will be disclosed;

(iii) Require that the Medicaid or SCHIP agency use the information obtained and specify that the information must be used to seek to enroll children in Medicaid or SCHIP;

(iv) Require that the Medicaid or SCHIP agency describe how they will use the information obtained;

(v) Describe how the information will be protected from unauthorized uses and disclosures;

(vi) Describe the penalties for unauthorized disclosure; and

(vii) Be signed by both the Medicaid or SCHIP program or agency and the State agency or child care institution, as appropriate.

(n) Penalties for unauthorized disclosure or misuse of children's free and reduced price meal eligibility information. In accordance with section 9(b)(6)(C) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(6)(C)), any individual who publishes, divulges, discloses or makes known in any manner, or to any extent not authorized by statute or this section, any information obtained under this section will be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for up to 1 year, or both.

[47 FR 36527, Aug. 20, 1982] Editorial Note:For Federal Register citations affecting § 226.23, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.govinfo.gov.