Policy Memo (87.30 KB)
| DATE: | June 3, 2003 |
| SUBJECT: | Review Requirements for At-Risk Afterschool Care Centers Participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) |
| TO: | Regional Director Special Nutrition Programs All Regions |
The purpose of this memorandum is to clarify that state agencies and sponsoring organizations must use the review procedures outlined in the current CACFP regulations to review at-risk afterschool care centers. It amends our Dec. 1, 1999, guidance entitled, “Afterschool Snacks in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the At-risk Component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Questions and Answers, Edition 3”, as it pertains to review requirements.
Our proposed rule for the afterschool snack components of the NSLP and CACFP, published Oct. 11, 2000 (65 FR 60502), included review requirements unique to at-risk afterschool care centers. Pending publication of the final rule which will address all monitoring requirements for at-risk afterschool care centers, state agencies must ensure that at-risk afterschool care centers are monitored according to current regulatory review requirements as described below.
Sponsored At-Risk Afterschool Care Centers
CACFP regulation, 7 CFR 226.16(d)(4)(i), mandates that sponsors conduct three reviews of sponsored facilities each year. At least two of the required reviews must be unannounced and at least one of the unannounced reviews must include a meal observation. Reviews must be conducted no more than six months apart, and new centers must be reviewed within six weeks of starting operations.
Independent At-Risk Afterschool Care Centers
State agencies must comply with the requirements outlined in 7 CFR 226.6(m) for reviewing CACFP institutions that are operating as at-risk afterschool care centers. At-risk centers must be included in the total number of institutions that are used to calculate the 33.3 percent of institutions to be reviewed annually.
It should be noted that at-risk afterschool care centers were not specifically mentioned in the interim regulations published on June 27, 2002, which implemented the CACFP provisions of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act and the Grain Standards Act (including modifications to review requirements for CACFP institutions and sponsored facilities), because the final rule on the afterschool snack component of CACFP has yet to be published.
Please forward this information to CACFP state agencies.
STANLEY C. GARNETT
Director
Child Nutrition Division