FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — June 14, 2022
Media Contact: Brookie Crawford, brookie.crawford@vdh.virginia.gov
Virginia Department of Health’s Child and Adult Care Food Program Granted Extensions by USDA Food and Nutrition Service
RICHMOND, VA – Today, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced the release of an extension to several nationwide waivers to help providers in the Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to continue to meet the nutritional needs of child and adult participants during the public health emergency caused by COVID-19.
CACFP is a federal program that provides reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks to eligible children and adults who are enrolled for care at participating child care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers.
The extension now allows these waivers to remain in effect through June 30, 2023.
The following waiver requests provide the following information:
- This flexibility applies to all CACFP entities impacted by COVID-related supply chain disruptions and are unable to provide a complete, reimbursable meal.
- It is expected that CACFP entities document any changes to their menus caused by COVID -related supply chain disruptions issue(s); i.e. delivery delays, product unavailability, etc. State agencies must also document instances where flexibilities are provided; as appropriate.
- States should continue to encourage their CACFP entities to report any impacts to services associated with COVID-related supply chain disruptions and forward to their MARO state desk contact.
The waivers include:
- Non-Congregate Meal Service [42 U.S.C 1753(b)(1)(A) and 7 CFR 226.19(b)(6)(iii)] – this waiver allows national school lunch programs, including the seamless summer option, school breakfast program and CACFP operators to provide non-congregate meals.
- Parent/Guardian Meal Pick-Up [7 CFR 226.2] – this waiver allows national school lunch programs, including the seamless summer option, school breakfast program and CACFP operators providing non-congregate meals during COVID-19 to distribute meals to parents or guardians to take home to their children.
- Meal Service Times [7 CFR 226.20(k)] – this waiver allows national school lunch programs, including the seamless summer option, school breakfast program and CACFP operators to serve meals outside of standard meal times.
- State Agency Onsite Monitoring Visits [7 CFR 226.6(b)(1) and 226.6(m)(6)] – this waiver waives the requirement for state agencies to conduct onsite visits and monitoring of CACFP programs, but program operations should continue to be monitored offsite.
- Sponsoring Organization Onsite Monitoring Visits [7 CFR 226.16(d)(4)(iii)] – this waiver waives the requirement for sponsoring organizations to conduct onsite visits and monitoring of CACFP programs, but program operations should continue to be monitored offsite.
For more information about the CACFP program, please call the help desk at (877) 618-7282 or email the Division of Community Nutrition at CACFP@VDH.Virginia.gov.
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