CACFP Administrative Manual Section 4.4

Table of Contents
Terms, Definitions, and Acronyms

Section 4: Day Care Home Reimbursement Determination

4.4 Meal Benefit Form for Parents (Tier II Homes)

If a provider’s home does not qualify for Tier I, the provider’s home is classified as Tier II.  Meals and snacks served to the provider’s own children (with the exception of a provider’s child that: participates in Head Start [HS], Early Head Start [EHS] or Even Start [ES], are eligible for free or reduced-price meals [FRPM] in the National School Lunch Program [NSLP], are homeless, are migrant, or are a foster child) do not qualify for any reimbursement in a Tier II home.

The sponsor must inform the provider that the enrolled children’s households can attempt to qualify the provider for the Tier II high reimbursement for the meals and snacks served to the child(ren). Tier II high rates are reimbursed at the same rate as Tier I.

If a provider elects to have the eligible children identified, either the provider or the sponsor may distribute the Meal Benefit Form (MBF) for Parents With Instructions form (Tier II Homes) to families of all enrolled children. For reasons of confidentiality, providers are not permitted to learn the identity of the eligibility of the children in their care. MBFs should be mailed by children’s families directly to the sponsor. MBFs can also be returned to the provider in a sealed envelope with the Letter to Parents/Guardians signed by the child’s household authorizing the provider to collect and submit the MBF to the sponsor on behalf of the family.

The sponsor must determine which children are eligible for Tier II high reimbursement based on categorical or income eligibility. Providers that receive Tier II high for some enrolled children and Tier II low reimbursement for other enrolled children are considered Tier II Mixed providers.

Categorical Eligibility

A child’s household can be categorized as eligible for Tier II high reimbursement if anyone in the child’s household receives any of the following benefits:

• CalFresh benefits;
• CalWORKs payments; or
• FDPIR benefits

The child’s household can also be categorized as eligible for Tier II high reimbursement if the child:

• Participates in HS, EHS, or ES
• Receive FRPMs through the NSLP or School Breakfast Program (SBP)

The MBF for a categorically eligible parent’s household must contain the following information:

• Name(s) and birth date(s) of all children enrolled for care and birth date
• Certification of each child’s participation in Head Start, Early Head Start, or Even Start, if applicable
• Certification of each child’s eligibility for NSLP or SBP benefits, if applicable
• Case number for CalFresh, CalWORKs, or FDPIR, if applicable
• Signature of the adult household member completing the form 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.

Household income and the last four digits of the social security number of the adult household member completing the form are not required.

Income Eligibility

A child’s household can be categorized as eligible for Tier II high reimbursement if the child’s household size and income falls within the limits of the USDA Income Eligibility Guidelines.

The MBF for an income-eligible parent’s household must contain the following information:

• Name(s) of all children enrolled for care and birth dates of each
  
• Names of all household members
  
• Income received by each household member, identified by source (this includes gross earnings, wages, welfare, pensions, support payments, unemployment compensation, social security, cash income received or withdrawn from savings, investments, trusts and other resources; individual retirement account and Keogh withdrawals) and frequency of income, if applicable. Each household member who does not have an income must also be identified and must have an indication of zero income on the application. Zero income may be indicated by checking a “no income” box, or by writing “zero,” “no income,” or “$0”
  
• Parent or guardian signature completing the form 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.
  
• The last four digits of the SSN of the adult household member completing the form or checks the box that says "Check here if no SSN"

Note: MBFs with blank income fields will be processed as "no income".

Certification

The MBF for Parents must also contain the sponsor’s certification, located at the bottom of the last page, which consists of the following:

• Total household income
• Certification of eligibility status: Tier II high or Tier II low
• Certification date for eligibility

It is a best practice for the certifying official to sign and date the MBF when making the eligibility determination.

Duration of Parent’s Categorical or Income Eligibility Determination

Determinations of eligibility for Tier II high reimbursement, by either categorical or income eligibility, are valid from the first day of the month in which the determinations are made. A certified MBF for Parents With Instructions form is valid from the first day of the calendar month in which it is certified for the established child(ren) until the last day of the same calendar month in the following calendar year. For example, a MBF for an established child(ren) certified on September 10, of the current calendar year is valid from September 1, of the current calendar year until September 30, of the following calendar year.

Foster Children

Foster children are automatically eligible to participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and are always reimbursed at the Tier II high rate in a Tier II home. The sponsor must verify the status of the child as a foster child whose care and placement are the responsibility of the state; or that the foster child has been placed with a caretaker household by a court. If such a document is not available, the sponsor must have the foster child’s household complete an MBF that includes the foster child. In this case, the foster child is still eligible for free meal reimbursement.

Reference : 7 CFR, Sections 226.2, 226.15(f), 226.23(e)(1), 226.18(b), 226.18(e); and MB 06-219 Eligibility of Day Care Home Provider’s Residential and/or Own Children.

Questions: A list of program specialists that can assist is found on the CACFP Contact List.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.