Point-of-Service for At-Risk, Afterschool Meal

This Management Bulletin (MB) notifies Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) agencies that the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) no longer requires point-of-service meal counts for the at-risk, afterschool meal component of the CACFP. This policy change is effective immediately, and this MB supersedes MB USDA-CACFP-14-2012.

Background

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) At-risk, Afterschool Handbook states, “The USDA does not require production records or point-of-service meal counts for the at-risk component of the CACFP, though states may require them.” [Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR), Section 226.17a(o)]. Previously, the CDSS requested and received approval from the USDA to require agencies to count the number of children served a meal or a snack at the point a meal or a snack is served. In an effort to streamline requirements, the CDSS determined that this is no longer necessary in the at-risk, afterschool meal component of the CACFP.

Action Needed

Sponsors should inform at-risk, afterschool meals staff that point-of-service head counts are no longer required. However, these programs are responsible for keeping accurate records of meals served, including the following:

• Daily attendance rosters or sign-in sheets that result in accurate recording of daily attendance
  
  
• A record of the number of at-risk, afterschool snacks and/or meals prepared or delivered for each meal service
  
  
• A daily record of the number of at-risk, afterschool snacks and/or meals served at each snack and/or meal service
  
  
• A daily record indicating the number of meals, by type, served to adults performing labor necessary to the food service

It is important to note that meal counts are still required, just not at the point of service. The CDSS recommends the following:

• Agencies have procedures in place to ensure children are not counted twice
  
  
• If the agency serves a meal and a snack, the agency should identify the meal and snack counts separately
  
  
• Relying solely on a roster of at-risk program participants is not accurate as sometimes children are sick or leave before the meal or snack is served
  
  
• Relying solely on the number of meals or snacks delivered by a food vendor also does not accurately reflect the number of children served
  
  
• Staff should ensure that a meal or snack is reimbursable before it is counted

Questions

If you have questions regarding this MB, please contact the CACFP specialist assigned to your agency. You will find a contact list for specialists on the Child and Adult Food Care Program Contact List or in the Download Forms section of the Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS) as Form ID CACFP 01. You may also contact the CACFP Office Technician by email at CACFPinfo@dss.ca.gov to be directed to your specialist.

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