Training Requirements in the CACFP

This CACFP Bulletin clarifies the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) training requirements for all CACFP Operators. CACFP Operators are entities that have a permanent agreement with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to obtain reimbursement for meals and snacks (child and adult care centers, at-risk afterschool programs, emergency shelters, and day care home [DCH] sponsors).

Information and guidance in this CACFP Bulletin include:

• Required CACFP training provided by the CDSS
• Required CACFP training provided by CACFP Operators
• Documentation requirements
• Consequences if training requirements are not met
• Technical assistance (TA) offered by the CDSS
• Training resources

This CACFP Bulletin supersedes Management Bulletin (MB) CACFP 07-2018 Revised: Training and Monitoring Requirements in the CACFP. Updated guidance on monitoring requirements in the CACFP is provided in CACFP Bulletin 02-2019, Monitoring Requirements in the CACFP.

(1) Required CACFP Training Provided by the CDSS

Federal regulations require the CDSS to provide sufficient consultative, technical, and managerial personnel to provide sufficient training and training assistance (TA) to CACFP Operators per 7 CFR, 226.6(a)(2).

a) CDSS Training for Prospective CACFP Operators

Prior to approval for participation in the CACFP, the institution's executive director and board chair for nonprofit institutions, the owner for for-profit institutions, or the highest institution official for public institutions, must designate an authorized representative to have full oversight of the CACFP and a program contact who manages the day-to-day CACFP operations. In smaller institutions, it is common for the authorized representative and the program contact to be the same person; however, in larger institutions, the authorized representative and program contact may be different staff.

The authorized representative, the program contact, or their designee, must complete online courses prior to obtaining approval for participation in the CACFP. The specific courses differ depending on the institution's program type but generally cover the following critical compliance areas:

• Civil Rights Compliance
• Enrollment
• Facility Reviews
• Financial Management and Fiscal Accountability
• Food Safety and Sanitation
• Licensing
• Meal Counting and Claiming
• Meal Requirements and Menu Documentation
• Policies and Procedures required for the CACFP
• Procurement Procedures
• Recordkeeping Requirements
• Reimbursement Requirements
• Training Requirements

Prospective institutions (which are institutions that are applying for approval to participate in the CACFP) will receive detailed information about the initial training requirements from a CACFP Specialist when starting the application process. To begin the application process, access the CDSS How to Apply for the CACFP web page.

After a prospective institution (with the exception of prospective DCH sponsors) submits a complete application and completes the required courses, the authorized representative or program contact must participate in a preapproval training that reviews all the CACFP requirements. A prospective institution applying to become a DCH sponsor will receive preapproval training from the CDSS.

b) CDSS Training For Participating CACFP Operators When Adding a New Program Type

Participating CACFP Operators who want to add a new program type must take all courses that are required for that program type and attend the respective preapproval training. For example, a participating child care center that would like to add the At-risk Afterschool Meal component of the CACFP must also take the At-risk Recordkeeping Course and complete the At-risk Afterschool Meal Program preapproval training before obtaining approval to operate this program component. Please contact your CACFP Specialist if you need assistance. A list of CACFP Specialists by county is available by downloading Form ID CACFP 01 in the Download Forms section of the CNIPS.

c) CDSS Annual Mandatory Training

Program years are from October 1 through September 30. During a CACFP institution's first program year, the online preapproval training (listed in section 1 above) meets the CDSS annual mandatory training requirement. Beginning in a CACFP Operator’s second program year and every program year thereafter, staff must complete the online CDSS Annual Mandatory Training. The CDSS Annual Mandatory Training includes civil rights compliance as well as other important topics such as, performance standards, meal service planning, recordkeeping, financial management/ maintaining a nonprofit food service and program oversight/serious deficiency process.

The CDSS requires the authorized representative, the program contact, or their designee, to complete the CDSS Annual Mandatory Training. If the authorized representative or program contact assigns a designee to complete the CDSS Annual Mandatory Training, that designee must have CACFP job duties that directly pertain to the topics covered in the Annual Mandatory Training. The authorized representative, the program contact, or the designee, who completes the CDSS Annual Mandatory Training must ensure other staff are trained at the institution who have job duties that pertain to those topics. To meet this requirement, other staff at the institution may take the online training that the CDSS offers.

The CDSS Annual Mandatory Training is offered online. CACFP Operators will receive an email announcing the date the training is available online, how to register and the deadline for completion.

(2) Required CACFP Training Provided by CACFP Operators

The CDSS requires CACFP Operators to train: (1) all staff with CACFP duties, and (2) all approved DCH providers, if applicable. This training must be provided prior to starting program operations and annually thereafter (7 CFR, sections 226.16[d][2] and [3], 226.17[b][10], 226.18[b][2], 226.19[b][6], 226.19[b][11]).

All CACFP staff must receive training on civil rights compliance. The training must include the following topics:

• Collection of Use and Data
• Complaint Procedures
• Compliance Review Techniques
• Conflict Resolution
• Customer Service
• Effective Public Notification Systems
• Requirements for Language Assistance
• Requirements for Reasonable Accommodations of Persons with Disabilities
• Resolution of Noncompliance

In addition to Civil Rights Compliance Training, staff must receive training on the topics below that are relevant to their job duties:

• CACFP Meal Pattern Requirements
• Claims Submission and Claim Review Procedures
• Food Safety and Sanitation
• Meal Counts
• Recordkeeping Requirements
• Reimbursement System

Annual training may be conducted at multiple sessions throughout the program year or in one session. There is no minimum requirement for the length of the training(s) provided.

(3) Documentation Requirements

 

a) Statement of Intent to Train Staff

Independent centers (centers with only one site) must document their intent to train staff on the topics listed in section 2 of this CACFP Bulletin, in the Viability, Capability and Accountability section in the CNIPS.

Center and DCH sponsors must document their intent to train staff on the topics listed in section 2 of this CACFP Bulletin, in their Management Plan located in the CNIPS.

b) Training Records

The CDSS requires all CACFP Operators to maintain information on the training session date(s) and location(s), the topics presented, and the names of participants. The CDSS provides a sample template for a training log (Form ID CACFP 57, CACFP Training Report) in the Download Forms section of the CNIPS.

(4) Consequences if Training Requirements are Not Met

Pursuant to 7 CFR, Section 226.6(c)(3)(ii)(O), any failure of a CACFP Operator to adhere to the training requirements cited above may result in the CDSS CACFP Branch declaring their institution seriously deficient. If the operator fails to fully and permanently correct the serious deficiency, the CDSS CACFP Branch may propose to terminate the operator’s CACFP agreement and disqualify the institution and its responsible principal(s) from future CACFP participation. The institution and its responsible principal(s) will also be on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Disqualified List for up to seven years.

(5) TA Offered by the CDSS

The CDSS offers the following TA:

• CDSS Prereview Workshops—prior to a CACFP Operator’s AR, the CDSS offers prereview workshops to assist centers with preparing for their upcoming AR. The CDSS will notify centers of the availability of the prereview workshop prior to their AR.

• CACFP Specialist—CACFP Operators that need TA may contact their assigned CACFP Program Specialist on the CDSS CACFP Contact List web page.

• Field Services Section (FSS) Child Nutrition Consultant (CNC) or Representative—CACFP Operators that need TA related to an AR may contact their assigned FSS CNC or Representative on the CDSS FSS Contact List web page. 

(6) Training Resources

 

a. CACFP Courses

• Access mandatory training information, and prospective operator and optional online trainings through the CDSS CACFP Training web page .

• The Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) Child Nutrition Resources CACFP web page provides research-based education and training resources designed to support CACFP professionals in successfully implementing CACFP requirements. 

b. CACFP Training Tools

• The USDA Team Nutrition CACFP Training Tools web page includes CACFP training materials for staff training on the CACFP meal patterns. 

c. Other CACFP Resources

• The CDSS CACFP Administrative Manual web page contains guidance on critical compliance areas of the CACFP for all operators. 

• The CDSS CACFP Meal Patterns web page includes meal patterns, resources, training, policies, compliance, frequently asked questions, and contact information. 

• The CNIPS web page contains guidance materials, and all forms needed for the CACFP in the Download Forms section. 

Contact Information

 

For questions regarding prospective sponsor training, please contact your assigned CACFP Specialist. A contact list of assigned specialists is located on the CDSS CACFP Contact List web page.

For questions regarding mandatory, optional, and in-person training, please contact the CDSS CACFP Training team at CACFPTraining@dss.ca.gov.