[Cacfp] Child Nutrition Final Integrity Rule Clarification

[Fullmer, Troy]

Dear CACFP Sponsors:
During annual CACFP training held on May 22, 2024, a presentation was provided regarding the Child Nutrition Program Integrity Final Rule. The related presentation slide set is available on the Maine Department of Education (Maine DOE)- Child Nutrition website here- PowerPoint Presentation (maine.gov)<https://www.maine.gov/doe/sites/maine.gov.doe/files/inline-files/Child%20Nutrition%20-%20CN%20Program%20Integrity%20Final%20Rule%20-%207.1.2024.pdf> This communication is to help clarify what types of Institutions are impacted by the Integrity Final Rule regulations changes, and the timing of when these changes will be implemented.
There are two regulation changes that were highlighted- 1.) State Agency (SA) review requirements in the CACFP; and 2.) the annual financial review of Sponsoring Organizations in the CACFP. Per the Integrity Final Rule, these requirements were to be effective as of August 23, 2024 (for the 2025 program year). However, as was mentioned during the annual training, the Maine DOE- Child Nutrition submitted a waiver to our federal funder, asking to postpone implementing this requirement until the 2026 program year. Currently, the Maine DOE has not received a response to the waiver.
2-year review cycle-
The change with review requirements will require the SA to review some institutions on a 2-year cycle. Institutions that may be subject to the 2-year review cycle include:

  1.  Institutions that conduct activities other than those expressly related to the administration and delivery of CACFP (includes but not limited to- Community-based organizations, extremely large sponsoring organizations/multi-state sponsors; and for-profit charter schools);
  2.  Institutions that had prior reviews that detected serious management problems; and
  3.  Institutions that are at risk of serious management problems.
Programs that are potentially affected by this change in Maine include: CAP Agencies, Sponsoring Organizations, Food Banks, and programs that contract services, such as training and administrative services.
Institutions that will be subject to the more frequent reviews will be notified directly regarding their status and the new 2-year review schedule. Institutions don't need to take any related action at this time.
Annual financial review of Sponsoring Organizations-
There are two different components to the annual financial review of sponsoring organizations-

  1.  Review of monthly bank statement. This only applies to Sponsoring Organizations (does not apply to independent centers). The SA will compare at least one month of a Sponsoring Organization's CACFP bank account activity with supporting documentation.
  2.  Review of actual annual CACFP revenue & expenses. This only applies to Sponsoring Organizations with unaffiliated centers.
The SA is developing tools, guidance, and training to support the implementation of the new regulations. Institutions that will be subject to the annual financial review will be notified and will receive related guidance and training prior to implementation of monthly bank statement review requirement and annual revenue & expenses review. CACFP Sponsoring Organizations do not need to take any related action at this time.
Regards,
________________________________________

Troy Fullmer
CACFP, Nutrition Consultant
Child Nutrition
Maine Department of Education
136 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0136
Email: Troy.fullmer at maine.gov<mailto:Troy.fullmer at maine.gov>
Phone: 207-816-2312
Maine DOE<http://www.maine.gov/doe> | Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/MaineDepartmentofEducation1/> | Twitter<https://twitter.com/mdoenews> | Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/mainedepted/?hl=en> | Maine DOE Newsroom<https://mainedoenews.net/>

[cid:image001.png at 01DAEE4C.BFD3E0B0]

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://maillist.informe.org/pipermail/cacfp/attachments/20240814/38b6b456/attachment-0001.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 92957 bytes
Desc: image001.png
URL: <http://maillist.informe.org/pipermail/cacfp/attachments/20240814/38b6b456/attachment-0001.png>