CACFP Income Eligibility Guidance for Adult Day Care Centers

Meal reimbursement to adult day care centers is based on the claiming category of each participant at the center. The claiming category is determined by obtaining family size and household income data from the participant, a family member, or a legal guardian and comparing this information to the income eligibility guidelines. Based on the income eligibility guidelines, the participant is classified as eligible for the free, reduced, or paid meal-claiming category.

Income information obtained from the participant, family member, or legal guardian is critical to your center’s participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Every year, the participant, a family member, or legal guardian must be given the current Participant Letter and the Income Eligibility Form (IEF) to complete; however, completion of an IEF is not required. It is recommended that these two items be included in the center’s enrollment packet. These documents are available on the CACFP website.

The IEF, also known as the Meal Benefit Form, is available in 33 languages and can be found at the USDA website.

IEF income information is confidential! It must be kept in a secure location.

The sample participant letter provides the required information about CACFP and instructions for completing the IEF.

Remember: The participant is not required to complete the IEF. If there is no IEF completed for an enrolled participant, they must be claimed in the paid meal category.

This letter is updated for each claim year, July 1 through June 30. Be sure to use the most current participant letter with the IEF.