CACFP Manual for Child Care Centers

Child Care Centers participating in CACFP are required to maintain records to verify that the meals and snacks served to children meet guidelines and to justify the claim for reimbursement.

Enrollment Records

Documentation of enrollment is a Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) requirement. Every child enrolled in care must have an enrollment record on file. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education-Office of Childhood, Child Care Compliance, and the CACFP regulations each require specific enrollment information. Facilities have the option of using the combined Child Care Enrollment Form (MO 580-3317) that is approved for both the Office of Childhood, Child Care Compliance and CACFP or the CACFP Enrollment Form for Child Care Centers (CACFP-229)*. Regardless of the form used, the original date the participant enrolled for care must be indicated, not the enrollment renewal date.

CACFP enrollment forms must include:

• Date of enrollment.
• Information on the participant’s normal days and hours of care (including holidays).
• Information on the meals the participant normally receives while in care.
• An annual update.
• Parent or legal guardian signature and date.

1. The original enrollment form must be signed and dated by the parent, verifying that the information is accurate.
2. The shaded CACFP Requirement sections of the joint enrollment form, MO 500-3317, must be updated, dated, and signed by the parent or guardian every year. If you are using a different form, it should include the same information, which must also be updated every year.
3. The enrollment form must be kept in the participant’s individual file and available to the Nutritionist within one hour of arrival for a monitoring review.
4. Enrollment dates listed on enrollment forms are compared to meal count records during a monitoring review. Meals served to participants prior to the enrollment date on the signed enrollment form will not be reimbursed.
5. Keep original enrollment records and all CACFP records for three full fiscal years (October 1 through September 30) after the final claim for the fiscal year was submitted, and longer if audit findings have not been resolved.
6. Parents or legal guardians may be periodically contacted by the Department of Health and Senior Services-Community Food and Nutrition Assistance (DHSS-CFNA) staff to verify a participant’s enrollment and attendance at the facility.
7. It is recommended that the enrollment form be filed alphabetically with the Income Eligibility Forms (IEF) in a 3-ring binder.

*Note: There is no federal requirement that a facility or Sponsoring Organization (SO) use a specific CACFP enrollment form. With DHSS-CFNA approval, an enrollment form that captures the CACFP required information may be used (CACFP 15-2013, Existing Flexibilities in the CACFP, July 26, 2013).

Ethnic and Racial Information: The CACFP-229 and MO 500-3317 enrollment forms include a section on Ethnic and Racial Information. The participant or guardian is not required to complete this section for participation; however, it is encouraged to gather this data in a manner in which the participant or guardian has self-identified and self-reported it.

For Profit Centers: All proprietary Title XX facilities must keep records for each month CACFP reimbursement was claimed, documenting that at least 25% of the enrollees or 25% of the licensed capacity, whichever was less, were Title XX beneficiaries [7 CFR 226.15(e)(3); 226.17(b)(4)].

The CACFP-229 and MO 500-3317 enrollment forms are available to print at: the CACFP Website [NEEDS LINK] - Forms.

Completing Enrollment Roster

An Enrollment Roster (CACFP-220) is not required; however, it may assist the facility in tracking new participants and their eligibility categories.

• It should be completed on an annual basis.
• List all participants enrolled at the center for child care (preferably in alphabetical order by last name).
• Add new participants enrolled at the bottom throughout the year.
• Indicate the participant’s claiming category (free, reduced, or paid).
• Indicate the participant’s enrollment date.
• Indicate the date when the Income Eligibility Form (IEF) was signed by facility personnel.
• Indicate the termination date when the child leaves the facility.

It is important that this form is “for office use only” since the information on meal eligibility classification (free, reduced, paid) must be kept confidential.

Attendance Records

Record of Daily Attendance is a Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Requirement.

Accurate daily attendance records (original documentation) of all enrolled participants must be recorded separately from the facility’s meal count records, although they may be maintained on the same form [7 CFR 226.15(e)(2)]. Attendance records cannot be used as the basis for completing the meal count records; however, the daily attendance must support the daily meal count records.

For example, if John Doe is claimed for meals on October 17, the attendance records must indicate that John Doe was in attendance on October 17 during each meal that is claimed.

Meals served to participants that are not documented on the daily attendance record will not be reimbursed. Facilities may document on one of the three types of forms listed below or use an attendance form created by the facility with Department of Health and Senior Services Community Food and Nutrition Assistance (DHSS-CFNA) approval.

• Daily Attendance Record (CACFP-213)
• Time In/Time Out Record (CACFP-221) or
• Monthly Attendance Time In/Time Out Record (CACFP-224)

Documentation of Daily Attendance

• The facility may use classroom roll books, parent sign-in/out sheets, or attendance sheets to complete attendance records.
• Type or print names alphabetically with the last name first (must be legible).
• Take attendance early in the day, after most children have arrived.
• Take attendance at the same time each day to make it a routine.
• Meal count records may not be used in lieu of attendance records.
• Count the number of children each day and keep a running total of the number of participants in attendance for the monthly claim.
• File the completed original attendance records in the monthly folder with other CACFP documents for the claim month.

Instructions For Completing Daily Attendance Record (CACFP-213)

• This form uses one page for each month.
• Listing all children’s names, the last name first, alphabetically, is recommended.
• Enter the month and year on top of the form.
• The facility may use its own method to record attendance, but common notations include X = in attendance and A = absent, etc.
• Total the number of children in daily attendance at the bottom of each form.
• On the last workday of the month, add the daily attendance to arrive at the monthly Grand Total. Add all Grand Total amounts from each attendance record to get the facility's total attendance for the month. This number is entered on line 6 of the monthly claim when it is submitted.

Meal Count Record

Daily Meal Count Records are a requirement for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Daily counts of the number of meals served to enrolled participants, recorded manually at the point of service, must be recorded and maintained by all facilities. The meal count records must include the number of meals served for each meal type (breakfast, lunch, snack, and supper) and for each income eligibility category (free, reduced, and paid) to accurately consolidate and submit a justifiable monthly claim for reimbursement.

Meal Counting Methods – Retention of original employee-documented meal count records is required. The facility may choose to enter the original handwritten meal counts into an electronic accounting system for ease of consolidation, although the original paper document must be retained with the monthly records. Each meal must be recorded at the time the meal is served to each participant, which is called the “point of service” (POS) meal count. Meal count records document the name of each eligible participant and the meal(s) to be claimed for reimbursement on a daily basis. The form also provides confidential coding, such as X, Y, and Z, to indicate the participant’s claiming category (free, reduced, or paid).

If a facility would like to use an electronic system for both POS meal count and monthly consolidation, prior Department of Health and Senior Services-Community Food and Nutrition Assistance (DHSS-CFNA) approval is required to ensure CACFP requirements are met. If an electronic system is implemented, the facility must establish a backup system.

The original source documentation must be retained for three fiscal years plus the current year.

Completing The Meal Count Form CACFP-225

• Enter the facility name.
• Enter the calendar “week of” including month, date range, and year.
• Print legibly or type each participant’s full name (no nicknames), preferably in alphabetical order by last name.
• Indicate the claiming category for each participant under the code box using a code that assures confidentiality, such as X = Free, Y = Reduced-price, or Z = Paid.
• For each meal served, place a check mark in the box under the appropriate meal on the meal count form.
• Record the meal as it is served to each participant, referred to as a POS meal count. A total head count or head count by category is not acceptable.
• Calculate the total free meals, total reduced-priced meals, and total paid meals for each meal category across and down. Compare the cross calculations with the down calculations to check for accuracy.

Tip: To help distinguish claiming categories for the purpose of counting, use two colored highlighters. For example: Green = free, Yellow = reduced, and white = paid.

The 5-day Meal Count form (CACFP-225) and the 7-day Meal Count form (CACFP-225A) are available at the CACFP website [NEEDS LINK] - Forms.

The Meal Count Consolidation (CACFP-653) is a tool for consolidating weekly meal counts into a monthly meal count that can be entered into the monthly claim for reimbursement.

Each user of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) web-based system must have a personal user ID and password, referred to as User Access. User IDs and passwords may not be shared. It is recommended that two key people from each facility have access to submit claims and make system changes. If you want to add User Access or change current access when a user is no longer employed, you must submit a Network User Access Request Form (MO 580-1854) available at the CACFP website [NEEDS LINK] under Forms.

In this web-based system, each independent facility is considered a sponsor of one facility!

Basic Claiming Steps are available on the CACFP website [NEEDS LINK] under Links to Important Information.

Please read all instructions before entering your first claim.

Tips for Moving in the Web-Based System

• Do not use the “Back” button; use the menu in the orange section at the top left of the screen or use the “breadcrumb trail” (orange bar) to navigate from screen to screen.
• Each time you save the claim, no matter if it has errors, it is saved on the server and will be there if you need to leave or log off and come back.
• Use the “Tab” key to navigate from field to field, or use your cursor to click into the field you want to complete. Try not to use the “Enter” key; if you do, the claim will be saved in error status.
• If you are in “View” mode, changes will not be saved. If you want to make changes, make sure you are in “Edit” or “Revise” mode.
• Claims are saved at the site level or facility level before saving a sponsor-level claim.
• Revisions can only be filed after the original or previous revision is in “Paid” status.

User Notes

• Click the “Users” tab to view individuals who have access to submit applications and claim information for your organization.
• User Access IDs and passwords are assigned to individuals and are not to be shared.
• Inform the state office immediately if an individual with access is leaving your organization so their access can be revoked.
• Submit a Network User Access Request form to request online access for new users.

Payment Notes

• Click the “Payments” tab to view upcoming and past payments for CACFP claims.
• If a claim has been approved but has not yet been processed for payment, the payment information will show in the Open Balance Transactions section. All other payments are shown in the next section.
• When checking the payments, the processed date shown is approximately 4 to 5 business days prior to the electronic funds deposit date. It is the date it was processed and the information was sent to the State of Missouri payment system.
• Deductions, if any, made from claim reimbursements due to downward revisions are reflected in the information under the “Payments” tab only, not in the claim amount under the “Claims” tab.

Filing a Claim for Reimbursement

• A facility has 60 calendar days from the end of the claim month to file a claim for reimbursement. It is not the last day of the month; it is 60 calendar days. If a claim is filed online late, the facility may not be paid for that month.
• Submit the completed claim online after you have reviewed your entries and are satisfied that the claim is completed accurately. The system has built-in checks that should decrease the chance of errors in the claim being submitted.
• You cannot enter a claim before the first day of the next month. For example, an October claim cannot be entered until November 1.

The Department of Health and Senior Services-Community Food and Nutrition Assistance (DHSS-CFNA) processes claims on the 10th of each month for payment by check or automatic deposit by around the 28th of the month. For claims received from the 11th through the 25th, a second processing is done on the 25th of the month. The second payment is made around the 13th of the following month.

DHSS-CFNA cannot guarantee an exact date; this is a projected date only.

CACFP payments are typically directly deposited. This avoids payment delays and lost checks. If you have not received your payment within 15 days of the projected payment date, please contact DHSS-CFNA. Per CACFP regulations, DHSS-CFNA will provide payment of valid claims within 45 days of receipt.

60 Day Deadline for CACFP Claims

Additional Meal Claim Information

• Creditable meals may be claimed for participants, birth through 12 years of age, when enrolled and in attendance each day of operation as follows: two meals and one snack or one meal and two snacks per participant per day. Adults may never be claimed for CACFP meal reimbursement in child care facilities.
• Meals or meal components purchased at a fast food establishment or any restaurant may not be claimed for reimbursement. Even with documentation, meals or individual food items, such as pizza, purchased at restaurants or fast food establishments may not be claimed for reimbursement.
• Meals prepared or packed at the facility and served off the facility grounds, such as a picnic, that were supervised by facility personnel may be claimed.
• Meals prepared or packed at the facility and sent with a participant to eat at another location without the supervision of facility personnel are not eligible to be claimed for CACFP reimbursement.
• Food items provided by parents or other unapproved food sources cannot be counted as fulfilling any of the CACFP required meal or snack components, although parents of infants are allowed to provide one component. However, there are exceptions described in CFR 226.20(g) for participants who cannot consume regular meals because of medical or special dietary needs, either due to disability or non-disability reasons.
• SNAP benefits may not be used to purchase food for CACFP.

Meal Service Times and Duration

Reimbursement for meals will only be made when meals are served during the center’s approved meal times, as listed on the Center Information Sheet of the program application in the CACFP web-based system. Meal times may be changed as needed, within the requirements of this policy, and through revision and approval of the Center Information Sheet in the CACFP web-based system.

Child care centers may claim two meals and one snack or one meal and two snacks per participant per day.

When scheduling meal times, the following guidelines will be used for approval:

Breakfast

• The duration of the breakfast meal service may take no longer than two hours from start to finish.
• The breakfast meal must be served at a time traditionally considered as the normal serving time for breakfast.

Snack

• The duration of the snack service may take no longer than two hours from start to finish.
• A snack may be approved for midmorning, afternoon, or evening.
• A snack may be scheduled no earlier than two hours after the completion of the previous meal or snack.
• The midmorning snack may be served at a time less than two hours following completion of the breakfast meal, only in situations where the participants served morning snacks are totally different participants who arrive at the center too late for the scheduled breakfast.

Lunch

• The duration of the lunch meal service may take no more than two hours from start to finish.
• Lunch must be served at a time traditionally considered to be the normal serving time for lunch.
• Lunch may be served no earlier than two hours after the completion of the previous meal or snack.

Supper

• The duration of the supper meal service may take no more than two hours from start to finish.
• The supper meal must be served at a time traditionally considered as the normal serving time for supper.
• The supper meal may be scheduled no earlier than two hours after the completion of the previous meal or snack.

For-Profit Center Claim Procedures Title XX or Free/Reduced Documentation

For-profit centers must document, on a monthly basis, their eligibility to participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). For-profit centers must be able to verify that at least 25% of the enrolled children or licensed capacity (whichever is less) are either Title XX beneficiaries or eligible for free or reduced-price meal reimbursement. Required documentation is either the monthly Title XX (Family Support Division, FSD) vendor invoices or current Income Eligibility Forms (IEFs). Independent for-profit Title XX centers and sponsoring organizations of these centers must submit the number of enrolled children and the number of children receiving Title XX benefits or eligible for free or reduced-price meals each month for which CACFP reimbursements are claimed.

To evaluate eligibility, the following steps must be taken each month. The following page is a screenshot of the center claim page that must be completed. The screenshot is for training purposes only; the actual claim may differ in appearance.

1. Determine the number of children, including infants, who were enrolled and in attendance at least one day for the claim month. Children in attendance include parttime and drop-in care. All children and infants in attendance must be included in the total, regardless of whether they were claimed for a meal.
2. Compare this number (total enrolled children by reimbursement category who attended at least one day) to the licensed capacity of the center. Determine which of the two numbers, total enrollment or licensed capacity, is the smallest. Use the smaller of the two numbers.
3. Determine the number of Family Support Division (FSD, aka Social Services, State vendor, Title XX) eligible children or the number of free and reduced eligible children that were enrolled and in attendance at least one day for the claim month. If using the number of Title XX children, count the total number of children listed on the vendor billing for the claim month. Verify that each FSD child reported was in attendance at least one day during the claim month. Enter the total (either the verified Title XX OR free and reduced eligible) in Field 10 of the Center Claim.
4. Divide the number of Title XX beneficiaries or free/reduced-price eligible children by the total enrollment or license capacity, whichever is less. If this number is greater than or equal to 0.250, you may submit a claim for reimbursement for that month and check the first certification statement in Field 11.
5. If the number is less than 0.250, your center is not eligible for reimbursement for this month. You will check the second certification statement in Field 11 and continue the claims submission process. The claim will be submitted to the state with the meal information removed since it will not be paid.

For Example: ABC Play School has a licensed capacity of 45 children. Records indicate that 50 children were enrolled and in attendance for at least one day during the month of October. Of these 50 children, 12 were FSD beneficiaries. Since 45 (licensed capacity) is smaller than 50 (enrolled and in attendance), 45 is the number used for the calculation. 12 divided by 45 is 0.26 or 26%. Since 0.26 or 26% is greater than 0.25 or 25%, the center is eligible to submit the October claim.

Click here for an example claim for a Childcare Center.

View the Answer Key.