Summer Food Service Program Manual

Maintaining accurate records is vital to ensure SFSP reimbursement accurately reflects the program’s operations. The following pages include required record templates for your use and include detailed information regarding recordkeeping.

Non-Reimbursable Meals

When counting and consolidating meals, please be advised that the following meals are not eligible or allowed for reimbursement:

Meals Served at Unapproved Sites/Times

• Meals served outside of approved timeframes or approved dates of operation.
• Meals served at sites not approved by the state agency.
• Meals consumed off-site without prior approval. Sponsors must notify the Department of Health and Senior Services-Community Food and Nutrition Assistance 24 hours in advance and get approval for all field trips.
• Meals consumed off-site under the Demonstration Project for Non-Congregate Feeding for Outdoor Summer Meal Sites where the site has not been preapproved by application and where a heat advisory, watch, or warning has not been issued for the site in question.

Meal Service Issues

• Meals that do not meet meal pattern requirements.
• Meals not served as a complete unit (except in approved “offer versus serve” sites where complete meals must be offered to participants).
• Meal patterns or types not approved by the state agency.
• More than one meal served to a child at a time (this is not referencing second meals served after all children have been served a first meal).
• Meals that are spoiled or damaged.

Incorrect Claiming Procedures

• Meals that were served to adults. Do not claim meals served to program or nonprogram adults.
• Meals that were not served to children (leftover meals).
• Second meals claimed in excess of 2% of the total of first meals served in a claim period. All second meals served should be shown on the claim for reimbursement. However, reimbursement for second meals will be limited to only 2% of first meals served, or actual second meals served, whichever is less.
• Meals served to ineligible children in camps (those not meeting the income eligibility guidelines for free or reduced-price school meals).
• Meals in excess of the sites’ approved level of meal service (capacity for vended sponsors).
• Meals that were not served.
• Meals served to anyone other than eligible children.

Production Records

Self-preparation Sites and Central Kitchen Operations

Although not required at self-preparation sites or central kitchen operations, production records can be a valuable management and planning tool.

Vended Sites

Food production records are required for sponsors contracted with a Food Service Management Company (vended sites). The minimum requirements for production records are:

• List all food items used. Do not include condiments or seasonings.
• List the serving size for each item served.
• List the total amount of food prepared in specific quantities, such as in pan sizes, pounds, package sizes, can sizes, and weights.
• Maintain production records for all meals and snacks served.
• List the total number of meals served to:
  • Eligible children.
  • Program adults.
  • Non-program adults.
  • Ineligible children.

A Daily Vended Meal Receiving Log and a Vended Meal Communication and Credit Log are included in this manual for sponsors to document the date and time food was received at the site, food temperatures, and any problems with the foods received. These forms are also available on the SFSP website.

Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs, can help you determine the amount of food to purchase based on the number of servings needed and is available under Manuals on the Summer Food Service Program website [NEEDS LINK].

Nonprofit Food Service

Sponsors must maintain a nonprofit food service program as required in 7 CFR 225.6(i) and must be able to account for the receipt, obligation, and expenditure of all Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) funds. Sponsors must ensure that all SFSP reimbursements are being used solely for conducting nonprofit food service operations. In order to do this, the following items are required:

• Sponsors must maintain documentation of all revenues received and expenses paid from the nonprofit account.
• All costs charged to the account must be allowable and properly identified and recorded. The Program Cost Report form is provided on the next page to document program costs. It is also available on the SFSP website.
• When reimbursements exceed costs, the funds must still be spent on allowable SFSP costs. Examples of allowable uses, in order of priority, include:
  • Improving the meal service or other aspects of the current SFSP.
  • Keeping the excess funds for next year’s SFSP operations.
  • Paying for allowable costs of other Child Nutrition Programs.
• Donations received by an SFSP site must be documented and comply with program regulations and those regulations governing the distribution of donated foods in the SFSP (7 CFR 250.61). The Donated Food Log is included in this manual and on the SFSP website.

Unallowable Costs

Costs for which program funds may not be used include, but are not limited to:

• Bad debts - which are any losses arising from non-collectible accounts and other claims and related costs.
• Repayment of overclaim and other federal debts.
• Contributions and donations including contingency reserves, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) donated commodities and other donated food, labor, and supplies.
• Fines or penalties resulting from violations of, or failure to comply with federal, state or local laws and regulations.
• Entertainment and fundraising costs.
• Interest on loans, bond discounts, costs of financing and refinancing operations, and legal and professional fees paid in connection therewith.
• Costs resulting from an under-recovery of costs under other grant agreements.
• Direct capital expenditures or option to purchase rental costs for: acquisition of land or any interest in land; acquisition or construction of buildings or facilities, or the alteration of existing buildings or facilities; non-expendable equipment of any kind; repairs that materially increase the value or useful life of buildings, facilities, or non expendable equipment; and other capital assets, including vehicles.
• Rental cost for periods beyond the close-out date for program operation.
• Costs for excess meals, i.e., meals in excess of legitimate program adult meals and reimbursable meals.
• Any other costs incurred that program officials determine to be in violation of applicable laws or regulations.
• Expenditures for non-creditable foods that are not part of the meal pattern. Sites wishing to serve additional foods that do not meet the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) meal pattern standards must use non-program funds. If a site chooses to purchase additional food with SFSP funds, the food must be a creditable food under the meal pattern requirements (condiments served with creditable foods are exempt from this restriction). SFSP 06-2012.
• The cost to purchase food (including coffee, etc.) for use outside of the SFSP.
• The cost of meals served in violation of program requirements; e.g. meals served outside approved serving time, meals or meal components consumed off site, second meals served in excess of the two percent tolerance.
• For vended sponsors, the cost of meals delivered by a Food Service Management Company to a non-approved site, or for meals not delivered within the agreed upon delivery time, meals served in excess of the approved capacity, spoiled or unwholesome meals, or meals that do not meet requirements or quality standards.

For more information on the allowable use of program funds, see the USDA Policy Memo SFSP 06-2012, “Serving Additional Foods in the Summer Food Service Program.”

Network User Access and Claims

• Claims are submitted online. Sponsors must have a Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) user ID and password to enter a claim.
• New users must complete a Network User Access Request available at the SFSP website [NEEDS LINK].
• Send the completed form to Department of Health and Senior Services-Community Food and Nutrition Assistance (DHSS-CFNA) by emailing it to SFSP@health.mo.gov.
• Only two user IDs and passwords are allowed per sponsor. Additional access will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Notify DHSS-CFNA immediately if a user needs to be changed or deleted from the system. • Online Application Instructions and Online Claiming Instructions are available at the SFSP website [NEEDS LINK].
• To access the web-based system, go to the SFSP website and click on Web Log In Screen [NEEDS LINK].
• Claims will not be paid if submitted more than 60 days after the last day of the claim period.

Deadlines for Original and Revised Claims

Sanitation Requirements

Food safety is a topic that touches everyone. Sponsors must maintain proper sanitation and health standards in conformance with all applicable state and local laws and regulations (7 CFR 225.6(e)(2)(iv)(F)). Some facilities may not be required to meet all state and local health and safety requirements, for example, those that do not prepare food on-site. When inspecting these sites, local sanitarians conduct a routine food safety and sanitation inspection. Staff preparing foods should follow safe food handling practices. Inspectors will focus on items such as cooking and reheating temperatures, cooling procedures, hot and cold holding temperatures, cross-contamination issues, personal hygiene, proper hand-washing practices, and food storage practices. In order to adhere to all state and local sanitation regulations and requirements, contact your local sanitarian. It is of tremendous benefit to establish a rapport with your local sanitarian. They can provide training and technical assistance in all regulations and requirements. To find contact information for your local sanitarian and Local Public Health Agency (LPHA), please visit the LPHA website. [NEEDS LINK]

Time as a Public Health Control

If a summer food service vendor or sponsor intends to handle and serve potentially hazardous foods using time as the only public health control, they must contact their local sanitarian to obtain the necessary guidance for developing their Time as a Public Health Control plan, then the local sanitarian must approve the plan before it is utilized. When using Time as a Public Health Control, a sponsor must develop written procedures that address the requirements of 3-501.19 of the Missouri Food Code. All other local sanitation code requirements must be met as well. The approved procedure must be kept on-site for staff reference.

*The approved procedure must be kept available onsite for staff reference.

Some vendor or sponsor responsibilities that will need to be developed are:

• Develop a procedure that will address:
  • Documentation specifying the time frame (four to six hours) that will be used as stated in section 3-501.19.
  • Method of marking the product when it is removed from temperature control.
  • Monitoring of temperature prior to removal from temperature control. o Method of marking the product with the discard time.
  • Disposition of the food at the end of the time period.
  • Included in the procedure:
    • What food is the procedure being used for?
    • The amount of food?
    • Who is responsible for monitoring?
    • The records that are to be kept and how long will they be kept?
• Provide training to personnel on procedure developed.
• Record how management will monitor and verify that the procedure is being applied properly.
• Assure that products in unmarked containers or packages or those that are marked with a time that exceeds the timeframe specified in the procedure will be discarded.

Local Public Health Agency Inspection Personnel Responsibilities:

• Provide technical assistance to summer food service vendors or sponsors proposing to use time as a public health control.
• Review and comment on proposed procedures during inspection.
• During inspections review and verify application/implementation of procedure by:
  • Direct observation,
  • Review of at least three randomly selected records from the establishment’s files including the day of inspection,
  • Record compliance status on the inspection report, and
  • Note any observations, violations, and corrective actions concerning the time as a public health control procedures, on the inspection report.
• Discard products in unmarked containers or packages or products marked with a time that exceeds the timeframe specified in the procedure.

Written procedures are required for potentially hazardous foods that are being held using time only as a public health control method. The written procedure must identify the food(s), the method of tracking the food once it is removed from temperature control, and what action will be taken at the end of the time frame.

Example: Written Procedure for Tracking Temperature

• Foods:
  • Macaroni and cheese.
  • Hamburgers.
  • Milk.
• Tracking:
  • Use yellow and red dots.
  • Write the time, on the yellow dot, the food was taken out of temperature control.
  • Place yellow dot on the left corner of each tray.
  • Write the “Discard Time on a red dot (maximum four hours).
  • Place red dot on right corner of each tray.
• Food Disposition:
  • Monitor time and assure that foods are discarded after four hours.
  • Discard expired and unused food in the kitchen garbage.
• Documentation:
  • Document all required information on the chart.
  • The approval chart must be completed for each day of service.
  • The chart will be maintained in the office at the central kitchen for at least 30 days.

__________________________________________

Reviewer’s Signature            Date

Monitoring Your Sites

Monitoring is essential to making a program successful. Having knowledgeable, trained monitors will enable program operations to comply with program requirements and run more smoothly. Having an efficient and capable monitoring staff is one of the first steps towards successful operations. A monitor serves as a direct link between the sponsor’s administrative office and the actual meal service sites. Establishing a proper monitoring system will help prevent problems from occurring and will make it easier to correct any problems that arise during the summer. The sponsor must ensure that the monitor’s responsibilities and authority are clear to the monitoring staff and site supervisors.

Monitors must:

• Participate in annual training from the sponsor, and understand program requirements, including civil rights requirements.
• Ensure sites operate according to program guidelines.
• Carry a supply of all necessary forms during site visits and reviews.
• Provide training and technical assistance for site personnel when needed.
• Spend enough time at each site to ensure proper program operations.

Visits and Reviews:

Monitors are required to perform site visits and site reviews at various times throughout program operations. Regulation requires the following site monitoring: 1. A pre-operational site visit prior to opening a new site. 2. A site review within the first two weeks of operation. 3. A site review within the first four weeks of operation.

• Site Visit: Requires the monitor to ensure that the site is adequately set up to provide the planned food service for the number of children expected and to resolve any apparent problems prior to the start of the operation of the SFSP site.
• Site Reviews: Requires the monitor to determine if the site is meeting all the various program requirements. Monitors must observe a complete meal service from beginning to end, including delivery or preparation of meals, the meal service, and clean up after meals.

For your convenience, the Pre-Operational Site Visit form can be found in Module 1 and Site Review forms for both self-prep and vended sites are included in this manual. They are also available on the Summer Food Service Program webpage at the SFSP website under Applications and Forms [NEEDS LINK]. For further information on sponsor monitoring requirements, please see the USDA’s Sponsor Monitor’s Guide also available on our webpage under Manuals.

State Agency Monitoring Review Process

Each program will be reviewed for compliance with Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Regulations 7 CFR 225. Sponsors will also be reviewed to ensure that they follow the guidelines in this manual and the guidelines in the SFSP contract and Scope of Work.

The State agency (SA) must review SFSP sponsors and sites to ensure compliance with the Program regulations. State agencies must:

• Conduct a review of every new sponsor at least once during the first year of operation;
• Annually review every sponsor that experienced significant operational problems in the prior year;
• Review each sponsor at least once every three years;
• Review more frequently those sponsors that, in the determination of the SA, require additional technical assistance; and
• As part of each sponsor review, conduct reviews of at least 10 percent of each reviewed sponsor’s sites, or one site, whichever is greater.

The State and Federal agencies have the authority to conduct a monitoring review at any time, announced or unannounced.

Site reviews will be conducted separately from the sponsor review and will be unannounced. This review will include an observation of meal counting procedures and various aspects of the meal service, including food safety, food items served, and compliance with SFSP regulations. Civil rights compliance will be monitored at both the site reviews and sponsor reviews.

Sponsor reviews will be scheduled after the claim for reimbursement for the month that the site reviews were conducted has been submitted. All original program records must be made available for review by state and/or federal officials within one hour of arrival. Failure to have the SFSP records available will result in findings, corrective action, and/or overclaims; the SA may disallow all summer claims for reimbursement that the SO must repay. The Monitoring Checklist in a subsequent section provides an overview of the major areas that will be evaluated during the sponsor review.

If the reviewer finds that the sponsor did not comply with the CACFP regulations during the site reviews or the sponsor review, the sponsor will be given “findings” for each incident of noncompliance. A subsequent page provides a list of common findings that you can use as a guide to avoid some of the more common operational errors that have occurred with the SFSP.

Some findings may result in the disallowance of meals that were claimed during the month of review. There could be many reasons for this, including, but not limited to:

• Errors in counting and meal consolidation
• Not counting meals at the point of service
• Serving meals that did not include all of the required meal components
• Serving foods that are not creditable
• Not purchasing enough of certain foods, especially milk, for the number of meals that were claimed.

The balance owed to SFSP will be recovered by deducting the funds owed from your remaining monthly SFSP claims for reimbursement payments until paid in full. If funds are owed and all claims have been processed for the summer, the sponsor must remit payment of the amount owed by check or money order. Failure to repay a debt will lead to a sponsor being declared seriously deficient.

Serious Deficiency Process

If serious violations are found during a monitoring review, or a sponsor fails to pay a debt, the sponsor must be determined as Seriously Deficient (SD). USDA regulations define Seriously Deficient (SD) as the status of an institution that has been determined to be non-compliant in one or more aspects of its program operation. An institution that is determined to be currently SD or has been terminated from any federal child nutrition program may not enter into an agreement to participate in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).

The individuals noted on the Sponsor and Site Information Sheets on the Application and in the CNP web-based system are considered responsible individuals or responsible principles of the program.

By virtue of the management position, the “responsible person”, has administrative and financial responsibility for the oversight, management, and integrity of the SFSP and compliance with applicable regulations.

As a contracted provider of the SFSP, sponsors must maintain records and provide access to any records or documents to authorized representatives of the Department, State, and Federal government for inspection upon request.

Corrective Action Plan

An SFSP sponsor is responsible for responding to site review and sponsor review findings (instances of non-compliance) by completing a Corrective Action Plan (CAP).

The CAP Process for Site Reviews:

Following the site review, the SA reviewer will discuss the outcome with the site supervisor and the sponsor, if present. A site review form indicating if each requirement was in compliance will be completed. If findings (instances of non-compliance) occurred during the review, additional site review finding form(s) will be completed, and a CAP will be requested.

If the sponsor is present at the time of the site review, the sponsor will be given the opportunity to correct the finding on site, and this will be documented in the CNPWeb E-Review system. If the sponsor is not present at the time of the site review, the sponsor will be notified regarding how to address the findings in the CNPWeb system. The sponsor will address each finding indicated, explaining how each finding will be corrected, who will be responsible for correcting the finding, and the date by which the finding will be corrected.  

Each CAP will have a due date. The sponsor will have one week from the date of the site review to respond to the findings.  Failure to respond to the review could affect the site and sponsor’s ability to participate in the SFSP. After the SA reviewer has reviewed and approved the CAP, the system will indicate the CAP is approved.

The CAP Process for Sponsor Reviews:

After the SA reviewer has conducted the sponsor review, a review letter will be sent to the sponsor indicating that a review has been conducted and include details of compliance or noncompliance. If findings (instances of non-compliance) occurred during the review, a CAP will be requested.

The letter will include instructions for completing the CAP in the CNPWeb E-Review system. In the CAP, the sponsor will address each finding indicated on the report, explaining how each finding will be corrected, who will be responsible for correcting the finding, and the date by which the finding will be corrected.

Each CAP will have a due date. The sponsor will have three weeks from the date of the review letter to respond to the findings. Failure to respond to the review letter could affect the sponsor’s ability to participate in the SFSP and may result in the sponsor being classified as Seriously Deficient. After the SA reviewer has reviewed and approved the CAP, a closeout letter will be sent to the sponsor.

How to Complete a CAP

Before the center can submit its corrective actions, it must determine what the problem is and why it is occurring.

The CAP must clearly state the following:

• How the problem can be prevented or eliminated. Do not merely restate the finding or assure that the mistake will not happen again. The solution must be a process – specific steps that have been taken to correct the finding and what extra steps will be taken to make sure this problem does not occur again.
• When the problem was corrected.
• Who will be responsible for ensuring the corrections were made and written policies and/or procedures will be maintained.

Recommendations:

• It is critical that the CAP be completed thoughtfully and thoroughly.
• It is wise to send the CAP in early in case corrections are recommended.

Monitoring Checklist

During your Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Review, the Nutritionist or the Department of Health and Senior Services-Community Food and Nutrition Assistance (DHSS-CFNA) representative will review program records for compliance with federal and state regulations. The following checklist should assist in preparation for the review. This list presents an overview of the major areas that will be evaluated. Records for the entire fiscal year should be available for review.

Forms and program requirements can be obtained at the DHSS-CFNA’s SFSP webpage. [NEEDS LINK]

Note: Sponsors must have a claim in Pending Approval before the sponsor monitoring can be held.

Common Findings

In an effort to assist sponsors in operating the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) successfully, some common situations from reviews that have resulted in findings have been identified. Use these as a guidepost to avoid some of the more common operational errors that have occurred with the SFSP.

Menu and Meal Service Findings

• All meals served did not meet the minimum meal pattern requirements as outlined in the meal chart.
• The meal contained a non-creditable component. Refer to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs and revise menus to include creditable meal components.
• Menus did not always provide an adequate variety of foods. It is important to provide a variety of foods each day to ensure adequate intake of a wide range of nutrients. Avoid serving the same foods too often.
• Some of the children were not served all of the required meal components. Incomplete meals served to children may not be claimed for reimbursement.
• Meals were served outside of the approved meal times. Meals served outside of the approved meal times may not be claimed for reimbursement. If your meal service times change, you must update the information online and gain approval prior to implementing the change.
• Children were observed taking potentially hazardous foods off site. All potentially hazardous foods must be eaten on site to avoid possible food-borne illness.
• The site did not have a trained person available during the meal service. SFSP regulations require at least one trained person be on site during the meal service. Meals served at sites without trained personnel may not be claimed for reimbursement.
• Children were not at the site the day of the review. Sponsors must notify the Department of Health and Senior Services-Community Food and Nutrition Assistance (DHSS-CFNA) 24 hours in advance of site closings and/or field trips.
• The sponsor did not have Child Nutrition (CN) labels/Product Formulation Statements available to document the meat/meat alternate contribution of processed meat products.
• The amount of food prepared did not always meet minimum serving size requirements. Meals must provide minimum amounts of food as specified in the SFSP meal pattern to be claimed for reimbursement.

Production Record Findings (Vended Meals Only)

• At a vended site, production records did not always indicate the exact amount of each food item used. Production records must indicate, at a minimum, the food items used, the serving size of each food item used, the total amount of each food item prepared in package/container sizes and/or weight, the amount of each food item leftover, and the number of children and adults served.
• At a vended site, production records were not being maintained.

Meal Count Findings

• The site did not maintain a point-of-service meal count. Meals must be counted as they are served to the children.
• The site did not have adequate procedures in place to adjust the number of meals ordered or prepared on a daily basis, resulting in an excess number of leftover meals.
• Leftover meals from the previous day were not properly recorded on the meal count sheets.
• The number of meals served did not match the delivery ticket. The site supervisor is responsible for ensuring the number of meals delivered to the site matches the delivery ticket by taking a physical count of the meals when they arrive at the site.
• Meal counting procedures used by the site did not yield an accurate count of meals served.
• The site is consistently claiming more meals than were served the day of the review. Sites may not claim more meals than are served to children at any time.
• There was an excess child-to-staff ratio at the site. While there is no regulation stipulating a certain child-to-staff ratio, a recommended ratio is 15 children to every program adult.

Sanitation Findings (Contact your local sanitarian for technical assistance)

• Food temperatures were not taken by site personnel when food arrived at the site. Site personnel must take food temperatures to ensure that food has been properly handled and is safe for consumption.
• Site personnel did not use proper procedures to take food temperatures, nor were they aware of the food temperature “safety zone”.
• The expiration date on some of the milk was beyond the “use by” date. Check milk expiration dates to ensure the service of fresh milk. Discard all milk that exceeds the “use by” date.
• Food was not being held at the appropriate temperature. Potentially hazardous food must be held at a temperature of 41˚ F or below or 135˚F or above to avoid bacterial contamination.
• Food was left sitting at room temperature for more than two hours.
• The site did not have adequate facilities or equipment for the safe storage of meals.
• A potentially hazardous food was stored on a shelf above other foods in the refrigerator. To avoid cross-contamination of food in storage, store all potentially hazardous foods on the lower shelves of the refrigerator.
• Employees were not observed washing their hands prior to the service of the meal, or after eating, drinking, using the toilet, or handling raw food.
• Food items in storage had not been properly labeled. Label and date all leftover foods and foods removed from their original containers.
• Food items in storage were not properly wrapped or covered. Use plastic wrap, foil, or a tight fitting lid to cover foods when storing them for later use.
• The refrigerator did not have a thermometer. All refrigerators must have a working thermometer to enable site personnel to monitor the temperature of the equipment. Temperature in the refrigerators and freezers must be monitored on a regular basis.
• Time as a Public Health Control was being utilized without an approved plan.

Appeal Procedure

Appeals of the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) actions are conducted before an independent administrative hearings officer in the DHSS Appeals Unit. To contact the DHSS Appeals Unit, call (573) 522-1699, fax (573) 751-0247, or email DHSS.Appeals@health.mo.gov.

What can be appealed?

A sponsor may appeal any of the following actions the DHSS takes relating to its participation in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) or claims for reimbursement (7 CFR 225.6(b)(3) and 7 CFR 225.13):

• Denial of an application for participation.
• Denial of a sponsor’s request for an advance payment.
• Denial of a sponsor’s claim for reimbursement (except when submitted after the deadline [See 7 CFR § 225.9(d)(6)]).
• DHSS’ refusal to forward to USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) the sponsor’s requested exception for payment of a late claim or a request for an upward adjustment to a claim.
• Claim against a sponsor for remittance of a payment.
• Termination of a sponsor’s or a site’s participation in the program.
• Denial of a sponsor’s application for a site.
• Denial of a food service management company’s application for registration, if applicable.
• Revocation of a food service management company’s registration, if applicable.

A sponsor cannot appeal decisions the FNS makes relating to late claims for reimbursement or request for upward adjustments under 7 CFR 225.9(d)(6).

How can a sponsor appeal?

• Appeal requests must be in writing.
• A sponsor can either:
  • Email the appeal request to SFSP@health.mo.gov
  • Fax the appeal request to 573-526-3679; or
  • Mail the appeal request to: Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Community Food and Nutrition Assistance ATTN: SFSP Appeals PO Box 570 Jefferson City, MO 65102
• The DHSS must receive the appeal request no more than 14 calendar days after the sponsor receives the notice of the DHSS’s action.

What should a sponsor include in its appeal request?

• The sponsor’s name, telephone number, and mailing address.
• The name and title (printed or typed) of the sponsor’s contact person or authorized representative.
• The DHSS action(s) that the sponsor is appealing, the reason(s) the sponsor is appealing, and the action(s) the sponsor wants the DHSS to take instead (i.e., the remedy the sponsor is seeking).
• Whether the sponsor is requesting an abbreviated administrative review and/or an administrative hearing.

What are the types of administrative review?

• Abbreviated administrative review: a review of written documentation only.
  • In an abbreviated review, both the sponsor and the DHSS submit written documentation and information for the hearing officer to consider when deciding the appeal.
  • A sponsor requesting a written review may choose to have an abbreviated administrative review even if it is entitled to a full, in-person hearing.
  • To be considered by the hearing officer, the sponsor must submit all written documentation and information in support of its appeal to the hearing officer within seven calendar days of the date it submits its appeal request (7 CFR 225.13(b)(4)).
  • A sponsor cannot request an in-person administrative hearing after the abbreviated administrative review has taken place.
• Administrative hearing: an in-person hearing at which the sponsor and the DHSS submit verbal testimony and evidence.
  • The Appeals Unit hearing officer can hold a hearing in addition to, or instead of, an abbreviated administrative review only if the sponsor requests a hearing in its appeal request.

Additional information:

• The Appeals Unit hearing officer will send the sponsor a letter giving the date, time, and location of the administrative hearing (if an administrative hearing was requested) and/or the date any written documentation and information in support of the sponsor’s appeal is due and submission information.
• If the sponsor requests an administrative hearing and fails to appear at the hearing, the sponsor waives the right to an in-person appearance before the Appeals Unit hearing officer unless the hearing officer agrees to reschedule the hearing.
• The sponsor may retain private legal counsel or may be represented by another person. 7 CFR 225.13(b)(5).
• The DHSS will have legal counsel representation for both in-person hearings and abbreviated administrative (written) reviews.
• The Appeals Unit hearing officer must make a decision within five business days of either holding an administrative hearing or receiving the written documentation from the sponsor and the DHSS.

Remember these deadlines:

• The DHSS must receive the sponsor’s appeal request within 14 calendar days of the sponsor receiving notice of the DHSS’s actions.
• The sponsor must submit any written documentation to the hearing officer within seven calendar days of submitting the appeal request.

For more information: Call the DHSS at 888-435-1464.

An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

Services provided on a nondiscriminatory basis.

Tips For Success

Five Keys to Success in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)

• Serve quality meals.
• Keep sound financial records.
• Ensure access to the program.
• Include activities at your meal sites.
• Highlight the program.

Finances

To reach your SFSP goals, understand how much money is available to spend on the program:

• Estimate your total SFSP expenses for the summer.
• Then estimate your total federal reimbursement from SFSP participation. Add funds from other possible sources, such as rebates, state government funding, grants, donations, etc., you will have for the summer.
• Use those numbers and a backward planning technique to plan and reconcile the income and expenses your program will incur for the summer.
• Make sure you are able to cover the necessary program expenses and are able to efficiently operate the SFSP.
• Don’t overestimate participation.

Access

When it comes to transportation challenges, consider:

• Working with rural school districts’ bus operations.
• Collaborating with organizations that have vehicles to help transport children.
• Renting a vehicle, at cost, to use for the program.
• Creating a mobile meal site route!

Remember to discuss non-traditional approaches to meal service with the Department of Health and Senior Services-Community Food and Nutrition Assistance.

Activities

Activities at meal sites draw a higher number of children and provide sustainment for the SFSP. They also provide opportunities to increase the health and development of children during the summer months. Partnerships with schools, parks and recreation departments, and nonprofit organizations can help keep costs down by organizing and supervising these activity programs.

Publicity

While awareness of the SFSP has increased greatly in the past few years, there are still plenty of parents and community stakeholders who are unaware of the program and its benefits to the communities where meal sites are located. Including promotion in your SFSP plan can make a tremendous difference in having a successful program. Promoting your program through the media, social media, and the community will help increase meal participation.

For tips and resources to make your SFSP a success, see the United States Department of Agriculture’s Program Operator page.

Annual Newsletter

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) state team is privileged to witness the outstanding achievements and hard work of sponsors across Missouri who provide nutritious meals to children through the SFSP. We would like to recognize your creative, successful strategies in the annual SFSP newsletter. This is your opportunity to brag shamelessly about your program! Don’t be shy!

Any sponsor operating the SFSP is eligible to be recognized for all categories. Due to limited space available, narratives need to be limited to one page and address the questions under the appropriate category. Pictures are highly encouraged! Please include a signed release form for any person appearing in the photos. Please submit your information no later than November 30.

For the annual newsletter, we are highlighting articles that feature sponsors in the following five categories:

1. Outstanding Outreach: Are you an SFSP sponsor that uses creative strategies to promote participation of eligible children in your program? Describe in your narrative your efforts and results in promoting your program, including:
   1. Steps taken to promote your program and reach eligible children, and their impact.
   2. The most effective techniques used in reaching the children.
   3. Any challenges or barriers encountered and how they were addressed.
   4. Any non-program resources (e.g., monetary contributions, in-kind donations, volunteers, partnerships with other organizations) that were utilized in your efforts.
   5. How children’s participation was sustained over the course of the program.
   6. What is your anticipated outlook for the next year?
2. Magnificent Menus: Are you an SFSP sponsor whose menus utilize food in a nutritional and inventive way? Do your menu items have nutritional content, color, variety, cultural awareness, and have you used inventive food promotions? Send in your summer menus along with a narrative highlighting your effective menu planning techniques. Please include drool worthy photos of your magnificent creations!]
3. Greatest Growth: Have you had exponential meal site participation growth from the previous year? If so, please tell us all about it so we can share your strategies!
4. Spectacular Staff: Do you have a rock star or an entire team who worked with your SFSP? Were they hard working, creative, dedicated, and committed to upholding the integrity of the SFSP? Did they meet the needs of the children and communities they served? If so, tell us about your rock star(s)!
5. Perfectly Partnered: Did your SFSP partner with an organization and create a team that positively impacted a community? Well then, tell us about it so we can celebrate with you! Include the benefits of the partnership you formed, the outstanding outcomes, and how your organizations came to be partners. We love a good partnership!

Requesting Advance Payments

Advances are payments that may be received before the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) begins to cover administrative and operating costs incurred before the program begins. When determining the amount of the advance payment, the Department of Health and Senior Services-Community Food and Nutrition Assistance (DHSS-CFNA) will make the best possible estimate based on the sponsor’s request and any other available data. These payments are advances on the reimbursement that sponsors will receive for a month of operations and will be deducted from future reimbursement payments.

If a sponsor requests an advance, then the request must reasonably and accurately reflect estimated site attendance and meal reimbursements in accordance with 7 CFR 225.6(a)(3). First advances shall not be paid until the sponsor has a fully executed contract with the DHSS.

Sponsors requesting an advance for the SFSP:

• Must sign and return a fully executed contract with the DHSS to operate as an SFSP sponsor prior to receiving any advance funds.
• Must be in good standing with Missouri Food and Nutrition Programs.
• Cannot miss a payment for Missouri Food and Nutrition Programs’ debt deadline from a previous SFSP operational year.
• Must operate at the site for 10 days of more to request an advance for that site's meals.

If a second or third advance is requested, the sponsor must provide accurate attendance information to the DHSS-CFNA by mid-June for the second advance and by mid-July for the third advance, in accordance with 7 CFR 225.9(c)(1).

Start-up payments are financial assistance for administrative costs made available to a sponsor to enable it to effectively plan a summer food service and establish effective management procedures for such a service. These payments shall be deducted from subsequent administrative cost payments.

The sponsor must request the start-up payment in the Checklist Tab on the CNPWeb Application and Claiming System during the application process. If a sponsor requests a startup payment, the state may approve start-up payments for sponsors who have executed Program agreements. Start-up payments shall not be made more than two months before the sponsor is scheduled to begin food service operations and shall not exceed 20 percent of the sponsor's approved administrative budget. If approved, the amount of the start-up payment shall be deducted from the first advance payment or, if the sponsor does not receive advance payments, from the first reimbursement.

Debt Repayment

In the event overpayments are identified, pursuant to 7 CFR 225.12, the sponsor must agree to a repayment schedule and that such repayments shall be deducted from future claim payments except in the event that no future claim payments are due. For such an event, the sponsor shall remit the full amount of the overpayment pursuant to 7 CFR 225.12, within 30 days of receipt of the notice of the overpayment.

Any and all representatives of the sponsor that sign the contract on behalf of the sponsor shall be aware of the personal responsibility for repayment in the case of an overpayment and acknowledge personal liability for repayment of any overpayment. In addition, all principals of the sponsoring organization are aware of the personal responsibility for repayment in the case of an overpayment and acknowledge the personal liability for repayment of any overpayment.

Expand from Summer Meals to the At-Risk Afterschool Program

Expand from Summer Meals!
If you are a summer meals provider, consider applying to the CACFP to serve meals and snacks during the school year through an afterschool program.

The At-Risk Afterschool Program is a component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). It offers federal funding to Afterschool Programs that serve a meal or snack to children 18 and under in eligible areas. The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the CACFP at the national level. The Department of Health and Senior Services-Community Food and Nutrition Assistance (DHSS-CFNA) administers the program in Missouri.

Many existing SFSP sites are well-positioned to offer afterschool meals during the school year through the At-Risk Afterschool Program. Both organizations and communities benefit when meals are offered to children in eligible communities year-round. Organizations benefit from having the ability to hire year-round staff, a continuous flow of reimbursements providing additional financial stability, and recognition in the community as a stable source of services. Communities benefit by having a partner that provides year-round nutrition services for children and brings increased federal funds into the local economy.

At-Risk Afterschool Eligibility Requirements:

Organizations may apply to participate in the At-Risk Afterschool Program either as an independent afterschool program or through a sponsor.  Eligible organizations must meet state and/or local licensing or health and safety standards in order to participate. The following are eligibility requirements that must be met in order to apply and participate in the program.

Program Eligibility:  An afterschool program must:

• Be organized primarily to provide care for children after school or on the weekends, holidays, or school vacations during the regular school year.
• Provide organized, regularly scheduled education or enrichment activities in a structured and supervised environment that are open to all children.
• Be located in an attendance area of a school where at least 50 percent or more of the children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.

Organization Eligibility:  At-Risk Afterschool Programs may be operated by:

• Public agencies such as schools or city governments.
• Tax-exempt nonprofit organizations.
• For-profit centers that meet the requirements of serving at least 25 percent of children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals based on their family income; or receive benefits under title XX of the Social Security Act and the center receives compensation under title XX.

Area Eligibility: As noted above, to be eligible to participate in the At-Risk Afterschool Program, it must be located in an eligible area. This means the site is located in the attendance area of a public school where at least 50 percent of the students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). This is referred to as area eligibility.

Participant Eligibility: At-Risk Afterschool Programs may claim reimbursement only for meals and snacks served to children who are age 18 or under at the start of the school year. Programs may be either drop-in or enrolled. Children do not have to participate in enrichment activities in order to be served a meal.  Reimbursement also may be claimed for participants who turn age 19 during the school year. There is no age limit for persons with disabilities.

Licensing and Health and Safety Requirements: Federal law does not require licensing for centers participating in the At-Risk Afterschool Program. However, states or local jurisdictions may require licensing. In the state of Missouri, afterschool programs must be licensed by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ Section for Child Care Regulation, or be exempt from licensing requirements. Exempt organizations must, however, submit documentation to show that minimum health and safety standards are being met.  At a minimum, documentation must include a fire safety inspection report and a sanitation report. Schools are exempt from the licensing requirement in Missouri.

For more information regarding the At-Risk Afterschool Program please visit USDA’s website at: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp/afterschool-programs 

OR

For more information, including how to apply, please visit Missouri’s At-Risk Afterschool Program webpage:  www.health.mo.gov/cacfp [NEEDS LINK]