CACFP Policy Memo Number 86

DOH-CACFP: >Number 86 (07/03), Supersedes Number 47 (1/00)

TO: All CACFP Sponsoring Organizations

FROM: Jeanne Culver, State Director, Child and Adult Care Food Program

SUBJECT: Reimbursement of Infant Meals in CACFP

  1. Purpose and Scope

    The purpose of this memorandum is to notify child care centers and family day care homes participating in CACFP of a change in program policy related to reimbursement of infant meals. In recognition of the non-food cost of serving meals to infants from birth through 7 months of age, CACFP will now reimburse for meals and snacks containing only breast milk or iron fortified infant formula, whether supplied by the caregiver or the parent. From eight months until the infant's first birthday, the caregiver must provide at least one component of each meal or snack served to an infant in order to claim reimbursement for that meal or snack. In all cases, the caregiver must offer the infant a complete, developmentally appropriate meal and the meal must be fed to the infant by the caregiver.

    This provision takes effect immediately. There are no provisions for retroactive reimbursement for serving infant meals. However, adjusted claims will be accepted, within the restrictions of CACFP's 60/90 day rule for the submission of claims [see DOH 2002-26(10/02)].

  2. Background Information
    1. CACFP defines an infant as any child up to their first birthday.
    2. A caregiver refers to both family day care home providers and child care center providers.
    3. The New York State Office of Children and Family Services' **(NYS OCFS) Child Care Regulations state that, when formula is required, formula may be prepared and provided by either the parent or the provider, when agreed to in writing. In the five boroughs of New York City, applicable day care center regulations allow providers to supply infant formula to enrolled children in care.
    4. CACFP requires all participating family day care homes and child care centers to offer meals to all infants enrolled in care if the child is in care during the meal service period [see DOH-CACFP Number 83 (12/02)]. Child care facilities must offer at least one iron-fortified infant formula that would satisfy the needs of one or more of the infants in care. The infant's parent or guardian may decline the formula or food being offered and supply some or all of the infant's meals instead by submitting a Statement Regarding Infant Feeding form to the caregiver. A copy of this form is enclosed. This form is not required if the parent or guardian accepts the facility's offer to provide infant formula and other meal components.
  3. Conditions for Claiming Infant Meals in CACFP
    1. Meals and/or snacks served to infants who are not yet developmentally ready for solid foods can be claimed for reimbursement if the caregiver feeds the infant breastmilk provided by the parent or infant formula supplied by the parent or caregiver.
      • An infant's meals and/or snacks can not be claimed for reimbursement if the breast feeding mother nurses the infant on-site unless that mother is an employee of the child care facility or a day care home provider.
      • A CACFP income eligible day care home provider may only claim meals served to their own infant at a mealtime when other enrolled, non-resident children are present.
    2. Once the parent requests that the caregiver feed solid foods, the meal is reimbursable only if the caregiver provides at least one (1) component of that meal. That component could be the iron fortified infant formula or breast milk or a solid food component such as infant cereal, vegetable/fruit or bread or cracker product. Once the infant is taking solid foods, if the parent provides the breastmilk or formula and all solid foods fed to the infant, that meal cannot be claimed for reimbursement.
    3. Because solid foods are required as part of a reimbursable meal for infants who are eight months of age and older, these meals can be claimed for reimbursement only if the meal meets the CACFP meal pattern and the caregiver provides at least one of the required meal components. That component could be the iron fortified infant formula or breast milk or a solid food component such as infant cereal, meat/meat alternate, vegetable/fruit or bread or cracker product. If the parent provides the breastmilk or formula and all solid foods fed the eight (8) month old or older infant, that meal cannot be claimed for reimbursement.
  4. Procedures to Claim Infant Meals
    1. All CACFP-participating facilities must prepare an infant menu if they care for children younger than their first birthday. This menu must identify the iron-fortified formula(s) offered by the center or home and include the age appropriate solid foods to be served to infants in care. Refer to FNS 258, Feeding Infants: Guide for Use in the Child Nutrition Programs, or call a CACFP nutritionist at 1-800-942-3858 for assistance in creating your infant menu.
    2. CACFP requires all participating family day care homes and child care centers to offer each family a sample infant menu and a list of the formula(s) available from the caregiver. The infant's parent or guardian may decline the formula and/or food being offered and supply some or all of the infant's meals instead by submitting a Statement Regarding Infant Feeding form to the caregiver.
    3. Sponsoring Organizations of day care centers must maintain sufficient records to document that all infants in care have received complete, developmentally appropriate meals while in care. This documentation must include, at a minimum:
      • Statement Regarding Infant Feeding (if the parents decline breastmilk, infant formula or other meal components)
      • Daily Infant Menu Record for Day Care Centers (DOH-3695 6/03) for all infants over eight (8) months of age (Sample enclosed). No daily record will be required for infants from birth through seven (7) months of age. Note: This form replaces the Menu Record Book for Infants 0-11 months. Day care center sponsors will no longer be required to complete the Menu Record Book for Infants 0-11 months.
      • Attendance and Meal count records for all infants in care.
    4. Sponsoring Organizations of family day care homes must review a provider's menus according to the guidelines in Section III, above. A copy of the Statement Regarding Infant Feeding form must be maintained if the parents decline breastmilk, infant formula or any other meal component. Separate menus must be maintained for each infant in care, even if the infant only receives breast milk or formula. Menu records must indicate the name and age of the infant.
  5. Additional Information
    1. Crediting Foods in CACFP and CACFP Policy Memo 37 clarify meal components that are creditable in the infant meal pattern.
    2. CACFP Policy Memos 83 and 84 clarify program requirements regarding the service of meals and snacks to infants in care.
    3. FNS 258, Feeding Infants: A Guide for Use in the Child Nutrition Programs, provides information on the feeding of children under one year of age.
  6. Summary

    CACFP participating facilities are required to serve developmentally appropriate meals and snacks to all children in care, including infants. This policy memorandum establishes the guidelines for programs to use in claiming reimbursement for meals and snacks served to these infants.

Enclosures

** In general, NYC OCFS regulates all child day care providers in New York State, except day care centers in New York City. They are regulated by the New York City Department of Health.