ASCC: Child and Adult Care Food Program

Child and Adult Care Food Program

Proper nutrition plays a critical role in helping children develop and learn. The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) reimburses participating child care home providers for serving nutritious meals and snacks to children in their care. Nutrition training, monitoring visits, and assistance with record keeping procedures are provided by the Association for Supportive Child Care's CACFP.

Cash reimbursement for meals served is distributed monthly. Reimbursement rates are established at two levels (Tier I and Tier II) and are adjusted annually each July.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program is funded through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered by the Arizona Department of Education (ADE).

CACFP Participation Benefits

Cash reimbursements for meals served (maximum of two meals and one snack or two snacks and one meal per day per child)

In-home program training and technical assistance

Monthly newsletter with activity ideas and recipes

Access to a variety of services made available through the many ASCC programs

CACFP Program Requirements

Attend a minimum of one, two-hour nutrition training per fiscal year

Participate in three monitoring visits yearly by a CACFP Specialist in your home

Serve foods according to the Meal Pattern Guidelines

Record menus and attendance daily

Provide CACFP benefits to children (infant through twelve years of age) without regard to race, color, sex, handicap or national origin

Eligibility

CACFP participants must be certified as a child care provider by the state through the Department of Economic Security (DES) or the Department of Health Services (DHS). If you are not certified by the state, you must meet the requirements of an Alternate Approval Provider which include:

A satisfactory rating on both health and fire inspections of your home. (Arrangements for Health and fire inspections are made through ASCC on behalf of the provider.)

The submittal of your approved fingerprinting and background check. (Arrangements will be made by ASCC for those choosing Alternate Approval.)

You may care for as many as four children for compensation at one time, not to exceed a total of six children, including your own. No more than two children may be under the age of one year. Ratios are adjusted for those with DHS certification.

ASCC is an Equal Opportunity Provider.