Child and Adult Care Food Program
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More than ONE out of every FIVE Montana children live in families that struggle to put food on the table. Long-term hunger can permanently impair children’s physical, intellectual, and emotional growth and development. In February 2012, Governor Brian Schweitzer and the Department of Public Health and Human Services launched the Montana No Kid Hungry campaign in partnership with Share Our Strength. Montana No Kid Hungry connects kids to healthy food to give every child an equal opportunity to learn, grow, and play. This public-private partnership is critical to ending childhood hunger in Montana. For more information and to get involved, go to the Montana No Kid Hungry website.
Fact Sheet: Childhood Hunger in Montana
Courtesty of Montana Food Bank Network and Montana Partnership to End Childhood Hunger
About Us
- The CACFP is federally funded by the Food and Nutrition Services of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Department of Public Health and Human Services is the State agency which administers the Child and Adult Care Food Program in Montana.
- The program plays a vital role in assuring the nutritional quality of meals and snacks served to eligible children and adults, and making care more affordable for many low-income families.
- The CACFP provides cash reimbursement for serving meals to enrolled participants that meet Federal nutritional guidelines, outlined in the CACFP meal pattern. Participating institutions may be approved to claim up to two reimbursable meals (breakfast, lunch, and supper) and one snack, or two snacks and one meal, to each eligible participant, each day.
- The State agency:
- provides consultative, technical and managerial personnel to administer the program in the state
- provides sufficient training and technical assistance to institutions
- monitors program performance
- facilitates the expansion of the program
- ensures effective operation of the program by participating institutions
- The program currently serves participants in Montana statewide in all counties and all Indian Reservations. Each day in the United States, 3.2 million children receive nutritious meals and snacks through CACFP.
The guiding federal legislation for the CACFP is the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 7—Agriculture, Chapter II—Food and Nutrition Service, Department of Agriculture, Part 226—Child and Adult Care Food Program, September 1, 2004. The guiding rules for the Montana CACFP is the Administrative Rules of Montana, Chapter 75, Subchapter 1, Parts 101—603.
CACFP Brochure (in color)
CACFP Brochure (in black and white)
- Offer a wide variety of nutritious foods.
- Use fresh foods and locally grown foods when possible.
- Develop menus and recipes that include cultural considerations.
- Serve meals that follow the US Dietary Guidelines.
- Serve meals family style.
- Support breastfeeding or use of breast milk for infant feeding, or serve iron-fortified infant formula. Milk is served with meals for children age one and above.
- Children age 12 and under
- Migrant children age 15 and younger
- Adults who are 60 or older, or who are physically or mentally impaired to the extent that limits their independence and ability to carry out activities of daily living
- Youths through age 18 in afterschool programs in needy areas
Applicants must be: a Licensed Child Care Center, Head Start Program, Adult Day Care Center, After School Program, or Homeless Shelter serving children. CACFP encourages other institutions to inquire.
- Non-profit programs must provide proof of non-profit status.
- For-profit programs must have at least 25% of their attendance during each month be of participants with income eligibility in either a Free or Reduced category. These categories are based on USDA’s Income Eligibility Guidelines.
- Child Care Centers: licensed or approved public or private nonprofit child care centers, head start programs, and for-profit centers serve meals to large numbers of children. Day Care Centers must sign an agreement with the state agency to participate in CACFP. Centers must be licensed with the Montana DPHHS Quality Assurance Division to provide day care services. Centers must sign an agreement with the State Agency to participate in the CACFP. Income Eligibility Forms are required.
- Day Care Homes: family day care homes of 6 children or less and group day care homes of 12 children or less that receive nonresidential day care in approved private homes. A family or group day care home must sign an agreement with a sponsoring organization to participate in CACFP. Day care homes must be registered with the Montana DPHHS Quality Assurance Division to provide day care services. Please contact a sponsoring organization in your area and they will help you apply and determine reimbursement rates for your facility.
- Outside School Hours Programs: serve school age children outside of the regular school hours, such as before and after school, holidays, or during the summer vacation break. Outside School Hours Programs must sign an agreement with the State Agency to participate in the CACFP. Income Eligibility Forms are required.
- At-Risk Afterschool Programs: centers serve children in a school district in which 50% or more of children in that district are receiving free and reduced-priced school lunches. Income Eligibility Forms are not required as eligibility is based on school data. At-Risk Afterschool Programs must sign an agreement with the State Agency to participate in the CACFP. This program is not restricted to afterschool programs only. Traditional child care facilities may participate if they also have children who only attend after school. More information about this program is available here. Check out other afterschool programs you may qualify for here.
- Homeless Shelters: emergency shelters provide residential and food services to homeless children. Income Eligibility Forms are not required. Homeless Shelters must sign an agreement with the State Agency to participate in the CACFP.
- Adult Day Care Centers: public, private, non-profit, and some for-profit adult day care facilities provide structured, comprehensive services to adults who are 60 or older, or who are physically or mentally impaired to the extent that limits independence and ability to carry out activities of daily living. Income Eligibility Forms are required. Adult Day Care Centers must sign an agreement with the State Agency to participate in the CACFP.
The meal reimbursement rates are federal rates that are published annually. (To see the current year's rates click here.) Participating institutions receive reimbursement for meals on a monthly basis. Reimbursements are based on the number of meals served to enrolled children, multiplied by the appropriate reimbursement rate for each breakfast, lunch, supper, or snacks they are approved to serve. The State Agency receives, approves, and processes claims. Monthly reimbursement payments can be directly deposited into a bank account.
Center participants must qualify on the basis of household income eligibility.
Day Care Homes must be qualified by sponsoring organizations who will categorize providers as Tier I or Tier II homes based on school or census data or provider’s household income. Income information is kept confidential at all times.
Child and Adult Care Food Program
PO Box 202925
Helena, MT 59620-2925
Toll Free: 888-307-9333
Fax: 444-2547
Montana Child and Adult Care Food Program Staff Contact List
| Diane Edgar, Administrative Assistant | dedgar@mt.gov | 444-4347 |
| Mary Musil, Manager | mmusil@mt.gov | 444-4086 |
| Vicki Anfinson, Program Specialist | vanfinson@mt.gov | 444-2674 |
| Noele Bryson, Program Specialist | nbryson@mt.gov | 444-2789 |
| Debbie Hansen, Program Specialist | deborahansen@mt.gov | 444-9467 |
Contact List: printer-friendly version
Administrative Review (Appeal) Process and Fair Hearing
Administrative Review (Appeals) & Fair Hearing Process - Child Care Centers
Administrative Review (Appeals) & Fair Hearing Process - Day Care Homes
Fraud Reporting
CACFP Fraud Reporting Form
General Civil Rights Information
Civil Rights
Compliance and Enforcement in the CACFP
Civil Rights Policy
Statement -letter from Sec. Tom Vilsack
Civil Rights
Record of Compliance and Instructions
FNS-113-1: Civil Rights Compliance and Enforcement
USDA Non-Discrimination
Statement
How to File a Complaint
If you believe that you have been discriminated against because of race, national origin, ethnic background, sex, religious affiliation, or disability, you have a right to file a complaint.
To file a complaint of discrimination contact:
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
1961 Stout Street - Room 1426
Denver, CO 80294
(303) 844-2024; (303) 844-3439 (TDD)
(303) 844-2025 FAX
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/civilrights/complaints/index.html
OR
Patty Butler, Chief
Early Childhood Services Bureau
DPHHS, P.O. Box 202925
Helena MT 59620-2925
or call toll free 1-888-307-9333
"In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. USDA is an equal opportunity employer."
