§ 226.17a - At-risk afterschool care center provisions.

§ 226.17a At-risk afterschool care center provisions.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 88 FR 57856, Aug. 23, 2023.

(a) Organizations eligible to receive reimbursement for at-risk afterschool snacks and at-risk afterschool meals —

(1) Eligible organizations. To receive reimbursement for at-risk afterschool snacks, organizations must meet the criteria in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) through (a)(1)(iv) of this section. To receive reimbursement for at-risk afterschool meals, organizations must meet the criteria in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) through (a)(1)(v) of this section.

(i) Organizations must meet the definition of an At-risk afterschool care center in § 226.2. An organization may participate in the Program either as an independent center or as a child care facility under the auspices of a sponsoring organization. Public and private nonprofit centers may not participate under the auspices of a for-profit sponsoring organization.

(ii) Organizations must operate an eligible afterschool care program, as described in paragraph (b) of this section.

(iii) Organizations must meet the licensing/approval requirements in § 226.6(d)(1).

(iv) Except for for-profit centers, at-risk afterschool care centers must be public, or have tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or be currently participating in another Federal program requiring nonprofit status.

(v) Organizations eligible to be reimbursed for at-risk afterschool meals must be located in one of the eligible States designated by law or selected by the Secretary as directed by law.

(2) Limitations.

(i) To be reimbursed for at-risk afterschool snacks and/or at-risk afterschool meals, all organizations must:

(A) Serve the at-risk afterschool snacks and/or at-risk afterschool meals to children who are participating in an approved afterschool care program; and

(B) Not exceed the authorized capacity of the at-risk afterschool care center.

(ii) In any calendar month, a for-profit center must be eligible to participate in the Program as described in the definition of For-profit center in § 226.2. However, children who only receive at-risk afterschool snacks and/or at-risk afterschool meals must not be considered in determining this eligibility.

(b) Eligible at-risk afterschool care programs —

(1) Eligible programs. To be eligible for reimbursement, an afterschool care program must:

(i) Be organized primarily to provide care for children after school or on weekends, holidays, or school vacations during the regular school year (an at-risk afterschool care center may not claim snacks during summer vacation, unless it is located in the attendance area of a school operating on a year-round calendar);

(ii) Have organized, regularly scheduled activities (i.e., in a structured and supervised environment);

(iii) Include education or enrichment activities; and

(iv) Except for Emergency shelters as defined in § 226.2, be located in an eligible area, as described in paragraph (i) of this section.

(2) Eligibility limitation. Organized athletic programs engaged in interscholastic or community level competitive sports are not eligible afterschool care programs.

(c) Eligibility requirements for children. At-risk afterschool snacks and/or at-risk afterschool meals are reimbursable only if served to children who are participating in an approved afterschool care program and who either are age 18 or under at the start of the school year or meet the definition of Persons with disabilities in § 226.2.

(d) Licensing requirements for at-risk afterschool care centers. In accordance with § 226.6(d)(1), if Federal, State or local licensing or approval is not otherwise required, at-risk afterschool care centers must meet State or local health and safety standards. When State or local health and safety standards have not been established, State agencies are encouraged to work with appropriate State and local officials to create such standards. Meeting these standards will remain a precondition for any afterschool center's eligibility for CACFP nutrition benefits. In cases where Federal, State or local licensing or approval is required, at-risk afterschool care centers that are complying with applicable procedures to renew licensing or approval may participate in the Program during the renewal process, unless the State agency has information that indicates the renewal will be denied.

(e) Application procedures —

(1) Application. An official of the organization must make written application to the State agency for any afterschool care program that it wants to operate as an at-risk afterschool care center.

(2) Required information. At a minimum, an organization must submit:

(i) An indication that the applicant organization meets the eligibility criteria for organizations as specified in paragraph (a) of this section;

(ii) A description of how the afterschool care program(s) meets the eligibility criteria in paragraph (b) of this section;

(iii) In the case of a sponsoring organization, a list of all applicant afterschool care centers;

(iv) Documentation that permits the State agency to confirm that all applicant afterschool care centers are located in an eligible area, as described in paragraph (i) of this section; and

(v) Other information required as a condition of eligibility in the CACFP must be submitted with an application for participation in accordance with § 226.6(b)(1).

(f) State agency action on applications —

(1) State agency approval. The State agency must determine the eligibility of the afterschool care program for each sponsored afterschool care center based on the information submitted by the sponsoring organization in accordance with §§ 226.6(b)(1) and 226.15(g) and the requirements of this section. The State agency must determine the eligibility of the afterschool care programs of independent afterschool care centers based on the information submitted by the independent center in accordance with § 226.6(b)(1) and the requirements of this section. The State agency must determine the area eligibility of independent at-risk afterschool care centers in accordance with the requirements of § 226.6(f)(1)(ix)(B). An approved organization must enter into an agreement with the State agency as described in paragraph (f)(2) of this section.

(2) AgreementAgreements. The State agency must enter into a permanent agreement with an institution approved to operate one or more at-risk afterschool care centers pursuant to , as described in § 226.6(b)(4). The agreement must describe the approved afterschool care program(s) programs and list the approved center(s)centers. The agreement must also require the institution to comply with the applicable requirements of this part 226.

(i) Unaffiliated sponsored afterschool care centers must enter into a written permanent agreement with the sponsoring organization. The agreement must specify the rights and responsibilities of both parties. At a minimum, the agreement must include the applicable provisions set forth in this section.

(ii) Independent afterschool care centers must enter into a written permanent agreement with the State agency. The agreement must specify the rights and responsibilities of both parties as required by § 226.6(b)(4). At a minimum, the agreement must include the applicable provisions set forth in this section.

(g) Application process in subsequent years. To continue participating in the Program, independent at-risk afterschool care centers or sponsoring organizations of at-risk afterschool care centers must reapply at time intervals required by the State agencymust comply with the annual information submission requirements, as described in § §§ 226.6(b)(32)(i) and (f)(23)(ii). Sponsoring organizations of at-risk afterschool care centers must provide area eligibility data in compliance with the provisions of § 226.15(g). In accordance with § 226.6(f)(3comply with the annual information submission requirements, as described in in § 226.6(b)(2)(ii), State agencies must determine the area eligibility of each independent at-risk afterschool care center that is reapplying to participate in the Program.

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and provide area eligibility data, as described in § 226.15(g).

(h) Changes to participating centers. Independent at-risk afterschool care centers or sponsors of at-risk afterschool care centers must advise the State agency of any substantive changes to the afterschool care program. Sponsoring organizations that want to add new at-risk afterschool care centers must provide the State agency with the information sufficient to demonstrate that the new centers meet the requirements of this section.

(i) Area eligibility. Except for emergency shelters, at-risk afterschool care centers must be located in an area described in paragraph (a) of the Eligible area definition in § 226.2 and in paragraph (i)(1) of this section.

(1) Definition. An at-risk afterschool care center is in an eligible area if it is located in the attendance area of a school in which at least 50 percent of the enrolled children are certified eligible for free or reduced-price school meals.

(2) Data used. Area eligibility determinations must be based on the total number of children approved for free and reduced-price school meals for the preceding October, or another month designated by the State agency that administers the National School Lunch Program (the NSLP State agency). If the NSLP State agency chooses a month other than October, it must do so for the entire State.

(3) Frequency of area eligibility determinations. Area eligibility determinations are valid for five years. The State agency may determine the date in the fifth year in which the next five-year cycle of area eligibility will begin. The State agency must not routinely require redeterminations of area eligibility based on updated school data during the five-year period, except in cases where the State agency has determined it is most efficient to incorporate area eligibility decisions into the three-year application cycle. However, a sponsoring organization, the State agency, or FNS may change the determination of area eligibility if information becomes available indicating that an at-risk afterschool care center is no longer area eligible.

(j) Cost of at-risk afterschool snacks and meals. All at-risk afterschool snacks and at-risk afterschool meals served under this section must be provided at no charge to participating children.

(k) Limit on daily reimbursements. Only one at-risk afterschool snack and, in eligible States, one at-risk afterschool meal per child per day may be claimed for reimbursement. An at-risk afterschool care center that provides care to a child under another component of the Program during the same day may not claim reimbursement for more than two meals and one snack, or one meal and two snacks, per child per day, including the at-risk afterschool snack and the at-risk afterschool meal. All meals and snacks must be claimed in accordance with the requirements for the applicable component of the Program.

(l) Meal pattern requirements for at-risk afterschool snacks and at-risk afterschool meals. At-risk afterschool snacks must meet the meal pattern requirements for snacks in § 226.20(b)(6) and/or (c)(4); at-risk afterschool meals must meet the meal pattern requirements for meals in § 226.20(b)(6) and/or (c)(1), (c)(2), or (c)(3).

(m) Time periods for snack and meal services —

(1) At-risk afterschool snacks. When school is in session, the snack must be served after the child's school day. With State agency approval, the snack may be served at any time on weekends and vacations during the regular school year. Afterschool snacks may not be claimed during summer vacation, unless an at-risk afterschool care center is located in the attendance area of a school operating on a year-round calendar.

(2) At-risk afterschool meals. When school is in session, the meal must be served after the child's school day. With State agency approval, any one meal may be served (breakfast, lunch, or supper) per day on weekends and vacations during the regular school year. Afterschool meals may not be claimed during summer vacation, unless an at-risk afterschool care center is located in the attendance area of a school operating on a year-round calendar.

(n) Reimbursement rates. At-risk afterschool snacks are reimbursed at the free rate for snacks. At-risk afterschool meals are reimbursed at the respective free rates for breakfast, lunch, or supper

(o) Recordkeeping requirements. In addition to the other records required by this part, at-risk afterschool care centers must maintain:

(1) Daily attendance rosters, sign-in sheets or, with State agency approval, other methods which result in accurate recording of daily attendance;

(2) The number of at-risk afterschool snacks prepared or delivered for each snack service and/or, in eligible States, the number of at-risk afterschool meals prepared or delivered for each meal service;

(3) The number of at-risk afterschool snacks served to participating children for each snack service and/or, in eligible States, the number of at-risk afterschool meals served to participating children for each meal service; and

(4) Menus for each at-risk afterschool snack service and each at-risk afterschool meal service.

(p) Reporting requirements. In addition to other reporting requirements under this part, at-risk afterschool care centers must report the total number of at-risk afterschool snacks and/or (in eligible States) the total number of at-risk afterschool meals served to eligible children based on daily attendance rosters or sign-in sheets.

(q) Monitoring requirements. State agencies must monitor independent centers in accordance with § 226.6(m). Sponsoring organizations of at-risk afterschool care centers must monitor their centers in accordance with § 226.16(d)(4).

[72 FR 41608, July 31, 2007, as amended at 75 FR 16328, Apr. 1, 2010; 78 FR 13451, Feb. 28, 2013; 88 FR 57856, Aug. 23, 2023]