CACFP Program Review: What’s Next?

January 28, 2022
10:25 pm

CACFP Program Review: What’s Next?

CACFP Program Reviews can be time-consuming and stressful to undergo. Additionally, it’s hard to know where and how to begin to address the findings after your review.

Check out the info below for some tips and strategies to help you get moving in the right direction.

The “Exit Conference” / Preliminary Findings

At the conclusion of the initial phase of your CACFP review, sometimes known as the “Exit Conference,” your reviewer should provide you with a report detailing initial findings. Reviewers may emphasize which findings are most serious. Additionally, reviewers may also provide technical assistance and/or recommendations on how to address the preliminary findings.

Common CACFP Program Review Findings

Based on our experience, many will have at least a few of the findings noted below:

Meals not recorded at the point of service
Missing or incomplete enrollment/income forms
Not enough program expenses compared to reimbursement earned
Not enough milk purchased
Program labor costs not documented correctly

What to Do While You Wait for Final Results

Due to state agency workload issues, it can take many months for the site to receive a formal notification of findings. During this waiting period, you’re expected to take action to correct any preliminary findings.

CACFP Program Review Tips

Here are some ideas to help easily and permanently correct the most common findings:

CACFP TIP #1: Have a system in place that ensures staff records meals at the time of service.
CACFP TIP #2: Automate your enrollment and income forms. Use software that allows you to send forms to parents electronically and updates your system in real time, including categorizing parent’s income/classifying the child.
CACFP TIP #3: Actively monitor your program expenses to ensure they equal or exceed your monthly reimbursement. You may need to amend your contract budget as well.
CACFP TIP #4: Utilize CACFP software for organizing and documenting milk purchases.
CACFP TIP #5: Time Distribution reports can be automated to ensure they are completed each month.

Corrective Action Plan to Address Findings

By implementing a corrective action plan before your final findings are released, you prove that you have already taken the initiative to address the issues. It’s important to be able to demonstrate that you’ve already addressed any problems found in order to maintain your good standing. Corrective action plans with findings already corrected have a higher probability of being accepted by the state agency.

Need Administrative Review Help?

Want to chat about your CACFP program review? We have more than 20 years of experience helping sites successfully navigate administrative reviews. Give us a call at 512-657-8036 or book your free consult here:

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CACFP Program Review: What’s Next?