Health and Nutrition Services (HNS) is committed to supporting all Child Nutrition Programs during COVID-19. This webpage will provide all guidance for Program Year 2022 (PY22) operations while Child Nutrition COVID-19 waivers are still in place.
HNS has released a webform below for all Child Nutrition Program operators to report any sites that require a temporary campus closure. Providing this information will allow HNS to offer technical assistance, if necessary, to ensure program participants still have access to meal services.
This reporting is not linked to, nor does it impact P-EBT.
HNS has released a webform below for all Child Nutrition Program operators to report any food supply disruptions. Food Supply disruptions are challenges in purchasing and receiving food or supplies through normal channels, unanticipated cancellation of food and supply contracts, lack of availability of certain foods or supplies, unexpected substitution of food products, and increased food and supply prices.
HNS hosted an informational session in partnership with the SNPAC Food Systems Chair where it was shared how HNS plans to gather information from Arizona’s CNP operators on food supply disruptions happening in our state via the Food Supply Disruption Form. View the recording and access the slides below.
Informational Session: Working Together to Address Food Supply Disruptions (Recording) (Slides)
All returning Child Nutrition Program operators will need to complete the application requirements set forth by HNS to serve and claim meals/snacks for the applicable programs for PY22. All applications in CNPWeb must be approved to submit a claim for reimbursement. Operators must submit claims within the 60-day period referenced on the Program Year 2022 Claiming Calendar.
School Meal Programs
School Food Authorities (SFAs) have the option to operate the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option (SSO) during this school year. SFAs (NSLP or SSO) may also provide an afterschool snack through the Afterschool Care Snack Program or a snack and supper through the At-Risk Afterschool Meals. SFAs approved to operate the At-Risk Afterschool Meals may also offer up to one meal and one snack on non-school days.
HNS has opted into waivers #85-#90, #92-#96-98 to support a successful reopening of schools and child care operations in PY 22. Depending on the wavier, program operators may need to notify the State agency prior to operating under these flexibilities. Program operators opt-in for all waivers within the CNPWeb Sponsor application.
Webinar: School Year 2021-2022 Waiver Review (Recording) (Slides)
Annual Reporting on Use and Benefits of Waivers
Program operators must report if their programs used the waiver and a description of whether and how this waiver resulted in improved services to Program participants. ADE will release a memorandum to announce the reporting period deadline and the information operators will need when completing the reporting requirements.
Verification is required for all SFAs operating SSO or NSLP, that collected any SY 21-22 school meal applications prior to October 1, 2021. Verification regulations and timelines have not been changed and can be reviewed in the The Eligibility Manual for School Meals, Revised July 2017.
HNS has released modified templates for SSO operators to communicate to households the importance of responding to the verification notification and explaining the child will continue to receive meals at no-cost under SSO if verification results in a change of meal benefit.
HNS hosted a webinar to provide SFAs with a review of the verification process.
Webinar: Verification Review for School Year 2021-2022 (Recording) (Slides)
HNS will continue to monitor all Child Nutrition Programs scheduled for a review to ensure compliance with the 3 year review cycle. HNS intends to conduct reviews in-person unless local or state health restrictions warrant portions of the review to be conducted off site.
School Meal Programs (NSLP/SSO): Administrative Review and Procurement Review
COVID–19: Child Nutrition Response #97 facilitates State agencies' abilities to conduct a school meal programs administrative review when a School Food Authority is only operating the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option in SY 2021-2022. When conducting administrative reviews of SFAs operating SSO this year, ADE will review all applicable sections of the Administrative Review except certification and benefit issuance, the requirements regarding the free and reduced price process, professional standards training hours, and compliance with the requirements for pricing paid lunches.
The CACFP/FDCH review schedule will not be posted. Operators may contact their specialist to learn if they are due for a review.
What to Expect of Your Review - Online Training Series
HNS has created a series of online courses aimed at explaining the elements of the review and provide a beginning to end description of the review process.
What to Expect: Procurement Review School Year 2021-2022 - Coming soon!
What to Expect: Child and Adult Care Food Program Review for Program Year 2022 - Coming soon!
What to Expect: Family Day Care Home Review for Program Year 2022 - Coming soon!
United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services, is providing additional funds through two temporary reimbursement programs, School Programs Emergency Operational Costs Reimbursement Program and Child and Adult Care Food Program Emergency Operational Costs Reimbursement Program. These programs will provide eligible operators additional reimbursements for emergency operating costs they incurred during the months of March-June 2020.
HNS disbursed funds to eligible program operators in September 2021.
ADE Health and Nutrition Services, in partnership with the Arizona School Nutrition Programs Advisory Council (SNPAC), has developed a Mobile Meals Toolkit to assist operators with transitioning to a mobile meal service model. Adapted from No Kid Hungry’s SFSP Mobile Meals Toolkit, this toolkit provides a set of questions to determine community need and organizational capacity to implement such a model, a planning and implementation checklist, and success stories from Arizona school nutrition programs who have successfully implemented a mobile model.
Bus Routes at a Small, Rural District: Grand Canyon Unified School District
Bus Routes at a Small, Rural District: Blue Ridge Unified School District
Bus Routes at a Large, Urban District: Tucson Unified School District
Partnering with Your Caterer for Mobile Meal Service
The SNPAC also hosted a webinar where a panel of council members shared their experiences and best practices for starting a mobile meal service model. View the recording and access the slides below.
Webinar: Starting a Mobile Meal Service Model (Recording) (Slides)
The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) is excited to announce a new partnership with the Chef Ann Foundation, Life Time Foundation, and Whole Kids Foundation! These organizations are part of the newly formed ScratchWorks Collective and are dedicated to improving the quality of school meals and love sharing their expertise with school nutrition professionals. These partners look forward to supporting 10 Arizona Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in a three-phase program to help operators regain their kitchens and menus as they recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chef Ann Foundation will kick-off this collaborative work by sending a culinary trained school food operational expert to each of the selected LEAs for a one-day on-site consultation to create a two-year plan with built-in mentoring designed to transform your kitchens, develop your staff, and take control of your finances to support the menu of your dreams.
