| Nutrition Services Division Information Alert |
|
| To: Child and Adult Care Food Program |
Number: NSD-CACFP-05-2010 |
| Attention: Executive Directors and Authorized Representatives |
Date: June 2010 |
| Subject: Centers – Site Data for the Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS) | |
This Information Alert (IA) provides Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) independent centers, center sponsors, and sponsors of independent centers with details about site information needed from your agency as part of the California Department of Education’s (CDE) implementation of the new Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS).
Background
As you know, the CDE’s Nutrition Services Division (NSD) is moving from a paper system of administering child nutrition programs to the CNIPS, which is a Web-based system for program applications, renewals, annual updates, site change requests, and claims for reimbursement. We anticipate implementing the CACFP components of the CNIPS in the late summer or early fall, and we will provide you specific instructions and user identifications (IDs) at a later date. In the meantime, we are providing you with advance notice of what to expect so that you can prepare and coordinate with your site directors as needed.
The CDE plans to convert as much of your agency’s site information as possible into the CNIPS; however, we will need your assistance to ensure that the data is accurate and to gather additional data that the CDE does not have readily available in electronic format.
Data Needed for the CNIPS
When you log into the CNIPS for the first time in the late summer or early fall, your site applications will exist, but they will be in “error” status until your agency validates the converted data and provides new data, as applicable, for each of your sites. The CDE also has an interface with the Department of Social Services (DSS), Community Care Licensing (CCL) so that data collected from DSS licensed agencies will auto-populate into the CNIPS.
The chart on the following page identifies the data fields that need to be completed (if applicable) in order to clear the site application error status when the CNIPS becomes operational.
Data Fields That Need to be Completed
All Sites
- Identify the site’s months of operation (i.e., all, Jan., Feb., Mar., etc.).
- Identify the site’s days of operation (i.e., Mon.-Fri., Mon., Tues., Wed., etc.).
- Identify the time that the site regularly opens (i.e., hour, min., a.m./p.m.).
- Identify the time that the site regularly closes (i.e., hour, min., a.m./p.m.).
- Identify all of the meals served (i.e., breakfast, a.m. snack, lunch, etc.).
- Identify the start time for each meal served (i.e., hour, min., a.m./p.m.).
- Identify whether there are shifts of care for each meal served (i.e., yes, no).
- Identify how the food is prepared at the site by checking all that apply:
- Prepared at this site
- Prepared at agency’s central kitchen
- Purchased from a local school system
- Purchased from a food service vendor
- Vended by Sheltered Workshop under AB 3742 (Adult sites only)
- If the response is C, D, or E identified above, then identify all meals that are vended for this site.
- If the response is C, D, or E identified above, then provide the name(s) of the food service vendor(s). Your choices will be from all vendors that your agency enters into the Food Production Facilities form in the CNIPS.
- Identify whether there is a separate charge for meals.
Adults Only
- Confirm whether or not the center receives Title IIIc meal funding or Title IIIc commodities.
- Confirm whether or not you agree to maintain records to support the program eligibility of each participant under the age of 60.
- Confirm whether or not you agree to maintain records that show that participants are not residents of an institution (SNF or ICF-DDN).
- Describe your structured, comprehensive program of health, social, and related support services that serves nonresidential, functionally impaired adults. Note: This question is not applicable for Adult Day Health Care Centers.
At Risk Snack Sites Only
For each area eligible site, provide the following information regarding the area eligible public school:
- District Name
- School Name
- School Zip Code
Additional Information
We will update you monthly regarding the CNIPS CACFP module implementation. This IA is part of the monthly CNIPS communication plan. You may also refer to our CNIPS Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/cn/ for these updates and information regarding the implementation of the CNIPS CACFP module.
If you have any questions regarding this IA, please contact John Copley, Child Care Specialist, Community Nutrition Programs Unit, by phone at 916-323-6631 or 800-952-5609, or by e-mail at jcopley@cde.ca.gov; or Ruth Bautista, Adult Day Care Specialist, Community Nutrition Programs Unit, by phone at 916-322-8319 or 800-952-5609, or by e-mail at rbautista@cde.ca.gov.
