You are receiving this newsletter because you are enrolled in the WECA Food Program. | |
August 2024
Stay connected: Check out our current staff directory here.
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Your Monthly News & Updates | |
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National Days in August
August 3: National Watermelon Day
Read The Watermelon Seed, (Pizzoli, 2013) and enjoy watermelon at any meal or snack!
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Food Program Anniversaries in August
5 years: Courtney Peterson and Bethel Donaldson
10 years: Rachel Arena and Maria Eyes
15 years: Erica Norton, Vicki Bignell, and Mandy Hahn
25 years: Mary Jane Gougar and Nicole Ludwikoski
30 years: Elene Weber
We applaud your commitment to serving nutritious meals and snacks to the children in your care!
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Welcome to Our New Providers!
Isabella in Ellsworth
Takeyria, Ishondia, and Rena in Milwaukee
We welcome you and applaud this mark of professionalism!
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Recipes to Try!
Looking for no-cook recipes full of flavor and nutrition? Try these from MyPlate!
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Ask the Food Program
Question:
I keep getting “199 Over capacity” statements on my Claim Summaries. What does this mean?
Answer:
First, congratulations for reviewing your Claim Summary information! This is an important step to take to:
- understand how your Food Program claim was processed
- double check that your claim was paid properly and, if the Food Program made an error in processing, to request an adjustment, and
- minimize future deductions!
Below is an image from a recent Claim Summary that shows the dates a provider was recently deducted, the child numbers (highlighted in yellow) of the children not paid at that meal/snack service, and the meal or snack that was disallowed:
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On April 17, children #10 and #15 were disallowed at P.M. snack.
There are several possible reasons a provider could receive deductions related to capacity.
- The provider may be over their capacity or their age ratios. Consult the Licensed and Certified Group Size Limit Charts below. Providers may not exceed either their overall group size OR violate the age ratios for their regulation type. Some providers may have legitimate confusion about age ratios, believing, if they are licensed, they can care for 8 children regardless of their ages. If you are unsure whether you fully understand your capacity and age regulations, reach out to your regulator for help.
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A licensed provider may be working with a helper to meet capacity or age ratios, but without informing the Food Program a second provider was on site. If you are such a provider, notify the Food Program using this form.
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Example: A licensed provider working alone can provide care for 4 children under the age of 2. With a properly qualified helper, the providers working together can care for a total of 8 children under 2.
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A licensed provider may have a 5-year-old child in care, who is enrolled in full-day school and in care for 3 or less hours per day. Is that true for you? Use this form to let the Food Program know.
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- Either a certified or licensed provider may have a group of children present during the school day, who leave care in the afternoon and are replaced by after school or evening care children.
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Example: It may be that the provider never exceeds either capacity or age ratios, but when entering the claim information, the number of children claimed appears to exceed the total group size. The Food Program must disallow the meals/snacks in that claim month for the children who exceed the overall group size or age ratios for the type of regulation on file for that provider. This is seen quite frequently at P.M. snack time.
Sometimes this can be remedied if providers claim Breakfast, A.M. snack and Lunch for the daytime group of children, and P.M. snack, Dinner and Evening snack for the later-attending children – as long as children are present during that meal/snack service, “offered” each of those meals and snacks, and authorized during enrollment to be served that meal or snack.
(For further information about “offering” a meal or snack, see the “Ask the Food Program” question and answer in the May 2024 Provider Connection.)
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Nut Butter
Remember only peanut butter and other nut/seed butters are creditable on the Food Program. Products labeled “spread” (peanut butter spread, Nutella spread, etc.) are not creditable. Always read product labels carefully to be sure you serve nut butter, not spread.
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Documenting a Child’s Special Diet
A Special Diet Form is required whenever a child in your care can’t be fed according to CACFP guidelines.
Documents to Complete for Disability Related Special Dietary Needs Requests: “A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more ‘major life activities’ including caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, eating, breathing, digestive, bowel and bladder, neurological, respiratory, circulatory, and endocrine functions.” The USDA fluid milk requirements are developed to ensure that children receive the nutrients they need to grow and develop.
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Special Dietary Needs Tracking Form Section 1: Disability (For Providers to Complete)
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Medical Statement (For Licensed Health Care Professionals to Complete: Physician, Physician Assistant, Nurse Practitioner (APNP), Dentist, Optometrist, or Podiatrist)
Documents to Complete for Non-Disability Special Dietary Needs Requests: i.e., for preference, including religious or ethnic preferences, or lifestyle reasons.
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Special Dietary Needs Tracking Form Section II: Non-disability Special Dietary Need (SDN) Request (For Providers to Complete)
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SPECIAL DIET FORM (For Providers to Complete)
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CACFP Reimbursement Rates for July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025 | |
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2025 Provider Training: Big Changes Ahead!!
On Oct. 1, 2024, the WECA Food Program will launch a new provider training that uses a new platform and follows a new timeline. Provider Training will be available from Oct. 1-31.
The benefits:
- User friendly platform;
- Immediate feedback;
- Results sent immediately to the Food Program.
Upon completion, providers will be emailed:
(1) a copy of their training to keep with their Food Program records, and
(2) training certificates from both the Food Program and the Registry.
DON’T BE LATE!
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Complete and submit your 2025 Training when it opens Oct. 1, 2024.
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Did You Receive Your Updated Child Care License or Certificate?
Whenever you have updates to your child care license or cert – for example, type of regulation, address, name change, capacity, age range of children in care, hours of operation, and/or days of operation – you MUST submit a copy of that new cert or license to jgiles@wisconsinearlychildhood.org or fax it to 866-222-9520. Be certain the most current version is posted on your wall.
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This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
The Provider Connection is published by the WECA Food Program.
Any Questions: Call 608-240-9880 or visit our website.
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