As a licensed daycare provider, who is on the USDA Food Program, I can get
you the info.
Yes, indeed, all providers enrolled in the USDA Child and Adult Care Food
Program *are* required to offer free formula to the infants in our care. The
form provided to me by my USDA sponsor, and I must return a copy of the form
to my Sponsor upon enrollment of any infant in my care.
The form is titled: "Infant Formula Choice Form"
After the spot at the top for the daycare center to enter their name and
address, it reads:
Dear Parent:
This provider offers ______ (I write in the name of any formula I want,
from the name brands to store brands) for infants in the Child and Adult Care
Food Program. It is your choice whether or not you use this formula based on
your preference and your infant's needs.
Please check one of the following three choices:
1. I will use the formula offered by this facility. <more about sterilized
bottles that must go home each night...>
2. I will _not_ use the formula offered by the facility. If not, what
formula will you send with/for your infant?
3. I will provide breast milk for my infant.
And, check below if your infant is developmentally ready for baby food.
___ My infant is four (4) months old or older and developmentally ready for
baby food. I would like this facility to provide the following baby food(s)
for my infant, which are allowed under 7CFR 220.20(b)(2)(3)(4).
Parent then fills in child's name and DOB, and signs and dates the form.
------
When I was given this form, I asked for a new one that listed breast milk
first, and the other stuff last. I was told that this form was mandated by the
USDA, and had to be in this format.
Also, my Food Program Monitor advises us to use the cheapest formula
available (in our case, Target brand) as the formula that we'll offer, so most
parents will want to bring their own stuff, and we don't have to pay for it.
The reimbursement is the same, whether the child is fed formula that I
purchase, formula purchased by the parents, or breastmilk. The payment is also
the same, whether the child starts solids at 4mos or 8mos.
There are also meal pattern requirements, stating that a baby of a specific
age must be offered a certain amount of breast milk or formula at breakfast,
lunch, supper, and snacks. The minimum is 4-6oz per feeding. I've yet to
have an infant in my care who takes 4oz of breast milk at a feeding! However,
they will allow us to give a baby less than that, as long as we have more
milk available in fridge or freezer if baby is still hungry.
I'm totally _not_ happy with the way the Food Program is set up, but if I
want to get reimbursed for feeding the children in my care, then I try to follow
their regulations as much as possible.
Also, for those who don't know, I do get unannounced visits from a Food
Program Monitor, 4x/yr, to make sure that I'm feeding the kids what I say that
I'm feeding them. The visits are always at mealtimes, too.
Please let me know if you have more questions, I've been on the program for
4.5 yrs, still don't like the way it's set up, but can only convince people to
make a few changes at a time! :-)
Shannon Rittenhouse
Licensed Home Daycare Provider
LLL Leader
Sterling, VA, USA
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