Determination of Eligibility for Free Meals by Summer Food Service Program Sponsors and Free and Reduced Price Meals by Child and Adult Care Food Program Institutions

This rule amends the regulations governing the collection of social security numbers and household income information on the application for free meals under the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) for Children, and for free and reduced price meals under the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The rule removes the requirement that households provide the social security numbers of all adult members of the household and requires the household to provide only the social security number of the adult household member who signs the application. Finally, when reporting household income, the household will no longer be required to indicate how often individual income amounts are received, or to calculate its total current income. All of the above provisions are intended to reduce paperwork and facilitate eligibility determinations for free and reduced price meals by simplifying the application requirements for both households and approving officials, while maintaining program integrity.