Nutrition Services Background (Cont.) Legislation Federal regulations governing child nutrition programs are found in the Code of Federal Regulations Title 7 - Agriculture - parts 210-299. Chapter parts for the child nutrition programs are noted below in the program description section. Regulations are revised at least once per year and issued on a quarterly basis. History Between 1947 and 1998, the DC State Agency for Nutrition Services functioned as a joint agency with the DC Public Schools Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). The Director of the FNS functioned as the Chief Operating Officer and Director of the State Agency. Certain functions had been designated "local," others "state," but the two agencies were fiscally and functionally intertwined. In 1998, audit findings from the USDA's Office of Inspector General (OIG) required the District to separate the DCPS State Agency from the DCPS Food and Nutrition Service. The function relocated in the DCPS Office of the Chief Financial Officer, and the former Deputy Director of FNS became the new State Agency director. This made her responsible for her former supervisor and made the same financial office responsible for serving both agencies. Then in 2000, revelations about the outdated USDA commodities that were contaminated and infested in the DCPS food service warehouse caused community concern. In response, DC Council suggested incorporating the DC State Agency for Nutrition Services into the proposed State Education Office (SEO), thereby removing the function from DCPS. Program Description Program administration of the child nutrition programs includes oversight, guidance, training and technical assistance for two sets of food and nutrition programs sponsored by USDA federal funds: Special Nutrition Programs: In compliance with federal guidelines, nutritious meals are provided to children in approved settings through five programs: the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, the Special Milk Program, and the Summer Food Program. Providers include schools, child care agencies, community groups, and local government sponsors. Commodity Distribution Programs: Commodity Distribution refers to three programs that distribute food from agricultural surpluses acquired by USDA as part of its price stabilization and surplus removal activities. These three programs are the Food Distribution Program (FDP), The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and the Commodity Processing Program (CPP). These programs provide schools, soup kitchens, and food banks access to USDA commodities and reasonable food prices for beneficiaries. Current Status On July 26, 2000 the "State Education Office Establishment Act of 2000" (DC Act 13-387) decreed that the State Education Office shall have authority for all state functions for federally sponsored child nutrition programs in the District including those sponsored by USDA. On October 1, 2000, the State Education Office (SEO) assumed responsibility for special nutrition and commodity programs for the District. The function shall reside in the SEO's Division of Special Nutrition and Commodity Programs (SNAC). USDA FNS management evaluations of child nutrition programs have raised issues of program compliance with regulatory requirements, and the administrative capacity of the agency to meet such requirements. Since October, the Interim State Education Office Director has convened regular meetings with the Director of SNAC to address these issues. A general administrative plan has been developed for the SNAC division, as well as detailed programmatic work plans specifying performance goals, tasks, and projected completion dates. Specifically, plans for the Summer Food Service Program ensure assumption of full program function responsibility in time for the summer 2001 program.