Access to Healthy Food for Young Children Act

Access to Healthy Food for Young Children Act

This bill amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to modify the food program for child and adult care institutions and family or group day care homes.

The bill increases the payment rate for program meals relative to the national average payment rate for meals served in schools. However, an eligible child care center operating a free-of-charge program in a high-poverty area may elect to instead receive special payments calculated using a blended per-meal rate.

Additionally, the bill: (1) increases the reimbursement factor for meals and supplements served by a family or group day care home; (2) raises the per-child limit on the number of meals and supplements for which such a home may receive reimbursement; and (3) reduces the percentage of area children who must come from low-income households in order for a day care home in that area to be excused from specified documentation requirements.

With respect to administrative expenses, the bill increases the reimbursement factor for each day care home and prohibits negative adjustments to reimbursement levels. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must develop procedures under which up a specified percentage of funds reserved by the sponsoring organization of a day care home for administrative expenses may remain available in the succeeding fiscal year.

USDA must also: (1) provide state agencies with funding to implement the revised food program, as specified by the bill; and (2) complete a study on reducing paperwork and improving program administration.