The USDA Food and Nutrition Service invites state agencies (SAs) that administer the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) to apply to participate in demonstration projects that will evaluate the effectiveness of conducting direct certification with the Medicaid program. Under the demonstration and pilot project authorities in Sections 9(b)(15) and 18(c) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA), FNS is conducting and evaluating demonstration projects in selected states and local educational agencies. During the projects, eligible children are directly certified for free school meals based on income and participation information received from Medicaid agencies through automated data matching processes, with no further action required of the household. Currently six states—Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania—are participating in the demonstrations. FNS plans to expand the projects and seeks applications from NSLP SAs that would like to participate, or expand their participation, in the direct certification with Medicaid demonstrations beginning in SY 2014-2015.
Attachments to SP12-2014: RFA for Participation in Demonstration Projects to Evaluate Direct Certification with Medicaid in SY 2014-15
Page updated: June 20, 2024
The contents of this guidance document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way. This document is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.