USDA intends to use all available program flexibilities and contingencies to serve our program participants across our 15 nutrition programs. We have already begun to issue waivers to ease program operations and protect the health of participants.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Emergency Allotments
Request Received 3/31/2020 | Initial Approval 4/1/2020 | June Extension Approved | July Extension Approved | August Extension Approved | September Extension Approved | October Extension Approved | November Extension Approved | December Extension Approved | January 2021 Extension Approved | February Extension Approved | March Extension Approved | April Extension Approved
Pandemic EBT
Approved 5/12/2020
Application Processing
- Extended Certification Periods; Waive Periodic Reporting
Initial Request Received 3/23/2020 | Initial Request Approved 3/26/2020 | June Extension Approved
July Extension Request 6/10/2020- Telephonic Signature
Received 4/3/2020 | Approved 4/6/2020 | June Extension Approved | July Extension Approved | August Extension Approved | September Extension Approved | October Extension Approved | January 2021 Extension Approved | February Extension Approved | March Extension Approved | April Extension Approved
Claims
- Temporary Suspension of Claims Collection
Received 3/31/2020 | Approved 4/6/2020 | June Extension | July Extension
Fair Hearing
- Waive Fair Hearing Timelines
Approved 4/13/2020 | June Extension Approved
Quality Control
- QC Case Review Extension
Offered to All States 3/19/2020 | Offered for All States for June Cases 9/02/2020- QC Hold Harmless
Received 4/16/2020- SNAP Flexibility for Quality Control Interviews
Offered to All States 3/13/2020 | June Extension Approved- Suspend Face to Face QC Interviews
Offered to all States 8/31/2020- Due Date Extension for June 2020 Case Reviews
Approved 9/2/2020
Other
- Adjust Verification Requirements
Received 3/19/2020 | Mass Denial 4/10/2020- Suspend Student Eligibility Rules
Received 4/6/2020 | Mass Denial 4/10/2020- Verbal Verifications
Received 4/16/2020
Child Nutrition Programs
Nationwide Waivers and Flexibilities
- Meal Times
Nationwide Waiver issued 3/20/2020 | Extended through August 31 | Approved for 2020-21 School Year 6/25/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended in SFSP/SSO through June 2021- Non-congregate Feeding
Nationwide Waiver issued 3/20/2020 | Extended through August 31 | Extended through September 30 | Approved for 2020-21 School Year 6/25/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended in SFSP/SSO through June 2021- Nationwide Meal Pattern Waiver
Offered to All States 3/25/2020 | Extended through May 31 | Extended through June 30 | Extended through July 31 | Extended through August 31 | Extended through September 30 | Extended through December 31
- Approved for School, After-school and Day Care Programs for 2020-21 School Year 6/25/2020 | Extended in School After-School and Day Care Programs through June 2021- Nationwide Parent/Guardian Meal Pickup Waiver
Offered to All States 3/25/2020 | Extended through August 31 | Extended through September 30 | Approved for 2020-21 School Year 6/25/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021- Offer Versus Serve Flexibility for Senior High Schools for the School Year 2020-21
Nationwide Waiver Issued 6/25/2020- Afterschool Activity
Nationwide Waiver issued 3/20/2020- SFSP/SSO Area Eligibility Waiver
Approved 4/2/2020 | Extended through Aug 31 | Extended through September 30 | Extended Through December 31 | Extended through June 2021- SFSP/SSO extension
Offered to All States 8/31/2020 | Extended through June 2021- 60 Day Reporting Requirement Waiver
Offered to All States 4/1/2020- CEP Deadlines Waiver
Offered to All States 3/26/2020- CACFP State Agency Monitoring (Annual Review)
Offered to All States 4/24/2020- CACFP Sponsor Monitoring Requirements Waiver
Offered to All States 3/28/2020- Food Service Management Company Contract
Offered to All States 4/28/2020 | Extended through June 2021- Local School Wellness Policy Triennial Assessment
Offered to All States 4/23/2020- Extended Unanticipated School Closures
Offered to All States 4/27/2020- Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Parent Pickup
Approved 5/1/2020- SFSP/SSO Meal Service Times (Regular Summer)
Offered to All States 4/21/2020- SFSP/SSO Closed Enrolled Sites (Regular Summer)
Offered to All States 4/21/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021- SFSP Offer Versus Serve (Regular Summer)
Offered to All States 4/21/2020| Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021- SFSP First Week Site Visits (Regular Summer)
Offered to All States 4/21/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021- Pre-approval Flexibility
Offered to All States 9/11/2020 | Extended through June 2021- Nationwide At-risk Afterschool Area Eligibility Waiver
Nationwide Waiver issued 9/18/2020 | Extended through June 2021- Nationwide Waiver for Selected Child Nutrition Program Reporting Requirements
Offered to All States 1/7/2021- Nationwide Waiver of Community Eligibility Provision Deadlines in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs
Offered to All States 3/26/2021- Nationwide Waiver to Allow Sponsors that Successfully Participated in the Summer Food Service Program in FY 2019 to Operate as Experienced Sponsors in FY 2021
Offered to All States 4/1/2021
Additional Waivers and Flexibilities
- Pandemic EBT
See above under SNAP- Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Parent Pickup
Approved 5/1/2020- Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Parent Pickup SY 2020-21
Approved 8/13/2020- Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Alternative Sites SY 2020-21
Approved 12/15/2020- Oversight Plan Waiver
Waiver Response 1/12/2021
USDA Foods Programs
- Disaster Household Distribution
Approved 3/25/2020 | Extension 5/12/2020- Entitlement Waiver for SY 2020-21
State Selected Option 6/16/2020- USDA Foods in Schools - Entitlement Waiver
State Selected Option 9/11/2020
WIC Program
- Extension of Approved Waivers
Extended through June 30 | Extension 2 | Extension 3- Extended Certification
FNS Response 4/20/2020- Food Package Substitutions Waiver
Approved 4/2/2020- Local Agency Monitoring
Approved 6/17/2020- Medical Documentation Waiver
Approved 3/26/2020- Physical Presence Waiver (includes lab work)
Approved 3/20/2020- Remote Benefit Issuance Waiver
Approved 3/23/2020- Separation of Duties
Approved 3/30/2020- Vendor Routine Monitoring Annual
Approved 8/28/2020- Transaction without Presence of Cashier
Approved 9/24/2020- Vendor Onsite Preauthorization Visit
Approved 9/24/2020- Vendor Onsite Routine Monitoring
Approved 9/24/2020