Transcript dev.schoolnutrition.org

Viv Lees, Branch Chief
Child Nutrition Division
USDA Food & Nutrition Service
SNA State Agency Conference
December 1, 2011
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Provide technical support to State Agencies
(SAs) and FNS Regional Offices (ROs) to
promote successful implementation of
automated solutions to improve outcomes in:
 CN program administration and performance
 Access to CN program benefits through direct
certification, direct verification and other
automated means, and
 Federal reporting on program outcomes
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FNS Child Nutrition Staff
Jackie Mitchell
Viv Lees
Andrea Faison
Billie Roye
Patty von Reyn
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FNS Consultants
Julia Thorius
Errol Baker
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Patrick Harding
SSSB Major Focus Areas
Major focus areas in Year 1
 CN State Systems Workgroup (CNSSW) – Listening
to States & FNS regional offices (ROs)
 Grants for CN technology projects
 Direct certification improvement efforts, including
Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act provisions
 Technical assistance (TA) to States on CN
technology issues
 Collaboration with the CN technology community
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CNSSW
Purpose of Workgroup:
To inform and guide the work of CND SSSB in
assessing State technology TA needs and best
approaches for delivering TA to States.
 Selected workgroup members –
 10 State representatives (plus 2 backups)
 4 FNS RO representatives (plus 1 backup)
 3 FNS HQ (including consultant)
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State and FNS CNSSW Members
and Alternates
CNSSW
State Members
Name
Location
Brad Blunt
Kentucky
FNS Members
Name
Location
Penny Burke
FNS MPRO
Scott Clements
Mississippi
Tiffany Carrington
FNS MWRO
Vonda Cook (Fekete)
Pennsylvania
Rick Hargreaves
FNS SERO
Janet W. Johnson
North Carolina
Sandra Harris
FNS MARO
Jeanette Johnson-Reed Minnesota
Ashley Ryckman
FNS WRO
Donna Parsons
Washington
Viv Lees
FNS HQ - CND
Michelle Pyle
Kansas
Patty von Reyn
FNS HQ - CND
Robin Roark
Texas
Julia Thorius
Consultant
Hugh Shelton
Tennessee
Jessica Sharkus
Wisconsin
John Todd
Indiana
Lynn Warner
Colorado
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CNSSW
 Held first meeting in Nashville, July 2011
 Captured group’s feedback in 2 areas:
 CN State Technology Systems in general, and
 Direct Certification systems specifically
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CNSSW
 Looked at 4 areas for overall technologies and
Direct Certification systems
 Strengths
 Challenges
 Needs
 Possibilities
 Combined and prioritized needs and possibilities
into a State CN Systems priority list for each
area
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CNSSW
 Direct Certification (DC) Priorities Identified
1. Get FNS-742 Verification Summary Report
changes to States in time to make system
changes for reporting correctly for SY 20122013
2. Improve DC rate formula to more accurately
calculate State DC rates with SNAP
3. Encourage & fund the use of more user groups
(like CNSSW) – need more States sharing with
States opportunities. Include technology vendors
and work toward system standardization
4. Make DC an interdepartmental priority
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CNSSW
 Direct Certification (DC) Priorities Identified (cont)
5. Improve/provide/encourage training and TA
6. Improve accountability of data at the local levels –
i.e., real-time matching, SAs meet with POS
vendors, require USDA vendor approval process, etc.
7. Provide DC definitions and standards – i.e., when is
a DC counted as a DC, standardize matching
algorithms, etc.
8. Improve IT presence – require dedicated IT staff
for DC activities at the local and State levels
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CNSSW
 General CN Technology System Priorities Identified
1. Develop system standards – establish minimum system
requirements for vendors to use for State and locallevel systems, including point of sale (POS) systems
2. Create a database/repository for CN State systems
information and make available for State research
3. Encourage user groups, including the vendor community
4. Establish a common set of data across agencies so that
when data is collected it means the same thing to all
5. Perform technology systems ownership inventory - what
has FNS already paid for that could be used again,
rather than duplicating development?
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CNSSW
 General CN Technology System Priorities Identified
(cont)
6. Step up efforts to increase support from US Dept of Ed
& other Federal agencies that share data
7. Address confidentiality rules, in light of changing
technologies, across Federal agencies/programs
8. Encourage user groups, including vendors
9. Prepare/provide training materials – i.e., how to write a
technology RFP, including minimum system requirements
10.Improve the IT presence
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Grant Support
 Manage application & award processes for grants
to fund technology, training, and other program
integrity projects:
 2010-2012 Direct Certification Grants
 Direct Certification and Verification Grants (closed)
 Administrative Review and Training (ART) Method I & II
Grants
 Manage active grants and provide technical
assistance to grantee States during grant period
 Evaluate grant progress and program outcomes
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Grant Support
Technology Contractor (DRT Strategies)
provides TA, evaluation, and collaboration
services to ART Method II grantees:
 TA needs assessments
 Onsite technical assistance 1-2 times
annually
 Webinars/webcasts for training, showcasing
projects, sharing best practices and lessons
learned, etc
 Annual TA meeting with all grantees
 Industry research and development of TA
tools and resources
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Direct Certification
Initiatives to help States understand DC rates and
learn what other States are doing
 Liaison with FNS Office of Research & Analysis
(ORA) on direct certification studies
 Informational webinars on direct certification Report
to Congress each year
 Onsite visits & conference calls to study State
practices & exchange information between States
 Manage DC grant applications, recent amendments to
application process, outreach to States,
webinars & workshops to encourage applications
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Direct Certification
Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act DC Provisions
In Coordination with FNS Policy Staff & Regional
Offices, provide TA to States on DC issues:
 Elimination of letter method as method of direct
certification for children in SNAP households
 Benchmarks and Continuous Improvement Plans (CIPs)
for direct certification with SNAP
 State performance awards for direct certification with
SNAP
 Demonstrations to test direct certification with
Medicaid
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Direct Certification
Planning for Procurement of Technology
Contractor to provide Direct Certification
TA, evaluation, and collaboration services
to States
 Direct Certification TA needs assessments
 Onsite technical assistance visits
 Webinars/webcasts for training,
showcasing projects, sharing best practices
and lessons learned, etc
 Industry research and development of TA
tools and resources
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Other Technical Assistance &
Support to States
Collaborate with States, FNS Regional Offices,
FNS Leadership, and Other Partner Agencies to:
 Follow through on priorities identified by CNSSW
 Continue to assess State TA needs & assist in
trouble-shooting State technology issues
 Provide venues for State-to-State collaboration
 Provide information and training on industry best
practices for technology implementation
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The Future
 Work with other FNS programs (SNAP, WIC) to
establish similar advance planning and approval
processes for Federally funded automation
 Advocate for States on funding and resources for
technologies that help improve direct certification,
counting, claiming, application & verification
processes, reporting, and overall program outcomes
 Collaborate with the vendor community to identify
innovative technology solutions for CN programs &
encourage competition and standardization
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The Future
Most Important!!
 Listen to what States are telling us
 Learn everything we can about State
technologies so that we can provide quality
assistance
 Take responsive steps to help States
leverage automation to improve program
access, accountability, and operations
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It’s Your Turn…
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Contact Information
Vivian Lees, Branch Chief,
CND State Systems Support Branch
USDA Food & Nutrition Service
[email protected]
(703) 305-2322
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