Marisa MacLaren , MPH Theresa Kuehl Direct Certification Outreach Specialists

1. Marisa MacLaren, MPH Theresa Kuehl Direct Certification Outreach Specialists

2. Direct Certification Improvement Project : Meet The Specialists Marisa MacLaren Outreach Specialists with Covering Kids & Families-Wisconsin (CKF) on behalf of the WI Department of Public Instruction Theresa Kuehl

3. Direct Certification (DC): Connecting kids to healthy meals DC certifies children who are automatically eligible for free school meals because their households participate in FoodShare(SNAP), W-2 cash benefits (TANF), or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)

4. Benefits of Direct Cert Promotes participation in school meal programs Simplifies access to free school meals & snacks for children in low income households

5. Benefits of Direct Certification Benefits to families… • Free school meals are an additional benefit for households receiving FoodShare/W-2 benefits • No additional applications; ensures all children in household Benefits of DC schools… • Less paperwork; Saves time • More reimbursement for school meals • More kids eating nutritious meals

6. How much food can you get for $16?

7. CKF-From CHILD to Direct Cert CHILD: Connecting Health Insurance to Lunch Data USDA Direct Certification Planning Grant-2011 USDA Direct Certification Implementation Grant-2012 to 2015

8. Who’s Involved in Direct Certification?

10. USDA Mandate: What’s required of Schools? Direct Certification MUST be run at a minimum of three times per school year: • At or around the beginning of the school year (August/September) • Three months after the initial effort • Six months after the initial effort

11. Direct Certification Improvement Project2012-2015 USDA Goals • Increase statewide Direct Cert rates for both public and private schools • All schools running Direct Cert as mandated (at least 3 times/year)

12. SY 2011-2012

13. Pilot GroupData from 2011-2012 SY 134 Total Pilot schools

14. Direct Certification Improvement Project • Direct Certification Resource Packet • Reminder emails to Pilot group about Direct Certification • Direct Certification webpage with our contact information • Telephone and email contact

15. Direct Certification Resource Packet

16. Pilot Group SY 2012-2013

17. All Non-Target schools 88.0% Pilot schools 88.1% 57.5% Control schools

18. Next Steps for CKF • 2012/2013 Pilots • Get ‘em running! • Keep ‘em running! • Evaluate • 2013/2014 All SFAs • Expand the efforts to get all schools running successfully Ensure the free school meal benefit is known, visible

19. Next Steps for Community Partners Website: www.access.wi.gov

20. Schools as a resource… DPI encourages information about ACCESS on menu’s, in newsletters Inform your community and seniors! Please print in newsletter; or periodically on monthly Lunch Menu when white space is available: www.access.wisconsin.gov, ACCESS is a Wisconsin Department of Health Services online portal for health and nutrition resources that allows Wisconsin residents to check for eligibility and apply for federal nutrition and other benefit programs, including FoodShare, Badger Care Plus, Medicaid, and Senior Care through the WI Dept. of Health Services (DHS) website http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/FoodSharedollars are spent locally.

21. Direct Certification Improvement Project2012-2015 USDA Goals • Increase statewide Direct Cert rates for both public and private schools • All schools running Direct Cert as mandated (at least 3 times/year) CKF goals • All schools running Direct Cert as efficiently and as frequently as possible • Expand our horizons

22. Thank you! Theresa Kuehl and Marisa MacLaren E-mail: directcert@ckfwi.org Phone: (608) 890-4783 Curious? http://www.dpi.wi.gov/fns/directcert.html