April 14, 2009

Overview of Food and Nutrition

Mayor’s Proposed Budget FY 2010

Purpose: To analyze the Mayor’s Budget in terms of reducing hunger and promoting
nutrition

Analyzing the budget for expenditures related to food and nutrition is challenging.
There is no single agency that administers food-related programs; no unique line item or
budget category to reference. Additionally, the budget narratives provide few insights
since they rarely mention food and nutrition-related goals or activities.

Based on the Mayor’s proposed FY 2010 budget, the agencies below have allocated
funding amounts for nutrition-related activities, including:

• the administration of federal nutrition programs

• the promotion of healthy eating
• the monitoring of health and safety regulations related to food

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education’s (OSSE’s), Wellness and Nutrition
Services works to “ensure that children and families receive year-round access to well-
balanced meals by providing federal reimbursements, as well as training and nutrition
education to program participants. Wellness and Nutrition Services assists stakeholders
in maintaining a high level of compliance to USDA rules and regulations, thus improving
the overall health and learning potential of those in the District of Columbia who are at-
risk for hunger.” The OSSE is responsible for the National School Lunch Program, Child
and Adult Care Food Programs, D.C. Free Summer Meals, and certain commodity
programs.

Actual Approved Mayor’s Change from Approved FY

FY 2008 FY 2009 Proposed Approved FY 2010
FY 2010 2009
0 27,563 23,682 -3,881 Forthcoming
0 16.5 17.3 0.8

Note: 0 amounts for FY 08 reflect a reorganization of the OSSE. The budget for Nutrition
Services for FY 08 was $28,132, 11 FTEs.

Questions:

• What accounts for the 3.8 million dollar decrease in the proposed FY 2010 for
Nutrition Services? (OSSE is anticipating adding an additional .8 FTE so what is
being reduced?)

• How much federal funding does OSSE receive to administer its nutrition
programs?

D.C. Hunger Solutions is an initiative of the Food Research and Action Center
1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 540, Washington, DC 20009 | www.dchunger.org
 April 14, 2009

• What part of the budget is available for outreach activities and materials to
promote the nutrition programs?

• What are the plans to encourage schools to use the stimulus funding for school
food service equipment (about $200,000 for FY 09 and 10)?

The Department of Human Services (DHS), Income Maintenance Administration

“determines the eligibility of applicants for assistance programs funded by the federal
and District governments. Its mission is to help low-income individuals and families
obtain and maintain employment, so that they can achieve self-sufficiency.” IMA
administers the Food Stamp Program, as well as Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF), Medicaid and DC Health Care Alliance, and several cash assistance
programs. In January of 2009, the Food Stamp Program served more than 100,000
District residents, a 13 percent increase from January of 2008.

Income Maintenance Total

Actual Approved Mayor’s Change from Approved FY
FY 2008 FY 2009 Proposed Approved FY 2010
FY 2010 2009
212,605 239,473 214,507 -24,966 Forthcoming
725.9 669 646 -23

Case Management
Actual Approved Mayor’s Change from Approved FY
FY 2008 FY 2009 Proposed Approved FY 2010
FY 2010 2009
6,183 6,503 6,132 -370 Forthcoming
82.2 93 94 1

Eligibility Determination Services

Actual Approved Mayor’s Change from Approved FY
FY 2008 FY 2009 Proposed Approved FY 2010
FY 2010 2009
47,697 48,494 43,352 -5,142 Forthcoming
480.4 529 502 -27

Quality Assurance
Actual Approved Mayor’s Change from Approved FY
FY 2008 FY 2009 Proposed Approved FY 2010
FY 2010 2009
2,909 3,818 4,095 278 Forthcoming
163.4 47 50 3

Subsidy Transfer
Actual Approved Mayor’s Change from Approved FY

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FY 2008 FY 2009 Proposed Approved FY 2010

FY 2010 2009
37,362 10,187 39,963 29,776 Forthcoming
0 0 0 0

Important points from budget narrative/hearing:

• 3 facilities are to be vacated and relocated (3917 Minnesota Avenue, NE; the IMA
Change Center at 33 N Street, NE; and the Family Services Administration at
2146 24th Place, NE)

• In FY 2010, all LIHEAP workers will be co-located at IMA

• Approximately $500,000 in stimulus food stamp administrative funding for FY 10

and FY 11 will be put towards systems modernization

• The reduction in 27 eligibility service workers reflects both cuts and not filling
vacated positions

Questions:

• How will IMA cope with eligibility worker cuts with rising caseloads?

• What are some of the modernization plans to take place in FY 2010?

• Is funding available for creating an online one-stop screener and application for
benefits?

Department of Health, Community Health Administration “seeks to improve health

outcomes for all residents and to reduce disparities in health status for vulnerable
populations…” CHA is responsible for WIC, Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs,
Supplemental Commodities Program, Food Stamp Nutrition Education Programs, and
obesity prevention and reduction initiatives.

Nutrition and Physical Fitness – FY09 new division name

Actual Approved Mayor’s Change from Approved FY
FY 2008 FY 2009 Proposed Approved FY 2010
FY 2010 2009
n/a 15,543 18,760 3,216 Forthcoming
n/a 42.5 28.5 -14.0

Note: N/A for FY 08 reflects a reorganization of the divisions. The budget for the Office
of Nutrition Programs for FY 08 was $13,023, 43.4 FTEs.

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Important points from budget narrative:

• The WIC Cares IT System ($1 million) is not funded for FY10.

• Obesity-prevention and -reduction funding will be consolidated into a chronic

disease prevention grant program.

• The Child Health Action Plan remains the department’s “grounding document,”
funded with federal and local dollars, although it is not mentioned in the budget
narrative.

• The Center for Policy, Planning, and Epidemiology is creating a database of

chronic (and other) diseases, including obesity, that will be searchable by Ward,
gender, race, etc.

Questions:

• What are the budgetary amounts for the following programs: WIC, Farmers’
Market Nutrition Programs, Supplemental Commodities Program, and the Food
Stamp Nutrition Education Program?

• What federal funds are provided for the administration of these programs?

• What are the plans to process and use WIC stimulus funding given that it will
flow in late in the fiscal year?

• Will not funding the WIC Cares IT System have any impact on the October 2009
implementation of the new WIC food package?

• When will obesity-prevention and –reduction funding be consolidated into the

chronic disease prevention grant program, and will a specific amount be
guaranteed for obesity programs?

• What are the budgetary implications of the Commodity Supplemental Food

Program being contracted out to the Washington Urban League?

Office on Aging, Senior Nutrition Programs : “works to establish ‘wellness,’ healthy

aging and self-care practices as community-wide goals for elderly individuals…” The
Office funds congregate and home-delivered meals and has as a target that 98 percent
of all seniors requesting nutritious meals will receive them.

Activity: Community Services, including nutrition, transportation, socialization, legal

services, and counseling support services
Actual Approved Mayor’s Change from Approved FY
FY 2008 FY 2009 Proposed Approved FY 2010
FY 2010 2009

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7,768 7,765 7,582 -182 Forthcoming

0 0 0 0

Activity: Health Promotion and Wellness

Actual Approved Mayor’s Change from Approved FY
FY 2008 FY 2009 Proposed Approved FY 2010
FY 2010 2009
3,122 2,291 2,266 -25 Forthcoming
0 0 0 0

Questions to ask:

• What are the plans for expenditure of stimulus funding for the Senior Nutrition
Programs ($325,000 for congregate meals and $160,000 for Home-Delivered
nutrition)?

• What nutrition-related activities are funded though the line item for Health
Promotion and Wellness?

Department of Parks and Recreation, Recreation Programs and Services “provides

sports, health and fitness programs, youth programs, aquatics, and a diverse array of
camps for District residents and visitors so that they can participate in and learn about
sports and leisure activities, as well as improve their health and well-being.” In FY09,
DPR distributed afterschool suppers, as well as meals to child care centers and summer
meals. The agency served more than 1,300 children during the school year and more
than 14,000 children during the summer.

Funds: for Child and Adult Care Feeding Program (CACFP, Year Round Feeding
Program, Summer Feeding Program) through its Nutrition Services division.

Year Round Feeding Program

Actual Approved Mayor’s Change from Approved FY
FY 2008 FY 2009 Proposed Approved FY 2010
FY 2010 2009
309 600 0 -600 Forthcoming
0 0 0 0

Summer Feeding Program– FY09 zeroed out

Actual Approved Mayor’s Change from Approved FY
FY 2008 FY 2009 Proposed Approved FY 2010
FY 2010 2009
2,223 0 (This was not 3,162 3,162 Forthcoming
2 in the budget 1 1
mistakenly last

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 April 14, 2009

year; perhaps,
since it is
federal funding)
0

Child & Adult Care Feeding Program

Actual Approved Mayor’s Change from Approved FY
FY 2008 FY 2009 Proposed Approved FY 2010
FY 2010 2009
0 2,424 2,363 -61 Forthcoming
0 4 2 -2

Questions:
• Why has the year round feeding program been zeroed out? How is DPR going to
provide food to children participating in its afterschool network?

• Is DPR going to support efforts to continue its incredibly important role as a

nutrition sponsor year round? Is funding to make this possible reflected in the
Child and Adult Care Feeding Program.? (DPR’s role is key to community groups
and children in low-income areas to accessing healthy snacks and suppers year
round.)

• What impact will DPR’s decision to close its child development centers have on
its nutrition efforts? (All its child development centers received federal funding to
participate in CACFP.)

District of Columbia Public Schools, Food and Nutrition Services administers the National
School Lunch and Breakfast Programs in all D.C. public schools. In some cases, these
meals are the main source of food that District children receive all day. All of the meals
are required to meet USDA dietary guidelines.

Actual Approved Mayor’s Change from Approved FY

FY 2008 FY 2009 Proposed Approved FY 2010
FY 2010 2009
24,831 19,238 25,529 6,292 Forthcoming
259.3 265 5 -260

Note: The drop in 260 FTEs largely reflects the hiring of Chartwells/Thompson as DCPS’
food service management contractor. Cafeteria staff are now Chartwells employees
rather than DCPS FNS employees.

Questions:
• What are the plans for administration of DCPS FNS with the departure of the
Director?

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• How do DCPS FNS and Chartwells plan to use stimulus funding for school food
service equipment?

• How much additional federal money did DCPS receive from improving its
application collection process?

D.C. Public Charter Schools also administer the National School Lunch and Breakfast
Programs. Each school independently runs its own food service operation, so there is no
central Food Service budget. It would be helpful (outside of the Mayor’s budget) to
have a breakdown for the amount of money that each charter school allocates for food
service staff pay, training, food, nutrition education and wellness promotion, and other
items.

Questions:
• Are charter schools directly certifying school-age food stamp and TANF
participants to receive free meals? (These students are automatically eligible for
free meals – without having to return a school meal application. A well-
functioning direct certification system results in greater support to low-income
families as well as greater federal funding into the District)

The Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services “improves public safety and gives
court-involved youth the opportunity to become more productive citizens by building on
the strengths of youth and their families in the least restrictive, most home-like
environment consistent with public safety.”

Funds for Food Services for Committed Youth

Actual Approved Mayor’s Change from Approved FY
FY 2008 FY 2009 Proposed Approved FY 2010
FY 2010 2009
1,203 912 1,133 220 Forthcoming
14.2 14.0 12.0 -2.0

Funds for Food Services for Detained Youth

Actual Approved Mayor’s Change from Approved FY
FY 2008 FY 2009 Proposed Approved FY 2010
FY 2010 2009
876 757 827 71 Forthcoming
6.0 8.0 7.0 -1.0

Questions:

• How much federal nutrition funding does DYRS receive for its food programs?

• Which federal nutrition programs does it participate in?