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 3/23/2020 | Initial Approval 3/23/2020 | May Extension Approved | 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 | April Extension Approved
Pandemic EBT
Approved 5/21/2020
Application Processing
- Extended Certification Periods
Initial Request Received 3/19/2020 | Initial Request Approved 3/25/2020 |- Adjustment to Interview Requirements
Note: Approvals for April through June included waiving initial and recertification interviews, waiving face-to-face interviews, and postponing expedited service interviews.
Offered to All States 3/26/2020 | June Extension Approved
- Telephonic Signature
Initial Request Received 3/19/2020 | Approved 3/27/2020 |June Extension Approved | July Extension Approved | August Extension Approved | October Extension Approved- Abbreviated SNAP Application
Received 3/26/2020 | Denied 4/30/2020- Continuing Resolution
Arkansas has taken options in accordance with the Continuing Resolution. Click here for more information.
Claims
- Temporary Suspension of Claims Collections
Approved | June Extension- Waive Penalties for Non-Response to RFC
Denied 4/30/2020
Fair Hearing
Waive Fair Hearing Timelines
Approved | June Extension
Quality Control
- QC Case Review Extension
Offered to All States 3/19/2020 | Offered for All States for June Cases 9/02/2020- 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
Other
- Adjust Verification Requirements
Received 3/19/2020 | Mass Denial Issued 4/10/2020
Child Nutrition Programs
Nationwide Waivers and Flexibilities
- Meal Times
Nationwide Waiver issued 3/20/2020 | Extended through August 31 | Approved for 2020-2021 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 May 31 |Extended through August 31 | Extended through September 30 | Approved for 2020-2021 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 2020-2021 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 2020-2021 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 2020-2021
Nationwide Waiver Issued 6/25/2020- Afterschool Activity
Nationwide Waiver issued 3/20/2020- Nationwide Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Data Waiver
Offered to All States 3/25/2020- Nationwide Waivers of Child Nutrition Monitoring
Offered to All States 3/25/2020 | Extension for Sponsors in CACFP | Extension for States in CACFP | Extensions for Schools | Extensions for Sponsors in SFSP | Extensions for States in SFSP | Extended through Aug 31- SFSP/SSO Area Eligibility Waiver
Offered to All States 5/6/2020 | 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- CACFP State Agency Monitoring (Annual Review)
Offered to All States 4/27/2020- Food Service Management Company Contract
Offered to All States 4/27/2020 | Extended through June 2021- Local School Wellness Policy Triennial Assessment
Offered to All States 4/27/2020- Extended Unanticipated School Closures
Offered to All States 4/30/2020- SFSP/SSO Meal Service Times (Regular Summer)
Offered to All States 4/27/2020- SFSP/SSO Closed Enrolled Sites (Regular Summer)
Offered to All States 4/27/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021- SFSP Offer Versus Serve (Regular Summer)
Offered to All States 5/1/2020 | Extended through December 31 | Extended through June 2021- SFSP First Week Site Visits (Regular Summer)
Offered to All States 6/1/2020 | 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- SSO Monitoring Waiver
Approved 10/9/2020- 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- Provision 2 Base Year
Approved 7/30/2020- Oversight Plan Waiver
Waiver Response 12/17/2020
USDA Foods Programs
WIC Program
- Extension of Approved Waivers
Extended through June 30 | Extension 2 | Extension 3- Compliance Investigations
Approved 4/8/2020- Extended Certification
FNS Response 4/21/2020- FMNP Training
Approved 5/28/2020- FMNP Monitoring
Approved 6/11/2020- Food Package Substitutions Waiver
Approved 3/26/2020- Four-Month Issuance Waiver
Approved 4/17/2020- Minimum Stock Waiver
Approved 3/30/2020- Physical Presence Waiver (includes lab work)
Approved 3/20/2020- Remote Benefit Issuance Waiver
Approved 3/25/2020- Medical Documentation
Approved 3/26/2020- Routine Monitoring
Approved 4/15/2020- Separation of Duties
Approved 3/30/2020- Voter Requirements
FNS Response 4/17/2020- Non-Retail 2 Month Issuance
Approved 4/22/2020- Local Agency Monitoring
Approved 9/29/2020- Vendor Onsite Routine Monitoring
Approved 9/29/2020