Nutrition Services Program Standard 650-25-60

(REVISED 07-01-2023 ML #3733)

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Nutrition services are available to:

• Reduce hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition of eligible individuals;

• Promote socialization of eligible individuals;

• Promote the health and well-being of eligible individuals by assisting them in gaining access to:

  • Nutrition; and

  • Other disease prevention and health related services to delay the onset of adverse health conditions resulting from poor nutritional health; and

• Meals are often the first service that an older individual receives and is an access point for other home and community-based services.

Congregate meals (Title III-C1 – Is a nutritious meal that is provided in a group setting with an opportunity for socialization with the intent of reducing social isolation) are available to:

• Individuals 60 years of age and older; (the individual’s spouse may dine with the individual regardless of age).

• Individuals under 60 with disabilities who reside in housing facilities occupied primarily by older individuals at which congregate meals are provided.

• Individuals with disabilities, regardless of age, who reside at home with and accompany older eligible individuals to the congregate site.

• Nutrition Services Program volunteers under age 60 providing meal services during the meal hours as long as it does not deprive an older individual of a meal.

Congregate meals should be offered at sites located where eligible individuals will feel free to attend. The congregate meals must be provided in a group setting and eaten with another individual (in-person or virtually) in a variety of settings including but not limited to:

• Coordinating a buddy system or virtual congregate site where individuals can dine together via:

  • Zoom

  • FaceTime

  • GoToMeeting

• Senior/community centers

• Churches

• Grocery Stores

• Picnics

• Schools, and

• Cafes.

The congregate setting should be welcoming and pleasant where individuals can gather for a meal and socialize. Some factors to consider are accessibility, parking, visibility, public transportation access, and colocation with other services and activities.

A balanced meal and the social contact together provide a positive motivation for eligible individuals who often eat poorly on their own, become lonely, and depressed in isolation.

Congregate meals must be made available a minimum of three days a week at each meal site and may be provided as hot or cold.

Home-delivered meals (Title III-C2 - Is a nutritious meal that is provided outside of a group setting delivered to the eligible individuals home or provided as a take-out) are available to:

• Individuals 60 years of age and older; (the spouse or dependent disabled child of an eligible home-delivered individual)

• A registered congregate meal individual who requests a home-delivered meal(s) due to a short-term illness or health condition for a maximum of 30 days.

• Unable to consume a congregate meal due to physical, emotional, mental difficulties and/or have limited desire for social interactions.

• Remote geographic location where no congregate site exists.

• Transportation barriers including but not limited to:

  • Inability to drive.

  • Inability to make transportation arrangements.

  • Inability to get in and out of a vehicle.

  • Reliability of individuals vehicle.

  • Financial barriers.

Home-delivered also include take out, grab n go, drive through, etc. and are available to:

• Individual(s) may choose not to participate in a congregate setting and may elect to receive a take-out meal.

• Individual(s) are allowed to have the meal picked up by a family member, friend, case manager, etc.

• The meals must be recorded in the web-based data collection system as “Take Out Meal - Home Delivered.”

Home-delivered meals must be made available a minimum of five days a week and may be provided as hot/cold, frozen, or mail order i.e., MOM’s meals.

Priority for nutrition services (congregate and home-delivered) must be given to older individuals:

• Residing in rural areas.

• With the greatest economic need (with particular attention to low-income older individuals including minorities with limited English proficiency).

• With the greatest social need (with particular attention to low-income older individuals including minorities with limited English proficiency).

• With severe disabilities.

• With limited English proficiency.

• With Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders with neurological and organic brain dysfunction and the caretakers of such individuals.

• At risk for institutional placement.

The nutrition program is more than just a meal —its mission is to nourish the whole person.