HARRISBURG — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service Mid-Atlantic Region announced Thursday that Pennsylvania is one of 14 states that have been selected to participate in the expansion of a demonstration project to evaluate the impact of using Medicaid eligibility data to directly certify students from low-income households to receive free and reduced-price school meals.

Historically, most students who receive these meals have been certified based on information they submit in an application. Adding Medicaid to the list of benefit programs that can “directly certify” a student to receive free or reduced-price meals is a win-win for students, families and school officials. This means less paperwork for families and fewer school meal applications for school districts to process and verify.

“Direct certification decreases errors in school meal program administration and helps ensure children in need receive healthy meals at school,” said FNS Mid-Atlantic Region Administrator Dr. Patty Bennett. “With direct certification, the administrative burden on schools is reduced and the application process for families is simplified, thereby improving the integrity of this important nutrition program.”

The remaining 13 states selected to participate in this round of the project are: Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Montana, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont and Wyoming. The newest round of this demonstration creates an important opportunity to further test the impact of Medicaid Direct Certification, which was first initiated through the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

The Biden Administration is committed to expanding direct certification opportunities and certifying more eligible children for free and reduced-price meals without an application.

For more information, visit the FNS webpage at www.fns.usda.gov/cn/direct-certification-medicaid-demonstration-project