Service Category Definitions and Reporting Requirements
The CDA Service Categories and Data Dictionary provides the definitions and reporting requirements for the Older Americans Act service categories. The chart below highlights the definitions and reporting requirements for Title IIIC-1 and C-2 meals and differentiates between registered and non-registered services.
| Service Category |
Service Definition |
Reporting Requirements |
Congregate
Meals (C-1)
|
A meal provided to an eligible individual and consumed while congregating in-person or virtually, that meets all the requirements of the Older Americans Act (OAA) and State/Local laws and assures a minimum one-third of the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) and shall comply with Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). |
- Service units (meals)
- Unduplicated client count
- Client characteristics
|
Congregate
Meals (C-1)
Non-Registered
|
A meal provided to an eligible volunteer or the spouse of an eligible client and consumed while congregating in-person or virtually, that meets all the requirements of the OAA and State/Local laws. |
- Service units (meals)
- Estimated unduplicated client count
|
Home-Delivered
Meals (C-2)
|
A meal provided to an eligible individual via home delivery or pick-up and consumed at their place of residence or otherwise outside of in-person or virtual congregating, that meets all of the requirements of the OAA and State/Local laws, assures a minimum one-third of the current DRIs, and shall comply with DGAs. |
- Service units (meals)
- Unduplicated client count
- Client characteristics
|
Home-Delivered
Meals (C-2)
Non-Registered
|
A meal provided to an eligible volunteer or the spouse of an eligible client via home delivery or pick-up and consumed at their place of residence or otherwise outside of in-person or virtual congregating, that meets all the requirements of the OAA and State/Local laws. |
- Service units (meals)
- Estimated unduplicated client count
|
Nutrition Counseling
(C-1/C-2)
|
Individualized guidance to individuals who are at nutritional risk because of their health or nutrition history, dietary intake, chronic illnesses, or medications use, or to caregivers. Counseling is provided one-on-one by a registered dietitian and addresses the options and methods for improving nutrition status. Nutrition counseling may be made either in person or by any other means deemed appropriate (e.g., telephone, emails, etc.). |
- Service units (1 hour)
- Unduplicated client count
- Client characteristics
|
Nutrition
Education
(C-1/C-2)
|
An intervention targeting OAA participants and caregivers that uses information dissemination, instruction, or training with the intent to support food, nutrition, and physical activity choices and behaviors (related to nutritional status) in order to maintain or improve health and address nutrition-related conditions. Content is consistent with the DGA; accurate, culturally sensitive, regionally appropriate, and considers personal preferences; and overseen by a registered dietitian or individual of comparable expertise as defined in the OAA. |
- Service units (1 session)
- Estimated unduplicated client count
|
To-Go Meals
To-Go meals are reported as either C-1 or C-2 meals. To-Go Meals are not further categorized into C-1 To-Go and C-2 To-Go; however, this would be useful data to collect if you are able to do so. To-Go meals are reported as follows:
| To-Go Meal Type |
Definition |
Report As |
| C-1 To-Go Meals |
To-Go meals that include in-person or virtual interaction with the meal. |
Report as C-1 meal |
| C-1 To-Go Meals |
To-Go meals that are consumed offsite without in-person or virtual interaction during the meal. |
Report as C-2 meal |
Combination Meals (C-1 and C-2)
To report meals/unduplicated clients for clients receiving a combination of C-1 and C-2 To-Go meals, the following guidance applies:
- Register clients in the program (C-1 or C-2) they participate in the majority of the time (i.e., 3 out of 5 days).
- Count each meal as a C-1 or C-2 meal based on the To-Go meal definitions:
- C-1 if includes in-person or virtual interaction with the meal.
- C-2 if the meal is consumed offsite without in-person or virtual interaction during the meal.
- If a registered C-1 client also receives C-2 To-Go meals, the C-2 meals are reported in the aggregate in the C-2 Non-Registered service category.
Reporting Resources for To-Go Meals
Guidance for reporting To-Go meals is provided in the following:
Reporting Location
Data is reported as C-1 or C-2 meals/unduplicated clients in either the California Aging Reporting System (CARS) or the CDA Online Data Reporting Tool (ODRT), depending on the funding source:
| Funding Source |
Reporting System |
| Title IIIC Area Plan |
Report meals in CARS. |
Supplemental
(ARPA, HCBS OARR, Nutrition Modernization)
|
Report meals in the ODRT. |