Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 92 Part 3.djvu/984

 92 STAT. 3616

Hearing.

Standards.

Regulation.

Appropriation authorization.

PUBLIC LAW 95-627—NOV. 10, 1978

gram within twenty days of the date that the household, during office hours of a local agency, personally makes an oral or written request to participate in the program. The Secretary shall establish a shorter notification period for categories of persons who, due to special nutritional risk conditions, must receive benefits more expeditiously. " (8) The State agency shall, in cooperation with participating local agencies, publicize the availability of program benefits, including the eligibility criteria for participation and the location of local agencies operating the program. Such information shall be publicly announced by the State agency and by local agencies at least annually. Such information shall also be distributed to offices and organizations that deal with significant numbers of potentially eligible persons, including health and medical organizations, hospitals and clinics, welfare and unemployment offices, social service agencies, farmworker organizations, Indian tribal organizations, and religious and community organizations in low income areas. "(9) The State agency shall grant a fair hearing, and a prompt determination thereafter, in accordance with regulations issued by the Secretary, to any applicant, participant, or local agency aggrieved by the action of a State or local agency as it affects participation. "(10) If a person certified as eligible for participation in the program under this section in one area moves to another area in which the program is operating, that person's certification of eligibility shall remain valid for the period for which the person was originally certified. "(11) The Secretary shall establish standards for the proper, efficient, and effective administration of the program, including standards that will ensure sufficient State agency staff. If the Secretary determines that a State agency has failed without good cause to administer the program in a manner consistent with this section or to implement the approved plan of operation and administration under this subsection, the Secretary may withhold such amounts of the State agency's administrative funds as the Secretary deems appropriate. Upon correction of such failure during a fiscal year by a State agency, any funds so withheld for such fiscal year shall be provided the State agency. " (12) The Secretary shall prescribe by regulation the supplemental foods to be made available in the program under this section. To the degree possible, the Secretary shall assure that the fat, sugar, and salt content of the prescribed foods is appropriate. Products specifically designed for pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, or infants shall be available at the discretion of the Secretary if the products are commercially available or are justified to and approved by the Secretary based on clinical tests performed in accordance with standards prescribed by the Secretary. "(13) A competent professional authority shall be responsible for prescribing the appropriate supplemental foods, taking into account medical and nutritional conditions and cultural eating patterns. " (14) The State agency shall (A) provide nutrition education materials and instruction in languages other than English and (B) use appropriate foreign language materials in the administration of the pros:ram, in areas in which a substantial number of low-income households speak a language other than English. "(g) There are hereby authorized to be appropriated $550,000,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1979, $800,000,000 for the

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