Simplifying the protocols for monitoring and discharging children who are acutely malnourished can save time and costs, thus enabling community-based management of acute malnutrition programs to provide care for more children while using the same resources. FANTA initiated a study with Valid International in Malawi to test the safety of using mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) as a discharge criterion that could simplify the process. Results show that a MUAC of at least 125 mm on two consecutive visits can be used as a safe discharge criterion, and may eliminate some of the problems associated with current discharge procedures.