DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership Continuation Application
SUMMARY:
The Department of Human Services (DHS) requests authorization of the following budgetary, grant and associated actions related to a continuation application to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) program:
a) submission of a continuation application to HHS and acceptance upon award of $2,729,844.00 for the period of August 1, 2018 - July 31, 2019;
b) an EHS-CCP program budget of $3,412,305.00, which includes an in-kind match of $682,461.00 and a personnel complement of 16 positions for DHS;
c) Furthermore, this ordinance authorizes the Director of Human Services to initiate, negotiate, and execute any and all necessary documents and a grant contract to effectuate the acceptance of the referenced grant, and to execute contract amendments pertaining to this contract, to include: a) carry-over funds, when ascertained and approved by the funding agency through a revised notice of award; b) line item budget revisions authorized by the funding agency; c) modifications to the performance measures authorized by the funding agency and listed in the contract so long as the terms of the amendment stay within the general parameters of the intent of the grant; d) no cost extensions; e) amendments which will provide supplemental grant funds to the grant by the funding agency in an amount up to 10% of the total amount awarded to the grant; f) reimbursement increases of administrative funds for each participant served; g) amendments funding one time equipment purchases or defined program services; and h) changes in regulations mandated by the funding agency if awarded and matching funds are available in City’s budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
DHS manages both the Child Care Service Providers and two Head Start program grants. These programs provide early care and education and support services to more than 11,000 children and their families on a daily basis.
In April 2015, through City Council Ordinance 2015-04-02-0232, DHS accepted funds from HHS to establish an EHS-CCP, an HHS-funded early childhood education and development program for low-income families with infants and toddlers (ages 6 weeks to 35 months). EHS-CCP provides children with safe and enriching learning environments to promote physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development while supporting parents and families by addressing social and economic needs through customized case management and supports.
The EHS - CCP program supports a two-generation strategy by allowing parents to work or remain in school while providing access to high-quality early childhood education and care for very young children. As the grantee, DHS provides program management, oversight, governance, family support and mental wellness services.
DHS contracts with six child care centers located in the Edgewood (EISD) and San Antonio Independent School Districts (SAISD) to provide early education and care: Blessed Sacrament Academy, Ella Austin Community Center, Healy-Murphy Center, Inc., Inman Christian Center, Seton Home, and Young Women’s Christian Association Olga Madrid Center. DHS also partners with the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (SAMHD) and University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) to provide health and dental services to enrolled children. Through this continued partnership, DHS serves 216 low-income infants and toddlers within the inner-city.
ISSUE:
The grant funds awarded for the 2018-2019 program year will provide for the continuation of the EHS-CCP program services and further the City’s goals to improve the education and skill level of the children and their families. Funding will support DHS operational costs including the provision of direct family and community support services and service provider operations. Through completion of the continuation application, the EHS-CCP program will ensure all child care centers continue to meet Federal Head Start Performance Standards.
ALTERNATIVES:
If this ordinance is not approved, HHS would need to identify an alternate grantee to provide EHS-CCP services for the 216 inner-city children and their families.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The EHS - CCP grant provides funding to support a two-generation strategy by allowing parents to work or remain in school while providing access to high-quality early childhood education and care for very young children for the period August 1, 2018 through July 31, 2019 and will fund 16 DHS positions. Contractual funding will be allocated from the Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership Grant. This ordinance authorizes acceptance of a grant award from HHS in the amount of $2,729,844.00 including in-kind match of $682,461.00 for a total program budget of $3,412,305. There will be no impact to the general fund.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this ordinance which requests authorization of budgetary, grant and associated actions related to a grant award for the EHS-CCP Grant Award from HHS.