DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT: Head Start Briefing and Approval Items
SUMMARY:
This item presents the following from the Department of Human Services (DHS) Head Start and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership programs for action by the Community Health and Equity Committee:
1. 2019-2020 DHS, Head Start Program Data Management Procedures
In addition, the following will be presented for briefing without action required:
2. Briefing on the Head Start Family Outcome Assessment
3. Briefing on the December 2018 and January 2019 Head Start Program Updates and Fiscal Reports
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requires recipients of Head Start grants to provide regular briefings on program and fiscal activities and ongoing training throughout the program year to their governing body. The city’s Community Health and Equity Committee and the Head Start Policy Council provide shared governance oversight of the Department of Human Services (DHS) Head Start grants.
The Head Start and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) grant programs are federally-funded programs administered by HHS. The programs provide early childhood education, family support and comprehensive support services to eligible children between the ages of six weeks and five years, and their families.
The Head Start Grant serves children at or below the federal poverty line and prioritizes the most vulnerable children, including those with disabilities, experiencing homelessness and children in the foster care system. The program mission is to prepare children and engage families for school readiness and lifelong success. The City of San Antonio program serves a total of 3,020 children: 777 children in the Edgewood Independent School District (EISD) and 2,243 children in the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD). As the program grantee, Head Start provides direct program management, oversight, training and technical assistance, governance, family support and mental wellness services. The comprehensive services approach positively impacts families and holistically addresses the needs of the children. Head Start also contracts with EISD and SAISD for the provision of educational and disability services, the Metropolitan Health District for dental services and University of the Incarnate Word for health services.
The Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Grant provides early childhood education and development for low-income families with infants and toddlers (ages 6 weeks to 35 months). Early Head Start partners with six non-profit child care centers to expand access to high-quality comprehensive services for 216 low-income infants and toddlers and their families.
ISSUE:
Rules and regulations for the Head Start and Early Start-Child Care Partnership Grant as set forth by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) require the governing body, through the Community Health and Equity Committee, to review the following items, taking action on the first three:
1. 2019-2020 DHS Head Start Program Data Management Procedures (Attachment A) establishes an internal procedure for proper access and security of program data for the City of San Antonio Department of Human Services Head Start and Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership program. The Head Start Program requires the establishment of procedures on data management and approval by the governing body and policy council. Development of the procedure must include areas such as quality of data and effective use and sharing of data. It must also ensure protecting the confidentiality of any personally identifiable information and protected health information in child records under applicable federal, state, local, and tribal laws. The 2019-2020 DHS Head Start Program Data Management Procedures were reviewed and approved by the Head Start Policy Council on January 22, 2019.
2. Briefing on the 2018-2019 Head Start Family Outcome Assessment (Attachment B) - The Head Start Program Performance Standards 1301.2 requires the program to share ongoing monitoring results, data on school readiness goals and related information with the governing body and policy council. The family assessment evaluates families’ functioning in a range of 11 areas, including housing stability, feelings on safety, parenting skills level and transportation status, this is rated on a 3-point scale, where 1shows family has demonstrated need in this area; 2 shows family functioning is adequate in this area; and 3 shows family functioning is strong in this area. The Head Start program developed the family assessment based on guidance from the Office of Head Start. The overall assessment scores range between a low score of 11 to a high score of 33 points, currently the program score for the Head Start Program is 25.7 and 24.4 in the EHS-CCP program. The Head Start Policy Council reviewed the Family Assessment data on January 22, 2019.
3. Briefing on the Head Start December 2018, January 2019, Head Start Program Updates and Fiscal Report (Attachment C) - The Head Start Act requires the program share accurate and regular information to the governing body. The Community Health and Equity Committee as the governing body of the City of San Antonio Head Start and Early Start-Child Care Partnership Grant has a legal and fiscal responsibility to administer and oversee the Head Start and Early Head Start program. This item provides a monthly program and fiscal briefing for the months of December 2018 and January 2019. The report includes an update of the new Notice of Award, Cost-of-Living Adjustment, monthly financial statements, monthly program information, enrollment, attendance reports, meals and snacks provided, family and community support, health and education indicators.
ALTERNATIVES:
The review and approval of the items included in this memorandum are required for program compliance with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services rules and regulations for Head Start and Early Head Start- Child Care Partnership programs.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no anticipated impact to the general fund as a result of these actions.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends review and approval of the items included in this memorandum.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Attachment A: 2019-2020 DHS Head Start Program Data Management Procedures
2. Attachment B: DHS, Head Start Family Outcome Assessment
3. Attachment C: Monthly Program and Fiscal Briefing