What is Head Start?
Head Start is a comprehensive child development program which serves children age 3 to 5 and their families. It is a child-focused program that has the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income families.
The Head Start program is administered by the Head Start Bureau (HSB), the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
The Head Start program has a long tradition of delivering comprehensive and high quality services designed to foster healthy development in low-income children. Head Start grantee and delegate agencies provide a range of individualized services in the areas of education and early childhood development; medical, dental, and mental health; nutrition; and parent involvement. In addition, the entire range of Head Start services is responsive and appropriate to each child’s and family’s developmental, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic heritage and experience.
All Head Start programs must adhere to Program Performance Standards which define the services that Head Start Programs are to provide to the children and families they serve. They constitute the expectations and requirements that Head Start grantees must meet. They are designed to ensure that the Head Start goals and objectives are implemented successfully, that the Head Start philosophy continues to thrive, and that all grantee and delegate agencies maintain the highest possible quality in the provision of Head Start services. To see the Head Start Program Performance Standards click here.
Head Start at UMCHS
UMCHS is funded to serve 471 (338 Head Start 77 Oregon PreK and 56 Early Head Start) age and income eligible preschool children and their families. These children are served in 18 Centers and offer a variety of program models in order to meet family needs.
Children must be 3 or 4 years of age on or before September 1 of the program year.
The family must meet Federal Income Guidelines or be receiving TANF services through Adult and Family Services (AFS).
Funding for the Head Start program includes both Federal (Administration for Children and Families) and State (Oregon Department of Education) dollars.
In Oregon, Head Start is jointly funded by the federal Head Start Bureau and the Oregon Department of Education.
For more information on the Oregon Head Start Prekindergarden program visit the Oregon Department of Education’s Early Childhood Education Web Page.
Support for Children with Disabilities in Head Start
UMCHS Head Start program focuses on the child and family as individuals. All children will receive a general health and developmental screening. If these screenings indicate a suspected delay, the disabilities staff, in conjunction with the teaching staff, will contact the family. Written parental permission is obtained before any child is referred for an evaluation. UMCHS makes every effort for early identification and interventions, to support children with disabilities and their inclusion in all program activities.
Referral – With written parental permission, children who need further evaluation will be referred to their Local Education Agency. The evaluation and any services are at no charge. The LEA in Umatilla County, Morrow County, Baker County and Union counties is Intermountain Education Service District. Based on the evaluation, some of the services children may receive are enrollment in the LEA developmental preschool program and Head Start, speech therapy, occupational and/or physical therapy.
Individual Family Service Plan – During the case conference if it has been determined children are eligible for special education services, the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) will be written. The IFSP is a written document that includes measurable goals children can be expected to accomplish. Both Head Start and the Local Education Agencies work together cooperatively to combine the range of offered services to provide the best pre-school experience for children with special needs.