Head Start and Early Head Start
The Head Start and Early Head Start programs provide educational, social, and developmental services for low-income families and children prior to reaching school age.
Program Description
The Head Start and Early Head Start programs give children from low-income families an opportunity to receive additional educational, social, and emotional developmental services prior to entering the school system. The Early Head Start program serves children less than three (3) years old and pregnant women whose children will be eligible for the program at birth. The Head Start program provides services for children from three (3) years old to five (5) years old.
The program is run by the Early Learning & Knowledge Center (ECLKC) at the Administration for Children & Families (ACF), a division of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Slots Reserved for Children with Disabilities
By Federal Law, Early Head Start and Head Start programs must reserve up to 10% of enrollment slots for children with disabilities. Children with disabilities can be served by the Head Start program regardless of the family’s income. The definition of disability, for the Early Head Start and Head Start programs, is based on the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA).
Definition of Children with Disabilities
The definition for infants and toddlers with disabilities is defined in Section 602(3) of the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA):
(3) Child with a disability
(A) In general
The term “child with a disability” means a child—
(i) with intellectual disabilities, hearing impairments (including deafness), speech or language impairments, visual impairments (including blindness), serious emotional disturbance (referred to in this chapter as “emotional disturbance”), orthopedic impairments, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments, or specific learning disabilities; and
(ii) who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.
(B) Child aged 3 through 9
The term “child with a disability” for a child aged 3 through 9 (or any subset of that age range, including ages 3 through 5), may, at the discretion of the State and the local educational agency, include a child—
(i) experiencing developmental delays, as defined by the State and as measured by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures, in 1 or more of the following areas: physical development; cognitive development; communication development; social or emotional development; or adaptive development; and
(ii) who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.
Definition of Infants or Toddlers with Disabilities
The definition for infants and toddlers with disabilities is defined in Section 632(5) of the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA):
(5) Infant or toddler with a disability
The term “infant or toddler with a disability”—
(A) means an individual under 3 years of age who needs early intervention services because the individual—
(i) is experiencing developmental delays, as measured by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures in 1 or more of the areas of cognitive development, physical development, communication development, social or emotional development, and adaptive development; or
(ii) has a diagnosed physical or mental condition that has a high probability of resulting in developmental delay; and
(B) may also include, at a State’s discretion—
(i) at-risk infants and toddlers; and
(ii) children with disabilities who are eligible for services under section 1419 of this title and who previously received services under this subchapter until such children enter, or are eligible under State law to enter, kindergarten or elementary school, as appropriate, provided that any programs under this subchapter serving such children shall include—
(I) an educational component that promotes school readiness and incorporates pre-literacy, language, and numeracy skills; and
(II) a written notification to parents of their rights and responsibilities in determining whether their child will continue to receive services under this subchapter or participate in preschool programs under section 1419 of this title.
Program Health & Well-Being Goals
In addition to the traditional daycare services, families get support in order to achieve other health and well-being goals while the child is in the program. These wellbeing goals cover the following and more goals may be added as appropriate:
Securing health insurance for the child through private insurance providers or government programs like Medicaid
Obtaining a medical home; the medical home isn’t a place you go, it’s a group of medical professionals and providers that work together to maintain a child’s health
Getting all age-appropriate immunizations for the child
Finding a dental home; similar to the medical home, this is the group of dental professionals that help a child achieve proper dental care
Need-Based Specific Services
There are also need-based specific services families can receive through the Early Head Start and Head Start programs. Each family gets a needs assessment to determine if they would benefit from these services. The services cover a range of needs and a family can benefit from as many services as they require.
Economic Services:
Asset Building services
Child Support Assistance
Housing Assistance
Job Training
Relationship and Educational Services:
Parenting Education
Adult Education
Relationship or Marriage Education
English as a Second Language (ESL) Training
Assistance to Families of Incarcerated Individuals
Trauma-Related Services:
Child Abuse and Neglect Services
Domestic Violence Services
Emergency or Crisis Intervention
Health Services:
Health Education
Mental Health Services
Substance Abuse Prevention
Substance Abuse Treatment
Financial Eligibility
Families with incomes at or below the poverty line are financially eligible for Head Start. The poverty line for 2021 (also known as 100% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)), is set at the following levels on a monthly-basis:
For a one-person family: $1,074
For a two-person family: $1,452
For a three-person family: $1,830
For a four-person family: $2,209
For a five-person family: $2,587
For a six-person family: $2,965
For a seven-person family: $3,344
For an eight-person family: $3,722
For every additional family member over eight, add $379
Some families can be eligible for Head Start and Early Head Start based on their current situation. Children from families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are eligible for the program. Homeless children and children living in foster care are eligible for the program regardless of income.
The programs may serve up to an additional 35% of children whose families earn between 100% and 130% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) if the following criteria are met (from Section 645 of Head Start Policy and Regulations):
(II) from the area served, an additional 35 percent of participants who are not eligible under clause (i) or (ii) and whose families have incomes below 130 percent of the poverty line, if—
(aa) the Head Start agency involved establishes and implements outreach and enrollment policies and procedures that ensure such agency is meeting the needs of children eligible under clause (i) or (ii) (or subclause (I) if the child involved has a disability) prior to meeting the needs of children eligible under this subclause; and
(bb) in prioritizing the selection of children to be served, the Head Start agency establishes criteria that provide that the agency will serve children eligible under clause (i) or (ii) prior to serving the children eligible under this subclause;
Finally, Head Start and Early Head Start programs can have up to 10% of enrollment slots for children from families with incomes above the poverty line. Since at least 10% of enrollment slots must be available for children with disabilities, your child may be eligible for Head Start or Early Head Start even if your family isn’t considered low-income.
Applying for the Program
To apply for the Early Head Start and Head Start programs, you’ll need to contact the local agency that runs the program in your area. You can use the Head Start Center Locator or call the toll-free number, 866-763-6481, to find your local office. The office hours are 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
If you live in Bartholomew County, the contact information for the local agency is shown in the following section.
Contact Information for Head Start in Bartholomew County
The Early Head Start and Head Start programs in Bartholomew County are managed by Human Services, Inc.
Human Services, Inc. - Head Start Administrative Office
Address: 4355 East CR 600 North, Columbus, IN 47203
Website: hsi-indiana.com
Toll-Free: 800-878-9608
Phone: 812-376-9608
Email: humanservicesinc@hsi-indiana.com
Additional Resources
The Head Start Home Page from the Early Childhood Learning & Knowledge Center
For families in Bartholomew County:
For families outside of Bartholomew County