Head Start and Early Head Start child development programs help break
the cycle of poverty by providing preschool children of low-income
families with necessary resources
SAN DIEGO, April 4, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Neighborhood House Association (NHA) today proudly announced that the United States Department of Health and Human Services determined NHA is in full compliance of the Head Start and Early Head Start program performance standards and policy requirements. The Department conducted a follow-up review in February 2007, which encompassed a comprehensive on-site monitoring review and analysis of NHA's leadership, management and execution of the Head Start program in San Diego.
Head Start is a federally-funded child development program designed to help break the cycle of poverty by providing pre-school children of low-income families with a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs. Early Head Start focuses on children six weeks to three years of age, as well as pregnant and post-partum low-income women.
NHA has achieved the following results with the Head Start program in recent months:
* For the first time ever, achievement of 100 percent enrollment for Head Start participants within the first week of the new school year * Development and execution of PROMIS, the most technologically- advanced and effective enrollment, attendance and record keeping systems in the state. Today, NHA can access "real-time" reports and information, never before available to the program * Implementation of better financial management safeguards including increased monitoring of delegate agencies that provide Head Start services on behalf of NHA, improved information sharing with delegate board of directors, and appointment of a new Vice President/Chief Financial Officer * Development and implementation of a new monitoring plan and data collection instruments to ensure staff accountability and performance
"NHA's new leadership team has set out to develop a model organization in San Diego," said Randy K. Jones, Esq., Chairman of the NHA Board of Directors. "We've seen a 180-degree turnaround in the organization's ability to demonstrate accountability, transparency and efficiency each and every day. This is just the beginning of what we can accomplish in serving the people of San Diego -- the future is bright at NHA."
Head Start works with the approach that the parent is the child's primary educator and that the entire family, as well as the community, must be involved in guiding and nurturing the child. The Head Start program also provides parents with counseling, emergency services, crisis intervention, training in parenting skills, nutrition education, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes and assistance with obtaining General Equivalency Diploma (GED). In addition, Head Start provides services to pregnant women and their children including pre-natal and post-partum care, parenting classes, infant and toddler childcare, health, nutrition and social services.
"Without a doubt, this announcement demonstrates the commitment of a solid leadership team, including NHA's Vice President of Children, Youth and Family Services, Norma Johnson, who leads the Head Start program, and more than 1,200 employees who understand the significance of the vital programs and resources that NHA provides to those in need," said Rudolph Johnson, III, President and CEO of NHA. "Since I came on board in August of last year, our Board of Directors and new management team have worked diligently to set a new standard of excellence for this organization. As a product of the Head Start Program, I'm personally thrilled to share this news with the community and I'm proud to say that this announcement signifies a 'new day' at NHA."
About Neighborhood House Association ("A Neighbor You Can Count On")
The Neighborhood House Association (NHA) is San Diego County's largest multi-purpose human services agency. NHA serves San Diego County through a network of seventeen programs in over 130 locations. NHA helps thousands of individuals and families improve their quality of life by providing food and vital social services including employment, healthcare, child, family and senior services. For more information, visit www.neighborhoodhouse.org.