LSF, YMCA to Expand Early

Head Start in Hillsborough

21 October 2009

Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) and the YMCA have joined forces to assist Hillsborough County Head Start to expand the Early Head Start offerings in Hillsborough County beginning in January 2010.  The Early Head Start program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provides education, health and nutrition services for infants from birth to age three in low-income families.

The expansion effort is being initiated by HHS over the next two years as part of the Recovery Act Funding to add a total of 55,000 infants and toddlers to the Early Head Start rolls across the nation, according to a press release from HHS on April 2, 2009.  Hillsborough County Head Start, working with both LSF and the YMCA, applied for and was granted funding to add 200 infants and toddlers.  Currently there are approximately 50 in Early Head Start in the county.

"LSF brings to this expansion our experience working with over 550 day care homes for the Child Care Food Program, which is the largest child care food program in Florida," said David Yarborough, LSF Vice President for Operations.  "We will utilize some of these same providers for Early Head Start."

The partnership with YMCA will draw on their current program to train day care home providers to receive the Child Development Associate (CDA) degree, which is a requirement to become an Early Head Start provider.  The YMCA also provides child care.  Together LSF and the YMCA will serve as delegate agencies for Hillsborough County Head Start.

"Of the 200 new infants and toddlers that are planned, LSF is responsible for 120, and the YMCA is responsible for the rest," explained Yarborough.

To accomplish those numbers, LSF will hire eight new staff members in October to identify appropriate day care home providers, supervise their work in the Early Head Start program, evaluate performance expectations and provide resources and curriculum, according to Yarborough.

"We're going to be on the cutting edge," said Yarborough of this expansion effort, "particularly as it will utilize day care homes instead of centers-based sites," which is the current model for older preschool children in Head Start.  Day care homes typically only host four children.

"This expansion would be a significant change in the way services would be provided by Hillsborough Head Start in the county," said Yarborough.

Hillsborough County Head Start/Early Head Start is one of the largest grantees for Head Start in the southeastern United States, serving 3,071 children and families in 23 centers and 45 delegate centers throughout the county.

In addition to the Child Care Food Program, Lutheran Services Florida also operates a Head Start program in Belle Glade, Florida.  Click here to read about it.

Click here to also read a recent story about a Head Start field trip.

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