Health Services

Larry Vitale

Health Services Manager

The Child Health and Developmental Services area of San Francisco Early Head Start/Head Start is committed to wellness that embraces a comprehensive vision of health for children, families, and staff, with an emphasis on education, advocacy, and prevention. Through collaborative work among parents and staff, all child health and developmental concerns are identified and addressed. Services link children and their families to a system of on-going preventive health care. Each family is assisted and encouraged to establish a primary "Medical Home" to ensure continued positive health care actions and decisions that will meet the basic health needs of all family members.

Parents are supported and educated on how to become advocates for the health of their family members. They are encouraged by the staff to be involved in all aspects of their child’s health care: helping them to learn the importance of prevention, early detection, and treatment.

Collaborations with various health and safety related community based organizations in San Francisco create opportunities for the health services area to continuously improve the quality of services to families. Expanding the community network and exchanging resources with collaborating organizations assists in identifying and disseminating information regarding health and safety issues that families face today in the City of San Francisco.

Child Health and Safety

A major goal of this service area is to promote positive, culturally relevant health behaviors that enhance life-long well-being. Head Start emergency policies and procedures clearly state how staff are to handle health related emergencies as well as classroom/playground injuries, illnesses, and communicable diseases. Head Start staff, Family Child Care providers, parents and volunteers are taught safety techniques to provide a safe environment and model safe behaviors at all times.

Links:

-San Francisco Department of Public Health

http://www.dph.sf.ca.us/

-Maternal and Child Health Program:

http://www.sfdph.org/PHP/MCH/MaternalChildHlth.htm

Children's Environmental Health Promotion Program:

http://www.sfdph.org/cehp/

California Children's Services Program:

http://www.sfdph.org/PHP/CCS.shtml

Child Health and Disability Prevention Program (CHDP):

http://www.sfdph.org/PHP/CHDP.htm

Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC):

http://www.sfdph.org/PHP/wic_program.htm

California Child Care Health Program:

http://www.ucsfchildcarehealth.org/index.htm
-San Francisco Health Plan: http://www.sfhp.org/
-Mayor's Office of Housing Lead Hazard Reduction Program:

https://rocky.jmpt.com/moh/Index.asp

Education and Early Childhood Development Services

Dr. Zoobi Waqar

Education Services Manager

The primary goal of the Education and Early Childhood Development Service Area is to ensure a developmentally and linguistically appropriate program for each Head Start child. The curriculum provided considers each child’s individual rate of development, interests, temperament, language, cultural background and learning styles. To maximize the quality of the program, the Early Childhood Education service area integrates with different services like Disabilities/Mental Health, Nutrition, Health and Community & Family Partnerships to provide and coordinate comprehensive services for children and families.

The early child development and education program helps each child gain the skills and confidence required to be prepared to succeed in their present environment and with later responsibilities in school and in later life. Early Childhood Development and Education is committed to the Head Start goals of increasing children’s social competence and school readiness skills. In our Head Start classrooms, we promote and model the importance of parents and our staff plays a vital role in building these relationships. The Early Child Development program is headed on a pathway focusing on federal and state pre-literacy standards for children and parents. The curriculum planned at each center assists in the development of the children’s emerging literacy. Several early literacy projects are implemented in the entire program with the continuous support of collaborative partnerships with the resources.

San Francisco early childhood staff effectiveness is enhanced with trainings and technical assistance that lead to a greater understanding of children who have special needs, sensitivity to cultural and linguistic issues that impact education. Understanding the context of a child’s family is the key to individualized classroom support. Many opportunities are provided at our agency for teaching staff to further their education level with the drive toward baccalaureates for teachers at San Francisco State University and other community agency programs.

Additional Websites Resources:

www.nationalreadingpanel.org
www.kindergartenconsultant.com
www.ciera.org
www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/SCORE/cyberguide.html http://teachersmentors.com
http://www.ascd.org

Disabilities and Mental Health Services

Dr. Craig Zercher
Disabililties and Mental Health Services Manager

San Francisco Head Start/Early Head Start works closely with the San Francisco Unified School District and the Early Interventionists at Golden Gate Regional Center to provide and coordinate services for children with disabilities and their families. Head Start/Early Head Start staff work with families and service providers to develop a range of services to meet the individual needs of children who require some adaptation to the learning environment. We provide assistance, information and resources to families in San Francisco to assist them in becoming advocates for themselves and for their children with special needs.

Here are links to websites about disabilities that you may find helpful:

Local support groups and training for parents:

Support for Families
http://www.supportforfamilies.org/services.html

Legal services and other resources:

Child Care Inclusion Project
http://www.supportforfamilies.org/inclusionproject/families.html

IDEA, Early Intervention, and Special Education:

High Risk Infant Interagency Council
http://www.hriic.org/services.html

Golden Gate Regional Center
http://www.ggrc.org/ggrc_main.htm

San Francisco Unified School District Special Education Department
http://portal.sfusd.edu/template/default.cfm?page=chief_academic.special_ed

Federal Law: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ446.108

Programs for teachers and service providers:

Support for Families
http://www.supportforfamilies.org/inclusionproject/providers.html

Key agencies serving children with disabilities:

Support for Families
http://www.supportforfamilies.org/inclusionproject/keyagencies.html#ggrc

Information about specific disabilities:

Children’s Disabilities Information
http://www.childrensdisabilities.info/

Special Child
http://www.specialchild.com/disorder.html

Information about speech and language delays and disorders:

Kaufman Children’s Center for Speech, Language, Sensory-motor, and Social Connections
http://www.kidspeech.com/index.php?page=34

Mental Health Service Area

Mental health services are made available for all San Francisco Head Start/Early Head Start families. Those services include:

If you have any concerns regarding your child, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s Center Director and/or Family Advocate at your center or your Home Visitor. A referral can be submitted to the mental health consultant who will meet with you to discuss your concerns.

Here are links to parenting, behavior and mental health websites that you may find helpful:

Local Mental Health Services and Resources:

Mental Health Board of San Francisco
http://mentalhealthboardsf.org/resources/

Child, Youth and Family Services
http://www.ramsinc.org/cyfservices.html

Bayview/Hunter’s Point Foundation
http://www.bvhpf.org/mental/index.htm

Westside Community Services
http://www.westside-health.org/programs/cyfs/calKIDS.html

Child rearing, discipline and children’s behavior:

Parent Center
http://parentcenter.babycenter.com/

Evidence-based classroom behavior management practices:

Center for Evidence-based Practice for Young Children with Challenging Behavior
http://challengingbehavior.fmhi.usf.edu/

Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations of Early Learning
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/

Nutrition Services

Minal Amlani, MPH, RD
Nutrition Services Manager

The San Francisco Head Start Nutrition Program is committed to promoting nutritional health by meeting each child’s nutritional needs, including those with special dietary needs and with disabilities. The nutritional needs of children and families are identified in relation to their health, cultural, dietary and community needs. Family eating patterns are acknowledged and taken into account when planning menus. Each day SF Head Start serves breakfast, lunch and a snack to the children in our centers.

Meals are nutritious and children learn to develop healthful eating habits and broaden their food experiences. Children are given the opportunity to participate in a variety of learning experiences about food and proper nutrition to encourage them to make healthy food choices and to learn how food affects their health. Teaching staff coordinates nutrition lessons with well-balanced meals and snacks. Mealtime is an opportunity for children to develop social skills and build positive self-esteem.

Children and families are taught how to eat healthily. Good eating habits at an early age will nurture healthy development and promote lifelong optimal wellness. Parents are involved with ensuring foods served take into account cultural and ethnic preferences.

San Francisco Head Start participates in the California Department of Education Child Care Food Program that is funded through the United States Department of Agriculture. Head Start uses the funds from this child nutrition program as the primary source to cover for meal costs.

Here are links to websites about nutrition that you may find helpful:

Child and Adult Care Food Program
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/cc/ccc.asp

American Dietetic Association
www.eatright.org

Food Safety Information
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/index.asp

Family & Community Partnerships and Enrollment, Recruitment, Selection, Eligibility and Attendance (ERSEA)

Family Partnerships--Family collaborative partnerships are established with all Head Start parents and families to build relationships, strengthen mutual trust, and provide open communication. Family partnerships will assist in identifying strength s, goals, needed services, and support resources by promoting the growth of families and encouraging self-advocacy skills using culturally sensitive practices. The process of establishing these partnerships begins at the time the child and family is enrolled in Head Start. The Family Needs Assessment, in conjunction with the Community Needs Assessment, will assist staff in identifying and designing educational and parent involvement activities that are responsive to the needs and interests of all families.

Community Partnerships--San Francisco State University and Head Start Program staff continue to strengthen and develop new collaborations with agencies and partners in the community to improve the access and delivery of community services, advance the development of a continuum of family centered services, and to advocate for the healthy development of children and families of Head Start. Ongoing collaborative partnerships are established for purposes of program planning, advocating for resources, integrating services, ensuring quality services, and evaluating program performance through advisory committees, which include Head Start parents, professionals and other community volunteers
opportunties.

Early Head Start and Family Child Care Programs

Joanne Hubbard - Early Head Start and Head Start Family Child Care Program Manager

Early Head Start Program

The San Francisco Early Head Start home-based program (EHS) supports pregnant women, children (birth to age three) and their families through home visits and parent/child interaction experiences. Early Head Start Home Visitors provide comprehensive services to support and strengthen the relationships between infants, toddlers and their parents. The strength and quality of these relationships are essential for optimal child development outcomes during this period of rapid social, emotional, physical and cognitive development. Parents are encouraged and supported to recreate and build on the activities that are introduced during home visits.

In addition, our program helps pregnant women to gain health care before and after pregnancy. We also provide prenatal education on fetal development, labor and delivery, postpartum recovery and the benefits of breast feeding. There is follow-up with post-natal care after the baby is born.

Home visits are planned collaboratively with the parents (or the child’s legal guardian) to support the parents in their role as primary caregivers of the child and to facilitate the child’s optimal development. Families are visited once a week for 90 minutes in their homes. A Family Partnership Agreement is completed that includes the specific roles of parents during group socializations and home visits.

In addition to weekly home visits, socializations with other families are scheduled twice a month. These parent/child interactions are another opportunity to strengthen and support relationships by providing parents with opportunities to:

The home-based program option is designed for families whose children and parents are primarily in the home environment and offers comprehensive Early Head Start services through regular home visits and parent/child interaction experiences. It is the relationship with the Home Visitor that forms the foundation for effective service delivery. Similarly, it is the relationship between the parent and infant or toddler that provides the foundation from which very young children develop the social competence necessary for later success in school and in life. Comprehensive, high-quality home visitation services strengthen and support families so that they, in turn, can provide the best possible support for their children.

San Francisco Early Head Start is an evidence-based program. We use the “Born to Learn” curriculum for infants and toddlers and “Partners for a Healthy Baby” for expecting families. These curricula were developed by Parents as Teachers, Incorporated. We also use the “Ages and Stages” questionnaire as a developmental screening tool, and the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP-R) for infants and toddlers is the program’s developmental assessment tool.

The Early Head Start Program Team

Family Child Care Program

In response to the changing needs of children and families in the last several years, the Family Child Care Program Option was created and designed to offer more choice and flexibility to parents who are working or in school/training by providing full-day, full-year services through contracted licensed Family Child Care Providers. The Family Child Care Program is committed to the Head Start goals of increasing children’s social competence and school readiness, including parents in meaningful ways, and providing comprehensive services, all through a family child care home setting. In collaboration with San Francisco Head Start staff, Family Child Care Providers act as a key component in the delivery of individualized services to children and families in the areas of education, health, including mental health and nutrition, social services, inclusion of children with disabilities, and parent and community partnerships.

To meet the Head Start Performance Standards, Family Child Care Providers receive the full support of Head Start staff, including training, technical assistance, necessary supplies and materials, and participation in a Provider support group. Through this partnership with Providers, Head Start children receive high quality, comprehensive services while enjoying the stable environment of a home setting. Their parents have the opportunity to concentrate on employment, educational opportunities, and participate in their children’s education, health and well-being.

Procedure and Structure

Policy Council
The Policy Council provides a formal method for parent involvement and participation in program decision-making and goal setting for the agency. Policy Council members assume the leadership role of representing the collective interests of all San Francisco Head Start families enrolled in the program.

1. The Policy Council is established as early in the program year as possible or by November of each year. The Policy Council maintains its membership until the successor council is elected and seated.
2. At least 51% of elected parents with children enrolled in the program participate as active members in the Policy Council meetings in collaboration with recommended and approved Community Representatives for up to a 3-year term.
3. Meetings are held once a month at a time and place convenient to the majority of the parents.  Parents and community representatives are assisted with translation, childcare, transportation and reimbursement when applicable.
4. The Policy Council Parent Representatives and Standing Committees are elected as outlined in the San Francisco Head Start/Early Head Start Policy Council By-Laws based on the program options and the number of children served by the program, delegate agencies and collaborative partners.
5. All Policy Council members are required to attend scheduled training sessions to familiarize themselves with the program, as well as their duties and responsibilities.
6. The Policy Council members review and approve or disapprove all functions outlined on the “Governance and Management Responsibilities”chart on page 2 of this section.

Policy Council Structure
The SFSU Head Start/Early Head Start Policy Council shall consist of a minimum of 51% parents whose children are currently enrolled in the Head Start/Early Head Start Program.  The total membership of Policy Council is 31 members representing the San Francisco communities being served. The membership consists of:

Community Members Representatives (5) shall be recruited and recommended by the Grantee and approved by the Policy Council.  Community members shall be individual representatives or representatives of public and private and community, civic or professional organizations that have a concern for children of low-income families and their parents and can contribute to the program.  Past Head Start parents can also participate in the Policy Council as Community Representatives.

The Chairperson or designee of the San Francisco State University Head Start/Early Head Start Governing Board shall be a Policy Council representative with voting rights. No program staff (or members of their immediate families) may serve on the Policy Council, with the exception of parents who occasionally substitute in the Head Start/Early Head Start programs or Home-Base program.

Policy Council By-Laws
Policy Council By-Laws provide detailed information regarding Policy Council purpose, function, composition, term of membership, etc. The program maintains records of Policy Council meeting minutes and Policy Council trainings.