Early Head Start Update
EHS Site VisitsSite visits are now being conducted for Early Head Start (EHS) grantees by a training and technical assistance (T/TA) team from the Infant Family Network. All EHS grantees will have had a site visit this Spring. Participants in these on-site visits are the Early Head Start National Resource Center, the Technical Assistance Support Center (TASC) Infant/Toddler Specialist, and the Resource Access Project (RAP) Infant/ Toddler Specialist.
The EHS National Resource Center develops and provides T/TA both directly and throughout the T/TA net work to the 68 newly funded EHS grantees. It concentrates its T/TA resources on enhancing EHS grantees' capacities to deliver comprehensive, intensive, culturally and developmentally appropriate child and family support services to low- income pregnant women and families with infants and toddlers. Specialized technical assistance is designed to assist the grantees in achieving quality programs which meet recognized best practices.
Federal Project OfficersA team of Federal project officers is supporting the various T/TA contractor activities for EHS. Geraldine Farrell serves as the Federal Project Officer for the contract with the National Center for Clinical Infant Programs (ZERO TO THREE), which is the Early Head Start National Resource Center and lead contractor in providing mentoring/training and information on "best practices" to other network providers and grantees. Carla Marchinetti, Contracting Officer, Division of Acquisition Management, ACF, provides the contract administration for this major EHS initiative.
National Infant- Toddler InstituteMark your calendar if you are a Head Start program serving infants and toddlers. A national training institute for all programs serving infants and toddlers, including Parent and Child Centers, Comprehensive Child Development Programs, EHS programs, and migrant programs, is scheduled for December 8 to 12, 1996, in Washington, DC.
Martha's Vineyard Immunization Initiative
By R. Lorraine Samuel, Region I Health Technical Assistant Specialist, Newton, MAThe Massachusetts Health Data Consortium has collaborated with various State agencies to increase the sharing of health information through technology and to improve health care by implementing the Massachusetts Immunization Information System.
Island-wide immunization efforts along with other community agencies, have resulted in many health benefits for the Martha's Vineyard Early Childhood Program. The program took the lead in ensuring that Head Start children and all the children on Martha's Vineyard received appropriate immunizations by bringing together the following groups:
The Rotary offered to support an immunization clinic financially, and clinics that opened in various doctors' offices which enabled the doctors to coordinate services with families and ensure appropriate documentation of records. School nurses were also enthusiastic and supportive of this opportunity for children and families. Since its inception, the system has served over 100 Head Start and community children. Through this collaboration, the Head Start program has overcome many hurdles and the community views this new service as a major success. Best of all, children and families on Martha's Vineyard are receiving the medical services they need.
- Head Start Health Services Advisory Committee members
- Rotary Club of Martha's Vineyard
- Two island pediatricians
- Two family practitioners
- Two community nurses