ERSEA Training For Office Staff

ERSEA Training 2013-14 For Office Staff
This training is for all office staff and FSWs.

E ligibility R ecruitment S election E nrollment A ttendance

Training Topics Common Record Review Findings (ERSEA section)
The Enrollment Application Change of Status Form Determining Family Members Verifying Income Eligibility Verification Form The “0” Income Form The Family Residency Questionnaire Recruiting & Enrollment

Common Record Review Findings in
ERSEA Application has mistakes or missing information 5.2% Change of Status form was missing or unsigned 5.5% Problems with Emergency Contacts % # of family members incorrect on app, COPA, or EV form 3.0% Problems with Points Page % Missing birth certificate % Missing EV form or not signed % Income documentation missing or incorrect 2.4% Income calculated incorrectly % Didn’t list age or income document used 2.1% “Age eligible” question not answered on EV form 2.7% “Income eligible” question not answered or incorrect 4.2% These are the most common findings in ERSEA from the record review this year, but there were many other findings that didn’t seem as important to list There were 330 folders reviewed

The Enrollment Application
In most cases, the day that the parent comes to fill out an enrollment application for their child is the first contact you have with them. In some ways, this will be the most important interaction that you have with the parent all year because it is the first impression.

During this application process, you need to keep the following in mind: They don’t know you and certainly don’t trust you They don’t know what Head Start is about They have probably heard good and bad things about the program They are considering whether to let you take care of the most valuable thing they own They will tell others about you YOU NEED THEM TO LIKE YOU WE ALL NEED THEM TO LIKE YOU !!!!!

When completing the application, remember: The parent should not fill out the application. It should be completed interview style by the staff. Every question is important Someone will be reviewing that application to look for accuracy Only the parent or guardian of the applying child can complete the application Never use Wite Out to correct a mistake. Draw a line through the mistake, list your correction, and put your initials.

Let’s take a look at the enrollment application Handout the application with mistakes Click Me

Change of Status Form During the recent Record Review, we found that there were a lot of issues related to the Change of Status Form. The purpose of the Change of Status form is to appropriately document when a significant change takes place with a child’s family or with the parent preferences. Let’s take a look at the Change of Status form Click Me

Determining the Family Members
The definition of "family" found in 45 CFR Part (e) of the Head Start Program Performance Standards states: Family means "all persons living in the same household who are: (1) Supported by the income of the parent(s) or guardian(s) of the child enrolling or participating in the program, and (2) related to the parent(s) or guardian(s) by blood, marriage, or adoption. This definition is found at the top of the back page of all enrollment applications.

Determining the Family Members
We will now look at some potential scenarios you may encounter when taking an enrollment application:

Determining Family Jane comes to fill out an application for her step daughter Katy. She tells the interviewer that Katy’s dad, Joe, wanted to come and fill out the application but he had to work. She said that he works in the coal mines and makes $700 per week. Jane doesn’t work. She says that she and Joe are married. Joe has one other biological child who stays with them on the weekends, but not during the week. How many are in the family? This is a family of 3. Because Jane is related to Katy’s dad by marriage, this makes her part of the family. Joe’s other child does not live with them so he would not be considered part of Katy’s family.

Determining Family Raylan and Wynonna come to fill out an application for their son Boyd. The couple tell the interviewer that they are the biological parents of Boyd. They are divorced, but are now living together again. They plan on marrying again next month. How many are in the family? This is a family of 3. Even though Raylan and Wynonna are not married, they are both the biological parents and they are living in the same home with Boyd.

Determining Family Crystal comes to fill out an application for her nephew Kyle that lives with her in Kinship Care. She gets $300 per month in Kinship money for Kyle. She says that she is a single parent and has two biological children of her own, Brad and Brady. Brad is married and does not live with the family. Crystal works at Subway and makes $200 per week. How many are in the family and what is the income? This is a family of 1. Anytime you have a Foster/Kinship child, that child is considered a family of 1. The $300 per month would be the only income counted and it would be listed on COPA as income for the child.

How many are in the family?
Determining Family Bonnie comes to fill out an application for her daughter Amy. Bonnie states that she has 3 other children living with her besides Amy: Child #1 – Another biological child Child #2 – She is a guardian for her niece Child #3 – She is a foster parent for her nephew How many are in the family? The Foster money that the family receives would not count as income because Amy is filling out an application for a different child. This is a family of 4. The foster child would not count in Amy’s family because he is a family of You would not obtain the income that this mother receives for the Foster/Kinship child because that money only counts if the parent is enrolling the Foster/Kinship child.

Determining Family Frankie comes to fill out an application for Megan. He tells the interviewer that Megan’s mom is his girlfriend and they have been living together for a year. He makes $200 per week at his job and Megan’s mom makes $400 per week at her job. How many are in the family and what is the income? First of all, he cannot fill out the application because he is not the biological parent, step parent, or guardian of Megan. But let’s say that Megan’s mom was filling out the application. In that case, it would be a family of 2 (Megan and her mom) and the income would be $400 per week. Because Frankie is not married to Megan’s mom, he would not count in her family and his income would not be counted.

This would be a family of 3 (Shelia, her husband, and Ramone)
Determining Family Shelia comes to fill out an application for her son Ramone. She tells the interviewer that she and Ramone live with her parents. Shelia is married (not Ramone’s biological father) and he lives with them. Shelia doesn’t work but receives $200 a month in child support from Ramone’s father. Shelia’s states that her husband makes about $200 per month doing odd jobs for people. Her parents both receive retirement pay each month but she doesn’t know how much. How many are in the family and what is the income? This would be a family of 3 (Shelia, her husband, and Ramone) Their income would be $400 per month. If she is not supporting her parents, they would not count in the family.

Determining Family Janet has one child, a four-year old son named Scooter. Two months ago, she and Scooter moved in with her boyfriend Bubba. Bubba has 3 kids of his own and they all live with him. Today, Janet came to fill out a Head Start application for Scooter. What is the family size and whose income should be counted? The family size would be 2 (Janet & Scooter). Only Janet’s income would be used.

Determining Family Same family as before, but yesterday, Janet and Bubba got married. She came in today to fill out the application for Scooter. What is the family size and whose income should count? The family size would be 6 (Janet, Scooter, Bubba and his 3 kids). Both Janet and Bubba’s income would be counted.

Determining Family Same family as before.
Bubba tells Janet that 2 of his 3 kids are not actually his biological children. He is their legal guardian but their real father lives with Bubba’s ex-wife in Alaska. Janet made this clear to the staff person taking Scooter’s application today. What is the size of family and whose income would count? The family size would be 6 (Janet, Scooter, Bubba and his 3 kids). Both Janet and Bubba’s income would be counted. Since Bubba is the legal guardian for the 2 children and Bubba is Janet’s husband, the 2 children are part of Scooter’s family.

Determining Family Lindsey comes to fill out an application for her biological child Roscoe. She tells the interviewer that she is married to Roscoe’s dad, Jose, and they have 3 more children in the home with them: Child # 1: Another biological child of Lindsey’s, but not Jose. Child #2: A child that was adopted by both Lindsey & Jose Child #3: An unrelated child that Lindsey and Jose have guardianship of. How many are in Roscoe’s family? This would be a family of 5. The only one that would not count in Roscoe’s family would be the guardianship child. The reason he would not count is because he is not related to Roscoe’s parents by blood, marriage, or adoption. If the guardianship child had been related to the parents, he would have counted in the family.

Determining Family Same family as before. However, Lindsey has come to fill out an application for her unrelated guardianship child. She and Jose are both guardians for this child. There are 3 more children in the home: Child #1: A child that was adopted by both Lindsey & Jose Child #2: A biological child (Roscoe) of Lindsey and Jose Child #3: Another biological child of Lindsey’s, but not Jose How many are in the guardianship child’s family? This would be a family of 6. Everyone is related to this child’s guardians by blood, marriage, or adoption.

Income means the total cash receipts before taxes from all sources
Obtaining Income Income means the total cash receipts before taxes from all sources In most cases, it is required that the interviewer obtain ALL income information from the parent. However, in the following 3 situations, you will only ask for the appropriate income as stated below: Family is identified as homeless: No income should be obtained Child is identified as foster/kinship: Only the foster/kinship income is obtained A family member receives TANF or SSI: Only the TANF or SSI income is obtained This is the only 3 instances when a child is viewed as “Categorically Eligible”

Additional Notes Related to Income:
Obtaining Income Additional Notes Related to Income: There are several items that can be used to verify income including: Tax forms Pay stubs (must be for one consecutive month, near the date of the application) Written statement from employer Official documentation showing unemployment, TANF, SSI, social security, child support, foster/kinship care, or other benefits. And if all else fails, a written statement from the parent Note: A written statement from the parent is not acceptable for proving TANF, SSI, Foster Care, or unemployment. You do not need to tell the parent whether their income makes their child eligible. This is something to be decided in the office. When using a tax form like a 1040, do not use the Adjusted Gross Income. It is the gross/total income that you must use. Handout: List of what is and isn’t income Handout: SSI vs Social Security

Let’s take a look at some actual TPQY forms to see how to identify SSI
SSI vs Social Security Let’s take a look at some actual TPQY forms to see how to identify SSI Click Me

Obtaining Income Additional Notes Related to Income: Accepting a written statement to verify income should be a last resort, not a first option. When a parent tells you their family situation, income level, etc., DO NOT LEAD THEM DOWN AN ILLEGAL PATH TO ELIGIBILITY!! With that said, you should always try to understand the family’s current situation (information for the past 1 month) and determine if it makes the family more eligible than their previous calendar year taxes would. It is legal to use the one that makes them the most eligible.

Determining Income Additional Notes Related to Income: Current Situation In order to determine a family’s income, it may be more appropriate to use the family’s current situation than to use the previous 12 months or previous calendar year to get a clearer picture of the family’s true condition. To be considered as the “current situation”, the family circumstance must have been happening for at least 1 month previously. If a family’s income level for the previous month is less than it was for the previous 12 months or calendar year (based on monthly average), then the interviewer should accept the previous month’s income and multiply the amount according to the pay schedule to determine the family income. It must be for the previous month. It cannot be from 2 months ago. If someone has been drawing unemployment for 2 weeks, you cannot accept that and verify their income as unemployment.

Obtaining Income Additional Notes Related to Income: If a family does not have any income, you will fill out the “0 Income Form” with the family. If the family has any income at all, do not fill out the “0 Income Form. Often times we see that there is income listed on the EV form but there is also a “0” income form used. This is incorrect. Click Me

Mention that if the family income is within 30% over the poverty guideline, it still should be listed “NO (overincome”.

Determining Homelessness
On the enrollment application, if a parent tells you that their current housing is anything other than “Rent” or “Own”, a Family Residency Questionnaire must be completed to determine if the child would qualify for Head Start under the McKinney-Vento Act. (Homeless) Just because a family does not rent or own their current residence does not mean that they are automatically homeless. There are other factors in the MV Act that must be considered. Handout: The MV Act Click Me

Recruitment & Enrollment
What is the most effective recruiting method in our Head Start program? Using the responses that parents gave to the question “How did you hear about the Head Start program and our application process” on the enrollment applications this year, this is what we learned: 31% of the applications did not have an answer on this question

What is the most effective recruiting method in our Head Start program? We also learned this: Community Event - Flyers/Posters - Comm. Agency Referral - Mailings - Newspaper Ads - TV/Radio Ads - Family/Friend/Other Parent - Other - 2% 11% 4% 3% 48% 17% Let the group guess what is the most effective recruiting tool. Refer back to what we were talking about with needing the parents to like you. 9% of the responses were “Other Head Start” which was not even an option on the application, just on COPA.

When a child withdraws from a classroom, do you have to enroll another child at that classroom? You do have to enroll another child, but it can be at a different classroom. Pike County is funded to serve 445 kids, no more no less. When a child withdraws from the program, they have 30 days to replace him/her. But the child that withdrew may be at Mullins, and the new child they enroll may be at Feds Creek. So when a classroom loses a child, that does not necessarily mean that there is a vacancy in that classroom. Mention to them about incorrectly telling parents about vacancies that do not exist

Let’s discuss the enrollment struggles we have had over the past few years. The BSACAP program must serve 1164 kids at all times. No delegate program is guaranteed a set number of enrollment slots from year to year. If a program cannot serve the number of slots they currently are given, we must move slots. It is important to put classrooms in the place where there are the most income eligible children.

Aqua Man should not be on the list because he is too old
Arthur can be on the list but he would be a last resort enrollee Even though Jesse James has a much higher family income, he would still be enrolled over Jack Tripper Each program must select kids based on the number of points that they receive on this waiting list. There are only 3 situations when a program may have to skip a child on the waiting list and we will talk about them on the next slide. 4 year olds do not get enrolled before 3 year olds simply because of age. Enrollment is based on eligibility points.

There are only 3 instances when a program can skip a child on the waiting list and enroll a different child: If a program has not met their specified number of accepted 4 year olds according to the Full Utilization Agreement, they can skip down the list and enroll as many 4 year olds as needed to reach that number If a program needs to accept a 4 year old instead of a 3 year old because of age requirements at a specific classroom (If a classroom has more 4s than 3s, they can enroll 20 kids. If they have more 3s than 4s, they can only enroll 17 kids) If a program is nearing the December 1 deadline and has not reached their mandatory 10% disability children Either one of these situations would be extremely rare Keep in mind that you can only have as many children in your classroom as allowed by size of the room. Must have 35 sq feet per child. There should not be less than 13 children enrolled in any classroom.

Additional Notes Related to Recruitment & Enrollment: In order for a child to enroll in Head Start, they must meet 2 criteria: Age and Income The state of KY requires all children in public school to have a valid immunization certificate or exemption A child cannot be denied enrollment in Head Start for other reasons such as a disability or family refusal to obtain health screenings You cannot tell parents that there is any kind of requirement for their child other than an immunization if the age and income is met At least 90% of the children we enroll must be deemed income eligible or within 30% above the poverty guideline

Additional Notes Related to Recruitment & Enrollment: At least 10% of the children enrolled in Head Start must have an identified disability with an IEP in place A child is not automatically eligible for Head Start based on a disability When a child is accepted in the program, he is given an enrollment slot for the following year as well when he is not old enough to enter Kindergarten If a “returning child” is age eligible for a 3rd year, a new application and Eligibility Verification form must be completed. The child should be given an enrollment slot for the 3rd year regardless of income unless there is a justifiable reason not to. Returning child means that the child was enrolled in the program on the last day of school.

Additional Questions & Answers
Q. If a child withdrew from your classroom today, and then the parents wanted to reenroll him again next month, would you need a new application on that child? A. If it has been more than 12 months since the application was completed, you would have to complete a new application and Eligibility Verification form on that child and he would only be enrolled if he had the most points on the eligibility waiting list. Once a child withdraws from the program, he/she does not get any special consideration if they want to return. Q. Can a family living in West Virginia enroll their child in Pike Head Start? A. No. We can only enroll children that have a residence in one of our 5 service counties (Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin, Martin, Pike).

Q. If a child will turn 3 years old on October 2, 2013, will he be eligible to enroll in Head Start at the beginning of the year? A. No. If the child has a diagnosed disability, he would be able to enroll on or after his 3rd birthday because he did not turn 3 by the October 1 cutoff date. If there was no disability, this child could be placed on the waiting list after his birthday but would be a “last resort” enrollment during the year. Q. What is the maximum number of children that can be enrolled in a Head Start classroom? A. 20

Q. If a program wants to change a child’s program model from Head Start to KERA, does he have to be terminated on COPA in order to do so? A. Yes. The child must be terminated, then his program model changed, and then reenrolled. Q. If there are enough enrollment applications to fill all of our classrooms with income eligible children, can we still enroll some overincome children as long as we meet the 90% income eligible mandate? A. No. Enrollment selections follow the points received on the waiting list

Q. Can a parent choose whether they want their child to enroll in Head Start or Preschool? A. No. The Head Start program has a minimum number of “eligible” children that must be enrolled in each county prior to Preschool acceptance. Q. If a child is at the top of the waiting list for North Magoffin today and there is a vacancy that occurs next week, is that child guaranteed to get that slot? A. No. Head Start is not a “first come, first served” program. When the program is ready to fill the slot, they must select the child with the greatest need at that time.

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ERSEA Training For Office Staff Wrap-up Questions from the group

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