Recruitment Training Eligibility & Documentation

Intake Form First, you will complete the intake form. This form is used to confirm age and if families are considered categorically eligible. – McKinney Vento Act Determination Questionnaire is now on this form Provide example of Intake Form.

Declaration Form Fill out Declaration Form after Intake If the family is an employee of SPCAA or related to an employee of SPCAA contact someone from the employee list to do the recruitment for you. If the family answers yes to 3 or 4, you must have documentation to complete application. If the family answers yes to 5, you will provide points on selection criteria for suspected. Provide example of Declaration Form

There are two criteria used to determine eligibility for Head Start and Early Head Start: –Age –Income Provide Poverty Guidelines & Age Sheet Eligibility Criteria

Head Start children must be 3 or 4 years- old by September 1, (depends on site as some sites do not take 3 yr olds). Early Head Start children must be at least 6 wks old for center base, and there is no minimum for home base. There is no age requirement for pregnant women. They must provide proof of pregnancy. Age

The following documents can not be used to determine a child’s age. –Crib Cards –Birth Announcements –Baby Books –Hospital Bills A recruitment application for a Homeless family can be completed without a birth certificate. The FSW will be responsible for working with the family to get a birth certificate as soon as possible. Provide an example of correct age documentation Age Documentation

Income 45 CFR (i) –Income means gross cash income and includes earned income, military income (including pay and allowances), veterans benefits, Social Security benefits, unemployment compensation, and public assistance benefits. Additional examples of gross cash income are listed in the definition of "income" which appears in U.S. Bureau of the Census, Cur-rent Population Reports, Series P

2010 Income Tax Return 2010 W-2 Check Stubs (Gross, Previous 12 Months) Social Security Child Support Scholarships and Grants Unemployment Employer Letter No Income Declaration (must include “for the past 12 months”) Provide examples of each type of income Income Documentation

Income eligibility is based on the federal poverty guidelines 35% of the children enrolled could fall between 101%-130% over the poverty levels 10% of the children enrolled in our program could be over income (131% and up over the poverty levels.) Go Over the Income Guidelines Income Eligible & Over-Income

Children and families that are categorically eligible do not provide income. There are only multiple ways a family can be categorically eligible: –Public Assistance –Homeless –Foster Categorically Eligible

Public Assistance A family is eligible due to public assistance if they are receiving : – TANF (Ongoing, not a one time benefit) – Supplemental Security Income – CCS (Child Care Services: Form 2050) – Workforce Investment Act – Transportation Assistance (Dated Gas or Transit Voucher, Medicaid transportation not applicable ) – DID YOU KNOW-CCS, Workforce Investment Act and Transportation assistance are subsidized through TANF? Provide examples of public assistance documentation.

A family is eligible due to Homeless if they answer yes to any of the questions on the McKinney Vento Determination Questionnaire –McKinney Vento Act –Subtitle B of Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (Title X, Part C, of the No Child Left Behind Act) defines "homeless" as follows: The term "homeless children and youths“— Homeless

(A) means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (within the meaning of section 103(a)(1)); and (B) includes-- (i) children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement; (ii) children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings (within the meaning of section 103(a)(2)(C)); (iii) children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and (iv) migratory children (as such term is defined in section 1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described in clauses (i) through (iii). McKinney Vento Act

A child is classified as foster if: – DFPS Placement Authorization – Kinship Placement documents – Child Safety Evaluation Plan – Family Service Plan These can only be used if they are current. Provide Examples of each. Foster

Children who have been adopted within one year, and provide a letter stating they are eligible for pre-k programs will no longer be categorized as Foster OHS – PC – I – 052 If a foster child has been adopted prior to applying for Head Start is the child considered eligible? – If a child is in foster care at the time the child is being considered for enrollment that child is considered categorically eligible. If, however, that child is no longer in foster care and has, instead, been adopted, the income of the child’s adopted parents should be used in determining if that child is income eligible; i.e. a child from a low- income family. Foster

45 CFR (9)(i)(A)(B)(ii) (9) Family means for the purposes of the regulations in this part all persons: (i) Living in the same household who are: (A) Supported by the income of the parent(s) or guardian(s) of the child enrolling or participating in the program; or (B) Related to the child by blood, marriage, or adoption; or (ii) Related to the child enrolling or participating in the program as parents or siblings, by blood, marriage, or adoption. Definition of Family

(A) The Green Family Jack: Sue and John’s father Liz: Sue and John’s mother Sue: 6 year old female John: 4 year old male How many people are in John’s Family? How to determine # in Family Activity

4 What if John’s grandma lived with them and she supported herself?

How to determine # in Family Activity 4

B) Smith Family Jeffery:44 yr. old – Kim’s Dad Susan:43 yr. old – Kim’s Mom Kim:18 yr. old – Unemployed Tim Reid:19 yr. old – Kim’s Boyfriend Sarah:17 yr. old – High School Student Nancy:3 yr. old – Kim’s Daughter Sue:1yr. old Kim and Tim’s Daughter How many people are in Nancy’s family? How to determine # in Family Activity

3 What if Kim was applying for EHS with Sue?

How to determine # in Family Activity 4

B) Keen Family Jim Bob:58 yr. old – Sarah’s husband Sarah:52 yr. old – Jim Bob’s wife, Kristi’s aunt Jake:16 yr. old –Jim Bob & Sarah’s son Kristi:4 yr. old – currently in foster care How many people are in Kristi’s family? How to determine # in Family Activity

1 If a child is in foster care placement (and we have documentation), the # in family is 1.

Number in Household indicates how many people are living in the home. Include: –Grandparents –Other Family Members (children) –Boyfriend/Girlfriend (children) –Friends (children) The recruitment contact note must document who is living in the home. Number in Household

(A) The Green Family Jack: Sue and John’s father Liz: Sue and John’s mother Sue: 6 year old female John: 4 year old male How many people are in John’s household? How to determine # in Household Activity

4 What if John’s grandma lived with them?

How to determine # in Family Activity 5

B) Smith Family Jeffery:44 yr. old – Kim’s Dad Susan:43 yr. old – Kim’s Mom Kim:18 yr. old – Unemployed Tim Reid:19 yr. old – Kim’s Boyfriend Sarah:17 yr. old – High School Student Nancy:3 yr. old – Kim’s Daughter Sue:1yr. old Kim and Tim’s Daughter How many people are in Nancy’s household? How to determine # in Household Activity

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B) Keen Family Jim Bob:58 yr. old – Sarah’s husband Sarah:52 yr. old – Jim Bob’s wife, Kristi’s aunt Jake:16 yr. old –Jim Bob & Sarah’s son Kristi:4 yr. old – currently in foster care How many people are in Kristi’s household? How to determine # in Household Activity

How to determine # in household Activity 4

PS (a) –(a) Each Head Start program must have a formal process for establishing selection criteria and for selecting children and families that considers all eligible applicants for Head Start services. Provide Selection Criteria Selection Criteriea

Selection Criteria Go over it

45 CFR (2) –Children with disabilities means, for children ages 3 to 5, those with mental retardation, hearing impairments including deafness, speech or language impairments, visual impairments including blindness, serious emotional disturbance, orthopedic impairments, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments, specific learning disabilities, deaf-blindness, or multiple disabilities, and who, by reason thereof, need special education and related services Children with Disabilities

The term "children with disabilities" for children aged 3 to 5, inclusive, may, at a State's discretion, include children experiencing develop-mental delays, as defined by the State and as measured by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures, in one or more of the following areas: Physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional development, or adaptive development; and who, by reason thereof, need special education and related services. Infants and toddlers with disabilities are those from birth to three years, as identified under the Part H Program (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) in their State. Children with Disabilities

At least 10% of the children enrolled in our program must be diagnosed with a disability. The Local Education Agency must diagnose the disability and a ARD/IEP must be developed. Children with Disabilities

Selection Criteria Points for Disabilities The child may ONLY receive 75 points for a diagnosed disability if you are given a copy of one of the following: –Current IEP (Individualized Education Plan) showing that the child requires special educational services –Current IFSP (Individualized Family Services Plan) A Head Start Child that has an IFSP that expired when s/he turned 3, but the child is not yet 4 years old can be given 50 pts, as long as you are given a copy of the following: –Expired IFSP (Individualized Family Services Plan) within last 12 months

Selection Criteria Points for Disabilities The following is not considered documentation of diagnosed disabilities according to the Office of Head Start: –Referral letter from physician or LEA- MUST be either an IEP or IFSP. –Medical diagnosis report- Children must be diagnosed by an education agency. Physicians don't count. –Parent's word that s/he has an IEP or IFSP at home- They MUST bring it with them and allow you to copy it for it to count as 75 pts

Selection Criteria Points for Disabilities If you do not have a copy of either a current IEP or IFSP IN YOUR HAND as you do the application, but the parent has concerns or thinks the child will qualify, the child can only be given 40 pts for a disability concern.

Selection Criteria Points for Disabilities The following are the types of disability concerns we can give pts for: –Speech impairment –Mental retardation –Hearing impairment –Visual impairment –Learning disabilities –Autism –Developmental delays

Selection Criteria Points for Disabilities Children should NOT receive any disability points for the following (UNLESS there is an IEP with the application): –Health Impairment –Orthopedic Impairment –Behavioral issues –Aggression If you have questions about whether a child should receive disability points, call the Mental Health & Disability Manager or Assistants for clarification!

Time Management Scheduling – Sites will be first option – People related to staff Contact person/s on declaration sheet, make appointment that day Be patient if management doesn’t return call in 5 min, call next person on list Contact Mary/myself last as we are working on ERSEA review