Knox County Head Start Inc

COMMITTED TO THE FUTURE OF KNOX COUNTY AND ITS CHANGING AND DIVERSE NEEDS, KNOX COUNTY HEAD START WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE QUALITY PRESCHOOL, CHILDCARE, AND FAMILY SERVICES. CONT. ON SCHED O

HEAD START IS A FEDERALLY FUNDED, COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENTAL PRESCHOOL PROGRAM FOR INCOME ELIGIBLE CHILDREN AGES 3 - 5 AND THEIR FAMILIES. KNOX COUNTY HEAD START, INC. KCHS RECEIVES GRANTS FROM THE FEDERAL DEPT. OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FOR THE OPERATION OF THE PROGRAM. THERE IS NO FEE TO PARTICIPATE. IN THE 2020/2021 SCHOOL YEAR, KCHS SERVED 195 CHILDREN IN 181 FUNDED HEAD START SLOTS. CHILDREN SERVED RECEIVED SCREENINGS FOR HEALTH ISSUES, INCLUDING PHYSICALS, LEAD AND HEMOGLOBIN SCREENINGS, SPEECH, HEARING AND DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS DENTAL SCREENINGS AND MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS. SIXTY-FIVE CHILDREN, OR 36, REQUIRED FOLLOW UP MEDICAL CARE, AND ALL OF THOSE CHILDREN RECEIVED THE NEEDED FOLLOW UP CARE. FORTY-FOUR CHILDREN, OR 22 REQUIRED FOLLOW UP DENTAL CARE, AND 24 OF THOSE CHILDREN RECEIVED THE CARE NEEDED, FOR A FOLLOW UP RATE OF 55. THIRTY-FOUR 34 CHILDREN OR 17 WERE IDENTIFIED AS CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES RECEIVING SERVICES UNDER AN INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT PLAN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES.

EARLY HEAD START IS A FEDERALLY FUNDED, COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES WITH INFANTS, TODDLERS AND PREGNANT WOMEN. ITS MISSION IS TO PROMOTE HEALTHY PRENATAL OUTCOMES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN, TO ENHANCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF VERY YOUNG CHILDREN, AND TO PROMOTE HEALTHY FAMILY FUNCTIONING. KNOX COUNTY HEAD START IS FUNDED TO SERVE 60 INFANTS, TODDLERS AND PREGNANT WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES IN THE EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM AT ANY ONE TIME, AND 16 INFANTS AND TODDLERS IN THE EARLY HEAD START-EXPANSION AND CHILD CARE PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM . KCHS PROVIDED SERVICES TO 97 INFANTS AND TODDLERS AND TWO PREGNANT WOMEN IN THE 76 FUNDED SLOTS. KCHS IS FUNDED FOR 30 CENTER-BASED SLOTS, IN FULL DAY, FULL YEAR CENTERS IN FREDERICKTOWN, GAMBIER AND MOUNT VERNON, OHIO, PLUS TEN FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME SLOTS IN DANVILLE, HOWARD AND MOUNT VERNON. CENTER-BASED AND FAMILY CHILD CARE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED FROM TEN TO ELEVEN AND ONE-HALF HOURS PER DAY, FIVE DAYS PER WEEK. REFER TO SCHEDULE O FOR COMPLETE NARRATIVE.

THE CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR CHILDRENS MEALS FOR CHILDREN ATTENDING LICENSED CHILD CARE CENTERS, INCLUDING HEAD START, EARLY HEAD START AND CHILD CARE CLASSROOMS. KNOX COUNTY HEAD START ENSURES THAT CHILDREN PARTICIPATING IN ALL CLASSROOMS HAVE ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS MEALS, INCLUDING A VARIETY OF FOODS SERVED THAT INTRODUCE CHILDREN TO NEW FOOD OPTIONS AND OFFER BALANCED MEALS. MEALS ARE SERVED FAMILY STYLE TO ENCOURAGE CHILDRENS HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT. CHILDREN IN FULL DAY CLASSROOMS RECEIVE BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND SNACK. CHILDREN SERVED IN HALF-DAY PRESCHOOL CLASSROOMS RECEIVE EITHER BREAKFAST AND LUNCH IN MORNING CLASSROOMS OR LUNCH AND SNACK IN AFTERNOON CLASSROOMS. ADDITIONALLY, KCHS PROVIDES INFORMATION TO PARENTS ABOUT HEALTHY EATING AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE AND MOVEMENT AS PART OF BOTH THE HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMS.