Federal Final Rule on Head Start Regulatory Changes
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Department has released a final rule regarding regulatory changes to the Head Start Program Performance Standards. Changes to the rule include requirements for wages and benefits, breaks for staff, and enhanced support for staff health and wellness.
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The changes to the Head Start Program Performance Standards are aimed at supporting and stabilizing the Head Start workforce and improving the quality of services that its programs provide to children and families.
Changes also include enhancements to mental health services to better integrate mental health into every aspect of program service delivery. Enhancements are included in the areas of family service worker family assignments, identifying and meeting community needs, ensuring child safety, services for pregnant women, and alignment with state early childhood systems.
The changes also include minor clarifications to promote better transparency and clarity of understanding for grant recipients.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) released a statement praising the Department of Health and Human Services for its Final Rule. NAEYC noted that the rule would strengthen the Head Start workforce.
About Head Start
The federal Head Start program provides early education and other comprehensive services to more than half a million children, prenatal to age 5, in center- and home-based settings across the country.
It is a leader in providing high-quality services that support the development of children from low-income families, helping them enter kindergarten more prepared to succeed in school and life.
Dates
The compliance date for many of the requirements in the final rule is Oct. 21, which is 60 days after it was published in the Federal Register. However, some of the requirements involve programs that might need more time to implement the regulatory changes.
For further information, call 202-240-3901 or email Jessica.Bialecki@acf.hhs.gov. The details of the final rule can be found on the Federal Register’s website.