Overview and Inventory of HHS Efforts to Assist Incarcerated and Reentering Individuals and their Families . Office of Head Start

Type of Activity: Demonstration and program services

Funding Mechanism: Head Start Innovation and Improvement Project Grant

Total Available Funding: (none at this time)

Number of Awards: 1

Award Amount: $999,917

Length of Project Period: 3 years (July 2008- June 2011)

Federal Partners: N/A

Summary: The Office of Head Start (OHS) funded the Family Support Division (FSD), within the Missouri Department of Social Services to support incarcerated fathers or fathers under supervision of the probation or parole system. The project, titled Fathers for Life was funded for three years (from 2005- 2008). Materials developed through the project will be available online free of charge for program use, beginning October 2010.

The program’s five primary objectives are to:

• Support children currently enrolled in Head Start/Early Head Start who have incarcerated fathers, and increase referrals of eligible children with incarcerated fathers into Head Start/Early Head Start.
• Provide parenting support to incarcerated fathers and fathers under supervision of probation/parole whose children are enrolled in or eligible to enroll in Head Start/Early Head Start.
• Improve family well-being for families of children enrolled in or eligible for Head Start/Early Head Start, whose fathers are incarcerated/on probation or parole.
• Provide training and resources to Head Start/Early Head Start teachers, service coordinators (ex. Family Advocates, Family Service Workers, etc.), and other professionals working with children of incarcerated parents and their families.
• Develop a statewide plan to address the effects of incarceration and poverty on young children and their families.

Background: The purpose of the grant was to strengthen low-income families with children that have incarcerated fathers or fathers under supervision of the probation and parole system.

Grantee: Missouri Department of Social Services

Location of Projects: Community Action Partnership of Greater St. Joseph; East Missouri Action Agency and Grace Hill Settlement House; Children's Therapy Center Early Head Start, Sedalia; YMCA-Kansas City; Head Start, Independence School District; Head Start, Kansas City; Ozark Area Community Action Agency Head Start, Springfield; Douglass Community Services Head Start, Hannibal; Northeast Mo. Community Action Agency Head Start, Kirksville; and South Central Mo. Community Action Agency Head Start, Winona

Evaluation Activities: Evaluation conducted by the University of Missouri Institute for Human Development. The final report was submitted to the Missouri Department of Social Services Family Support Division. Available online: http://www.fatherhood.org/Document.Doc?id=50

Future Prospects: Materials developed through the project is available online free of charge for program use

Contact:

Mia Hendricks
Program Analyst, Office of Head Start
Email: Mia.Hendricks@acf.hhs.gov
Phone: (202) 358-3245

Type of Activity: Head Start and Early Head Start Program Services

Funding Mechanism: Ongoing Head Start grant

Total Available Funding: Amounts allocated by grantees in their ongoing Head Start grant

Number of Awards: N/A

Award Amount: No special awards have been made — Grantees utilize their ongoing Head Start grant to serve this group of individuals.

Length of Project Period: Head Start grants are refunded annually

Federal Partners: Office of Head Start

Summary:Almost all Head Start/Early Head Start programs enroll children of incarcerated/formerly incarcerated families. For example, Region VI reports that 2,224 of the children enrolled in the 2008-09 school year had an incarcerated parent. Due to the requirements regarding income eligibility, Region VI grantees typically serve at least 1 or 2 children of incarcerated individuals per school year. Some grantees report higher numbers, 3 to 4 children.

Background: See above

Examples of current grantees: See entries for Region VI Incarcerated Parents Outreach Programs and Puget Sound Educational Service District.

Location(s) of Projects: N/A

Evaluation Activities: Grantees evaluate services and referrals for all families, including those with incarcerated/formerly incarcerated parents, by implementing family partnership agreements and follow-up activities.

Future Prospects: Grantees should continue to serve this population as a part of their ongoing Head Start funding allocations. We are not aware of the availability of any special one-time appropriations from the Office of Head Start.

Contact:

Susan Johnston
Regional Program Manager, Region VI 
Phone: (214)767-8844
Email: susan.johnston@acf.hhs.gov

Amanda Bryans
Director, Education and Comprehensive Services Division
Phone: (202) 205-9380
Email: Amanda.bryans@acf.hhs.gov

Type of Activity: Program services

Funding Mechanism: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) — Early Head Start Expansion

Total Available Funding: $2 Million

Number of Awards: 2

Award Amount: FY2010 - $1,017,411

FY2011 - $1,079,820

*A portion of the award amount will be used to support the Incarcerated Parents Outreach Program

Length of Project Period: November, 2009 - September, 2011. (The program has operated for 11 years with non-federal funds. AARA expansion funding will support the project for a two year period)

Federal Partners: N/A

Summary:The "locally designed" Jamesville Correctional and Early Head Start Program serve a total of 16 inmates and their children who reside in the community with relatives or in foster care homes.  Jamesville is a facility that incarcerates males and females, both of whom are enrolled in Early Head Start program.   Incarcerated women who are pregnant are enrolled into the program to be educated about parenthood and appropriate self-care.  Newborn children are allowed to stay with their mother at the facility for a maximum of one year.  All Early Head Start children and their custodial parent or guardians receive transportation to socializations that are held at the facility twice a month. 

The Family Advocates work individually with the incarcerated parent and complete weekly home visits with the families/ children in the community.  During the socializations, child development, parent/ child interaction activities and educational activities are conducted. 

The grantee employs a Transitional Family Advocate to work with inmates as they are transitioning back into the community.  The Transitional Family Advocate assists with locating housing, employment and of course works to ensure regular contact with the Early Head Start enrolled child.  This person works with a caseload of 26 inmates.

Background: See Above

Current Grantee: PEACE, Inc.

Location of Projects: Syracuse, NY

Evaluation Activities: N/A

Future Prospects: As a result of AARA expansion funding the grantee expanded the number of slots, education sessions, and monthly socialization sessions to four per month.

Contact:

Ms. Jernois Ridley
Head Start Director, PEACE, Inc.
Phone: (315) 470-3300
Email: jernois.ridley@peace-caa.org

Type of Activity:  Program services

Funding Mechanism:: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) — Head Start Expansion

Total Available Funding: $1.3 Million

Number of Awards: 2

Award Amount: FY2010 - $714,000

FY2011 - $641,920

*A portion of the award amount will be used to support the Incarcerated Parents Outreach Program

Length of Project Period: September, 2009 - September 2011 (The overall program has operated since January 2010. AARA expansion funding will support the project for a two year period.)

Federal Partners:  N/A

Summary:Through the availability of Head Start ARRA expansion funds, Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc. Head Start implemented a model for an un-served and "High Risk" populations that included families that are homeless, involved with kinship or have a family member that is Incarcerated  or involved with Probation. Through this initiative, formal partnerships have been formed with the local Chautauqua County Jail and Chautauqua County Probation Department. The program is fully enrolled and includes 54 center-based and 24 home-based slots.

Family services are coordinated through an inter-agency Multi Disciplinary Team (MDT) that includes Self Sufficiency Facilitators and Licensed Social Workers. They provide strength based and outcome based services to families.  Baseline data has been obtained on all families through evidence based measurement system utilizing a family matrix system. The matrices evaluate families in life areas such as employment, housing, education, legal issues, physical and mental health, substance abuse, and relationships. Family progress will continue to be measured along continuums of care that range from "in Crisis" to "thriving" which will allow for ongoing outcome measurement of family progress.

"Long Distance Dads" is a curriculum that is being utilized with incarcerated fathers of Head Start children that will maintain communication and foster positive relationships.

Background: See Above

Current Grantees: Chautauqua Opportunities

Location of Projects: Dunkirk, NY

Evaluation Activities: N/A

Future Prospects: See Above

Contact:

Ms. Kathleen Webster
Head Start Director, Chautauqua Opportunities
Phone: (716) 366-3333
Email: kwebster@chautoppp.org

Type of Activity: Program Services

Funding Mechanism: The primary funding source is a portion of the Early Head Start (EHS) federal funds given to Puget Sound ESD (10CH0104). The women who have their children in the child care center also receive Working Connections Child Care subsidies through Washington State. The Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) contributes staff time as well as facilities and maintenance costs associated with the parent living space, the child care center, parent meeting space and staff office space.

Total Available Funding: Total amount for the EHS grant is $1,655,838 for operations (PA25) and $41,396 for Training and Technical Assistance (PA1126) to serve 125 total children. The EHS WCCW partnership will serve 8 pregnant women/children in FY11 using approximately $220,000.

Number of Awards: 1

Award Amount: Same as total available funding

Length of Project Period: Ongoing discretionary EHS funding

Federal Partners: EHS and Child Care (through State Subsidies)

There are also many community partnerships that contribute to the success of this program including:

• Rebuilding families: Community volunteers offer transitional support to women releasing to Pierce, Kitsap and King Counties
• Baby Read: Washington State Library volunteer coordinates early literacy program where WCCW staff volunteer off-duty time to read and sing with children on J Unit and in the Child Development Center
• Doula Volunteers: Weekly childbirth preparation classes and childbirth support

Summary: The incarcerated mothers who enroll their child in EHS at WCCW are first chosen to be part of the Residential Parenting Program ( RPP). RPP is a collaborative effort between Puget Sound ESD Early Head Start and the Department of Corrections and is the only on-site state licensed child development center funded by Early Head Start.

Eligibility to enter the RPP program includes:

• Must be pregnant before becoming incarcerated
• Must be classified as minimum custody
• Must be willing to meet program standards
• Must be eligible for release by the time the child reaches thirty months old

Home based services include:

• Enrolled prenatally with bi-weekly home visits
• Weekly home visits when baby is born
• New Moms Group (socializationgroup) meets twice monthly

Center based services include:

• State-licensed childcare with WCCC childcare subsidy
• One month and older when Mom returns to "programming"
• Monthly home visits

Background: The WCCW RPP and Early Head Start program began in 1999. It is seen in the community as a model program that reduces recidivism, increases mother/child bonding and attachment, and positively affects many inmates and staff at WCCW.

Current grantee: Puget Sound Educational Service District

Location(s) of Projects: Gig Harbor, WA

Evaluation Activities: N/A at this time.

Future Prospects: The program will continue as it is now as long as Early Head Start and state corrections funding is available. It has served over 100 babies and their mothers. Because of space restrictions in the prison, there are no plans to expand this program.

Contact:

Melissa Calhoun
OHS Program Specialist, Region X
Phone: (206)615-2557
Email: melissa.calhoun@acf.hhs.gov