West Virginia Head Start
State Collaboration Project

Purpose:

The purpose of the Head Start State Collaboration Project is to create a visible presence at the state level which can assist in the development of significant, multi-agency and public-private partnerships between Head Start and all interested groups.  These partnerships are intended to:

• help build early childhood systems and access to comprehensive services and support for all low income children;

• encourage widespread collaboration between Head Start and other appropriate programs, services and initiatives and to augment Head Start's capacity to be a partner in state initiatives on behalf of children and their families; and

• facilitate the involvement of Head Start in state policies, plans, processes, and decisions affecting the Head Start target population and other low-income families.

Project Information:

The Head Start Collaboration Project in West Virginia is housed in the Governor's Cabinet on Children and Families.  The Project Coordinator is William Huebner.  The location of the Head Start State Collaboration Project in the Governor's Cabinet on Children and Families represents a partnership between the Governor's Office, the West Virginia Head Start Association, and the Governor's Cabinet on Children and Families.

Funding:

An annual federal grant in the amount of $100,000 funds the Head Start State Collaboration Project.  As of June 1, 2001, this base grant will increase to $125,000.  Along with these federal funds comes a requirement to provide a 25% match.  In addition, each year the Collaboration Project is eligible to apply to compete for supplemental funds up to $50,000 for special projects.  For each of the past four years the Collaboration Project was awarded $50,000 in additional funds.   The first two years of these grants were utilized for the development of the Early Care and Education Professional Development System.  During the past two years these funds were utilized for the development of the WV Educare initiative.  Another supplemental grant application was just submitted to further the work of the WV Educare initiative and support local communities in planning for collaborative early care and education programs.

Priority Areas:

There are eight federally mandated priority areas which the Collaboration Project must address as they relate to the needs in each particular state:  Public Education, Child Care, Children's Health, Family Literacy, Children with Disabilities, Welfare Reform, Homeless Families, National Volunteer Initiatives.

Project Goals:

The WV Head Start State Collaboration Project utilizes the federally mandated priority areas along with the purpose statement to develop an annual work plan to guide the work of the project.  This work plan is developed in conjunction with the Collaboration Project Steering Committee and the West Virginia Head Start Association.  The following are the goals of the Collaboration Project from the annual work plan:

• Goal 1:  To continue to reduce the duplication of services, extend limited resources, and create initiatives on behalf of low income children and their families taking into account the seven Collaboration Project priority areas:  public education, health, child care, welfare reform, children with disabilities, family literacy, and national service activities.

• Goal 2:  Strengthen the working relationships between Head Start programs and other public and private agencies and organizations to better meet the needs of young children and families at the local level.

• Goal 3:  To support the West Virginia Head Start Association's growth and development as a viable association, integrally involved in collaborative initiatives throughout the state.

• Goal 4:  Promote the expansion of Head Start and Head Start-like services to be made available to more low income children and families.

• Goal 5:  To provide mechanisms at the regional and state levels for Head Start to have input into decisions that promote collaboration in planning, implementing, and evaluating early childhood and family development programs.

• Goal 6:  To maintain a system to gather and disseminate information about Head Start programs as a point of contact for agencies ad planners seeking information about the Head Start population and the services that are provided.

Contact Information:

Lena Rapp, Director
WV Head Start Collaboration Office
Office of Children and Family Policy
WV Department of Health and Human Resources
350 Capitol Street, Room B-18
Charleston, WV  25301

Phone: (304)558-4638
Fax: (304)558-8800

Email: lenarapp@wvdhhr.org
 

Other Web Site Information:

Head Start Bureau:  www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/hsb/
National Head Start Association:  www.nhsa.org
West Virginia Head Start Association:  www.wvhsa.org