North Dakota Head Start Association

Dear All,

On May 18th, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson officially announced the
Head Start program in the White House Rose Garden. And that summer of
1965, Head Start was launched, serving over 560,000 children and families
across America in an eight- week summer program.

The Department of Human Services Public Relations coordinator, Heather
Steffl, will be preparing a new release to go out statewide within the
hour. If I get any inquiries from the media, I will answer what question
from the talking point prepared by NDHSA and then refer the reporters to
the local Head Start/Early Head Start program directors in their area.

Wow! What a legacy! Please know how deeply appreciated you and your
program staff are to all of us who join in the celebration and recognition
of your efforts on behalf of the children and their families in North
Dakota!

Linda Rorman, Head Start-State Collaboration Administrator
Children & Family Services Division
North Dakota Department of Human Services
600 East Boulevard Avenue - # 325
Bismarck, North Dakota 58505
Ph: (701) 328-1711 Fax: (701) 328-3538
Toll Free: 1-800-245-3736 TTY: (701) 328-3480
www.state.nd.us/humanservices/services/childfamily/headstart/

North Dakota Head Start - State Collaboration Project

The federal supplemental funds are intended to help the overall goals of the Head Start-State Collaboration Office, which are to:
1. Assist in building early childhood systems and access to comprehensive services and support for all low-income children;

2. Encourage collaboration between Head Start and other programs and services (including health care, welfare, child care, education, family literacy, community services, services to children with disabilities and homeless children) and;

3. Facilitate the involvement of Head Start in State policies, plans, processes and initiatives affecting the Head Start target population and other low-income families.

The Head Start-State Collaboration Project is charged with addressing nine priority areas:

Improve the availability and affordability of quality child care
Increase opportunities for children with disabilities
Expand partnerships with school systems
Strengthen family literacy services
Promote access to timely health care services
Support access for homeless children
Collaborate with existing community services activities
Encourage collaboration with welfare systems
Support career development in early care and education

The Collaboration Office will continue to maintain and expand the interwoven support network throughout the state, programs, which provide services to low-income children and their families. The Collaboration Office will continue to develop and enhance the private/public partnerships needed to extend service to young children and their families. As additional private and public partnerships are identified, developed and strengthened, the following information describes the proposed funding activities:

1. Training and Professional Development.

2. Unified Planning for Early Childhood Education and Childcare.