CSBG-DCL-2019-15 Office of Head Start Collaboration Initiative

Dear Colleagues,

We are excited to inform you of a renewed partnership at the federal level between the Office of Head Start (OHS) and the Office of Community Services (OCS). While collaboration between our offices is not new, the goals of this partnership are to reaffirm our common mission to support children and families with low-income as well as contribute to building strong communities. This partnership is critical, as approximately 531 Community Service Block Grant Community Action Agencies (CAA) are host to both Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

OHS in collaboration with OCS will leverage existing federal, regional, and state resources to strengthen agency and program effectiveness in areas of leadership, governance, fiscal, and data management. Additionally, we will promote collaboration, through enhanced communication and the development of relationships that support innovation and enhancement.

We will engage a broad range of stakeholders at the state, regional and local levels to further shape and inform this partnership. This engagement will include these joint activities:

• CSBG State Lead Agencies and State Community Action Associations will provide an opportunity for the Head Start State Collaboration Office (HSSCO) to review the CSBG State Training and Technical Assistance Plan to allow for increased understanding of common areas of needs and opportunities for collaboration and coordination in the planning and delivery of technical assistance;
   
• The OHS National Center on Program Management and Fiscal Operations will be the conduit for aligning Head Start Training and Technical Assistance opportunities (including OHS National Centers as appropriate) and sharing content knowledge and resources with CSBG sponsored training and technical centers;
   
• OCS will encourage the Human Capacity and Community Transformation (HCCT) Center of Excellence to collaborate with the Office of Head Start National Center on Program Management and Fiscal Operations (NCPMFO) to identify and develop combined training and technical assistance efforts to improve program leadership and enhance the development and implementation of sound management systems (e.g. oversight, coordination, fiduciary, and legal) benefiting both program areas;
   
• CSBG State Lead Agencies will encourage CAA’s to establish an integrative process for assessing community needs between Head Start and CSBG regardless of whether or not the CAA is a Head Start grantee; and,
   
• OHS and OCS will encourage the sharing of current monitoring/performance data and best practices with program leaders to develop proactive and coordinated strategies to address the economic and socially vulnerable circumstances of children, families, and in their communities.

Future efforts will include a joint national webinar to provide more details on this renewed partnership, opportunities for Head Start programs not located with CAA’s to establish partnerships in support of families they have in common, as well as opportunities to strengthen relationships among State CSBGs, State Associations, Head Start Collaboration Offices, and Regional Offices. Aligning stakeholder engagement would raise awareness, maximize resources, increase participation, and stabilize families.

Thank you for all you do every day to impact the lives of children and families in communities across the country.

Sincerely,

/s/                                                            /s/

Dr. Deborah Bergeron                           Clarence H. Carter
Director                                                  Acting Director
Office of Head Start                              Office of Community Services