Region 2 fulfills ACF’s mission of improving the health and well-being of families, children, individuals, and community service providers by providing federal leadership, partnership, and resources for the compassionate and effective delivery of human services. Region 2 is comprised of 9 offices, including the Immediate Office of the Regional Administrator.
Immediate Office of the Regional Administrator
The Immediate Office of the Regional Administrator (IORA) operates under the direction of the Office of Regional Operations (ORO), which guides the regional implementation of ACF’s programs and high priority, cross cutting initiatives to states, territories, tribes and grantees.
The IORA is headed by the Regional Administrator who provides regional leadership, communication and coordination for ACF staff in the regional offices.
The IORA:
- Represents the Assistant Secretary in the regions, including with state human service commissioners and other national, regional and local leadership
- Provides leadership and implementation for high priority, cross cutting, results-based strategic initiatives and public-private partnerships to support ACF priorities and state and local reform efforts
- Convenes government and community leaders to facilitate the development and modification of programs and activities that support ACF initiatives and priorities related to family strengthening and self-sufficiency goals and outcomes
- Oversees regional emergency response and recovery through state relations and supervision of the Regional Emergency Management Specialists
- Works to strengthen partnerships with other HHS operating divisions, federal agencies, states, tribes, territories, cities and communities on which ACF Programs depend
Contact: Alfonso Nicholas, Regional Administrator
Email: alfonso.nicholas@acf.hhs.gov
Office Phone: 646-905-8141
ACF Regional Programs
The program offices have specialized missions supporting initiatives that empower people and improve access to services. The program offices fund awards to state, territory, and local governments, non-profit groups, faith and community-based organizations, American Indian tribes, and Native American and indigenous communities. They also provide technical assistance, guidance, and overall supervision to grantees responsible for direct delivery of services.
Region 2 supports:
- 8 federally recognized tribes
- 47 Head Start only grants providing services to 12,397 children
- 29 Early Head Start only grants providing services to 3,201 infants, toddlers, and pregnant women
- 116 Head Start & Early Head Start grants providing services to 55,389 children and 14,646 infants, toddlers, and pregnant women
- 30 Early Head Start/Child Care Partnership grants authorized to provide services to 4,009 children
- 3 State Collaborations grants
- 50 runaway and homeless youth grants which represent 33 grantees
- 6 title IV-B programs (4 state and 2 tribal jurisdictions)
- 4 Court Improvement Program grantees
Children's Bureau Regional Program
The Children’s Bureau (CB) focuses on improving the lives of children and families through programs that reduce child abuse and neglect, increase the number of adoptions, and strengthen foster care.
The regional program office:
- Monitors child welfare programs and provide technical assistance to states and tribes.
- Provides programmatic oversight and technical assistance to the Court Improvement Project and Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention grantees
- Collaborates with ACF CB central office, regional programs, and other parties on significant program and policy matters
The CB regional program office is headed by the Regional Program Manager who reports to the CB Director.
Regional Contact: Shari Brown, Regional Program Manager
Email: shari.brown@acf.hhs.gov
Office Phone: 646-905-8217
Family & Youth Services Bureau Regional Program
The Family & Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) supports the organizations and communities that work every day to put an end to youth homelessness, adolescent pregnancy and domestic violence.
The regional program office administers grants and provide program and technical support in the three program areas to states, Tribal and community organizations.
The FYSB regional program is headed by the Regional Program Manager who reports to the Commissioner within the Office of Administration on Children, Youth and Families.
Regional Contact: Keith Wallace, Regional Program Manager
Email: keith.wallace@acf.hhs.gov
Office Phone: 214-767-8870
Office of Child Care Regional Program
The Office of Child Care (OCC) supports low-income working families through child care financial assistance and promotes children's learning by improving the quality of early care and education and afterschool programs.
The regional program office:
- Provides centralized program and technical administration of CCB block and discretionary programs
- Collaborates with ACF central office, regional programs, states and other grantees on all significant policy matters
The OCC regional program is headed by the Regional Program Manager who reports to the Director of OCC.
Regional Contact: Shonda Laurel, Regional Program Manager
Email: shonda.laurel@acf.hhs.gov
Office Phone: 646-905-8157
Office of Child Support Services Regional Program
The Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) partners with federal, state, tribal and local governments and others to promote parental responsibility so that children receive support from both parents even when they live in separate households.
The regional program office:
- Provides program and technical administration of OCSS entitlement and discretionary programs
- Collaborates with ACF central office, states, tribes and other grantees on all significant program and policy matters
The OCSS regional program office is headed by the Regional Program Manager who reports to the OCSS Deputy Director/Commissioner.
Regional Contact: DeMarco Mitchener, Regional Program Manager
Email: demarco.mitchener@acf.hhs.gov
Office Phone: (212) 264-5768
Office of Family Assistance Regional Program
The Office of Family Assistance (OFA) administers several key federal grant programs, including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Tribal programs, Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood, and Health Profession Opportunity Grants.
The OFA regional program is headed by the Regional Program Manager who reports to the Director of Regional and Tribal TANF Management.
Regional Contact: Shantel Mickens, Regional Program Manager
Email: shantel.mickens@acf.hhs.gov
Office Phone: 646-905-8143
Office of Grants Management
ACF’s national Office of Grants Management (OGM) went through a “modernization” and is no longer considered regionally-based; rather OGM has shifted to a Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System basis. As a result, OGM is now divided into 7 distinct Divisions:
- Health Promotion Grants
- School Readiness Grants
- Community Strengthening Grants
- Family Protection and Resilience Grants
- Economic Independence Grants
- Innovation and Improvement Grants
- Risk Mitigation and Compliance
The OGM directly administers, manages, provides financial stewardship, and technical guidance to more than 60 ACF programs totaling over $50 billion annually. Oversight is for discretionary and mandatory grants, and cooperative agreements. The OGM is also responsible for ensuring audit resolution.
Regional Contact: David Kadan, Grants Management Officer (School Readiness)
Phone: 202-868-9764
Email: david.kadan@acf.hhs.gov
Office of Head Start Regional Program
The Office of Head Start (OHS) manages grant funding and oversees local agencies providing Head Start services. Head Start promotes school readiness of children under five from low-income families through education, health, social, and other services.
The regional program office:
- Oversees the day-to-day management of Head Start grantees and the provision of technical assistance
- Provides centralized program and technical administration of OHS discretionary programs
- Collaborates with OHS state collaboration projects on all significant policy matters
The OHS regional program is headed by the Regional Program Manager who reports to the OHS Program Operations Division.
Regional Contact: Jorge Saenz De Viteri, Regional Program Manager
Email: jorge.saenzdeviteri@acf.hhs.gov
Office Phone: 646-905-8075
Office of Refugee Resettlement Regional Program
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) promotes the health, well-being, and stability of refugees, unaccompanied children, and other eligible individuals and families, through culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and strengths-based services. ORR has two key bureaus. The Unaccompanied Children Bureau serves unaccompanied children, and the Refugee Program Bureau supports all populations eligible for resettlement services.
Both bureaus have regional offices and representatives. They provide technical assistance and training, conduct outreach to ensure access to services, and collaborate with the head office, states, and other stakeholders on significant programmatic and policy matters.
Regional contacts:
- Refugee Program Bureau: DRAPrograms@acf.hhs.gov
- Unaccompanied Children Bureau: UCRegRep@acf.hhs.gov