SUBJECT:
Eligibility: age of child, family income, and immunization status.
PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE:
Eligibility for Early Head
Start and Head Start is based on a child’s age, family size and income that meet
the federal regulations to ensure the program is providing education services to
age-eligible children from low-income families. All children entering Head Start
preschool centers must also have complete immunizations according to the State
of California Community Care Licensing requirements. (Health and Safety Code,
Division 105, Part 2, Chapter 1, Sections 120325-120380; California Code of
Regulations, Title 17, Division 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter 8, Sections 6000-6075)
ATCAA Early Childhood Services operates both Head
Start and California State Preschool Programs. Due to this dual funding there is
a two stage application process for Head Start eligible families who wish to
enroll in a program that provides state services.
OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE:
Eligibility Application Intake:
-
In accordance with Head Start
Regulations for age requirements, families enrolling in Head Start must
present a birth certificate or other official document to verify each
child’s age. The Family Advocates or Home Visitors will screen all
eligibility applications to verify that each child is age eligible. Head
Start enrolling children must be at least three years old by December 2nd.
December 2nd is the age-eligibility date for public schools in
Amador and Tuolumne counties. Early Head Start enrolling children need to be
between the ages of zero and three.
-
There are no age requirements for pregnant
mothers who wish to participate in Early Head Start services.
-
To verify income, families will
submit documentation of their gross family income such as Tax Forms: 1040 or
W2, TANF documentation, pay stubs, unemployment, statement from employer,
foster care reimbursement, SSI, or other documentation used as proof of
their income status. The Family Advocates or Home Visitors will verify that
proper income documentation is submitted.
-
Families will submit Immunization
Records for each enrolling child. The Family Advocate or Home Visitor will
screen immunization records to see that they are current. The State of
California Community Care Licensing board sets requirements for immunization
of children.
Eligibility
Application Processing Steps:
1. Management
Assistant, Family Advocates, and Home Visitors will collect all intake
information: eligibility application, income
and birth
certificate. Documents will be date stamped and initialed before being
placed in the mailbox of the center or home base program of parental choice.
2. Families
that walk into the office or centers will be assisted by the staff to
complete the eligibility application on site. If a family calls the center
or Home Base, the Family Advocate or Home Visitor will make an appointment
to complete the eligibility application. If unable to contact the family an
“incomplete notice” will be mailed to the family that requests the
additional documents needed. The “Consent to Exchange Confidential
Information” form will be included, if needed to assist the family in
obtaining the required documentation. If the family cannot come to the site,
and needs assistance, the staff member will make a family visit to complete
the eligibility application. The Family Advocate or Home Visitor will
discuss with the family all options available to them.
3. If
a non-English proficient family calls or walks in, then the appropriate
language interpreter will be called immediately. If the interpreter is not
available, then the name and phone number of the family will be recorded on
the Family Contact form and placed in the appropriate interpreter’s mailbox.
The staff member accepting the eligibility application will immediately
notify the interpreter. The interpreter will contact the family within 5
days.
4. Family
Advocates or Home Visitors will track their center or home base programs
eligibility applications on the AppTrack form, attach the cover sheet
checklist, and send the family a “received eligibility application” postcard
including their contact information.
5. Family
Advocates or Home Visitors will verify that the eligibility application and
all required documents are complete and attached. They will follow-up on any
incomplete documents by calling, sending a letter or making a home visit to
the family. They will sign and date the cover sheet checklist as it applies.
6. Family
Advocates or Home Visitors will place the completed eligibility applications
in the Eligibility Specialist’s mailbox located in Sonora and Jackson Early
Childhood Services main offices. (Please note that during the summer months
when centers are closed and staff is limited that designees will follow the
same above procedures)
7. Once
a week the Eligibility Specialist will “batch” the eligibility applications;
verify age of child, family size and calculate income. Verification will be
completed by signing the Early Head Start/Head Start Eligibility
Verification form following these guidelines:
7.1
The Eligibility Specialist will verify the family size and income
eligibility of each family according to federal poverty guidelines. As a best
practice, the Eligibility Manager will re-verify the income eligibility and make
the final decision of eligibility.
a.
Priority will be given to children from low-income families:
i.
Below Federal Poverty Guidelines;
ii.
Public assistance, SSI, Homeless, or Foster Care
b.
Up to 10% of total enrollment may include children that exceed the
federal poverty guidelines who are not eligible under (a)(i) or (ii)
c.
An additional 35% of total enrollment may include children 100%-130% of
the federal poverty guidelines who are not eligible under (a)(i) or (ii) and
meet the additional Head Start requirements as listed in the Head Start Act:
Sec. 645.(a)(1)(B)(iii)(II)(aa) &(bb).
8.
The Eligibility Specialist completes the Eligibility Points worksheet
applying the appropriate priority points according to the ATCAA Early
Childhood Services Selection Process/Criteria, as approved by the Parent
Policy Council. The eligibility application is then sent to the Eligibility
Manager.
9.
Once a week, the Eligibility Manager will “batch” the completed
eligibility applications; re-verify age of child, family size, income
calculations, and priority points. Re-verification will be completed by
signing the Early Head Start/Head Start Eligibility Verification form and
the Eligibility Points worksheet. Family is then notified, within 10 days by
mail or phone call, of their eligibility status.
10.
When the eligibility applications and support documents are
determined to be complete and re-verified by the Eligibility Manager the
family name will be entered onto the computer tracking system to check for
any duplications, if none, then the family will have their data entered and
the child will go onto the wait list with the established priority status
points applied.
11. If
a family calls to inquire about their eligibility application, enrollment
status or to update information, then the staff member will direct them to
the person responsible for that eligibility application, who will then call
the family.
12. If
the family is no longer interested, has moved out of the area, or is no longer
eligible (perhaps due to the child’s age), then the eligibility application is
abandoned and filed in the abandoned file drawer. Abandoned eligibility
applications can be re-activated if family circumstances have changed and
eligibility has been re-established.
13.
The Family Advocate or Home Visitor will notify the Eligibility
Management Staff when they have an opening.
14.
The Eligibility Management Staff will keep all completed eligibility
applications in a locked file drawer until an opening occurs. When an
opening occurs, the Eligibility Management Staff will distribute the
approved eligibility application to the center or home base with the
opening.
15.
Family Advocates and Home Visitors make the enrollment opening offer
to the parent/guardian, and once the offer is accepted, follow-up on
additional documentation including immunizations before the child may enter.
16.
Eligibility Staff will verify any new income and immunizations
collected at this time.
17.
The Family Advocate or Home Visitor will set up
an
appointment with the parent/guardian and complete
the enrollment process.
18.
The Family Advocate will prepare a "New Enrollment" form for the
teacher to announce that a new child will be entering the class.
For additional information, see the
Service Area Plan
and
Eligibility application flow chart.