EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM RECEIVES FUNDING

Council on Rural Services has received notice of funding for expansion of Early Head Start services in our nine county service area. The Council on Rural Services Head Start expansion program was one of only eleven agencies funded in Ohio.

Three of our counties received additional funding for both center-based and home-based services and five other counties received additional funding for home-based services. In these eight counties, our research indicated areas of urgent need and little or no current services for these families. This grant is funded through the Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

In Darke County, the grant will expand services to 12 additional children and families throughout the county using a home base model. Enrollment and services will begin within the next few weeks.

The approval of these funds will allow for early intervention and individualized services beginning with the pregnant mothers’ healthy prenatal outcomes. The program will also provide seamless services for an additional 156 young children aged birth through three years and their families in the eight county areas. The early childhood services include high-quality and comprehensive learning experiences that enhance infant and toddler development and promote healthy family functioning. It will be offered by the Council on Rural Services through their Kids Learning Place™ centers.

Council on Rural Services has a 33 year history of developing and offering early education services in west central Ohio. We continue our commitment to the development of strong partnerships with other local service agencies, in order to deliver the best services available to enhance every child’s needs. This expansion grant will enable the agency to hire approximately 35-40 new employees for support services in the areas where the new children will be enrolled,

The Early Head Start program also includes responding to young children with disabilities. Research shows the earlier a child is identified as having a developmental delay or disability, the greater the likelihood that the child will benefit from intervention strategies. For children aged birth through 3 these are the critical years for early intervention

The home base program uses Parents as Teachers-Born to Learn Curriculum™ and the classrooms use The Creative Curriculum™, both are aligned with Ohio’s Early Learning Content Standards. The children will develop, grow, and learn to embrace possibilities all though their life that supports a sense of self, taking responsibility for self and others, and behaving in a pro-social way.

If you need more information about Early Head Start at Council on Rural Services or our other early childhood education programs, Kids Learning Place, Gateway Youth Program, or HandsOn West Central Ohio, check the Web site at www.councilonruralservices.org or call 937-778-5220.