PA Head Start State Collaboration Office
The Pennsylvania Head Start State Collaboration Office (PA HSSCO) is located at the PA Key in Harrisburg, and is funded federally by the Office of Head Start in a grant to the PA Department of Public Welfare, Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL).
Nationally
The Head Start Act establishes the Collaboration Offices in every state to assist and support Head Start Grantees in meeting the requirements of the Head Start and further designates eight priority areas in which the Collaboration Office works to facilitate a coordinated approach to planning and service delivery:
- Child care
- Public education
- Children with special needs
- Family literacy
- Welfare
- National and community services
- Homelessness
- Health care
Pennsylvania contributes to the work of the PA HSSCO in order to facilitate coordination with the early childhood initiatives sponsored by the Office of Child Development.
Pennsylvania
The purpose of the Head Start-State Collaboration Office is to create a visible partnership at the state level to support the development of multi-agency and public/private partnerships. These partnerships are intended to:
- assist in building early childhood systems and access to comprehensive services and support for all low-income children;
- create opportunities for Head Start to partner with state and local agencies in initiatives that impact children and their families; and
- facilitate the involvement of Head Start in state and local policies, plans, processes, and decisions affecting children and families.
PA HSSCO Staff:
Director
Sue Mitchell
Chief, Bureau of Early Learning Services
Office of Child Development & Early Learning
333 Market Street, 6th floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
susmitchel@state.pa.us
717-787-7489 phone - 717-783-8230 fax
Early Childhood Project Manager:
Tracey Campanini
PA Key
301 Market Street, 9th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17101
tracam@berksiu.org
717-213-2066 phone - 717-213-0584 fax
Pennsylvania Head Start Association (PHSA)
The Pennsylvania Head Start Association and the PA HSSCO work in partnership to further the goals of the Collaboration Office as well as those of PHSA. The Pennsylvania Head Start Association is a non-profit organization actively involved in improving the lives of families and children, particularly those with low-income.
PHSA functions as an advocacy organization for Head Start programs, families, staff, and administrators in Pennsylvania. Leadership from the PA HSSCO and PHSA meet regularly in a variety of settings in order to keep lines of communication flowing in a positive direction and developing strategies to facilitate the involvement of Head Start in state and local policies, plans, processes, and decisions affecting low-income children and families.
In addition to PHSA, the PA HSSCO also maintains active communication and coordinates its activities with those sponsored by the ACF Region III Head Start office, particularly in conjunction with staff members from ICF Caliber who offer support to local Head Start grantees. Staff members from the PA HSSCO, ICF Caliber, PHSA, and the regional office meet three times per year to discuss and strategize coordinated efforts of support for Head Start grantees and their partners.
Click here for more information on the Pennsylvania Head Start Association
Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program
In addition to federal funds, $40 million in state funding for Head Start services is allocated to 48 of the Head Start grantees to provide services to approximately 5,800 children in the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program (HSSAP).
The PA HSSCO works to ensure the effective implementation of this program as one of the state’s strategies for building early childhood systems and access to comprehensive services and support for low-income children. The HSSAP requires that grantees follow the Head Start Performance Standards when serving state-funded children. In addition, partnerships with child care, preschools, and intermediate units are an integral part of the HSSAP. This year, the HSSAP grantees also are participating in the state’s quality Pre-K initiative, Keystone STARS.
The HSSAP funding is awarded through the PA Department of Education (PDE) to provide services to additional children eligible for Head Start (Priority 1), or to extend the amount of services (length of day, number of days per year) for federally enrolled children (Priority 2). The HSSCO administers the Head Start State Supplemental Assistance Program through PDE, the PA Key, and the Berks County Intermediate Unit.
Check out the PA Department of Education Website for more information about the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program.