2.4 Lead Agency Outreach to Families Experiencing Homelessness, Families with Limited English Proficiency, and Persons with Disabilities

The Lead Agency must conduct outreach and provide services to families with limited English proficiency, families experiencing homelessness, and persons with disabilities. 2.4.1 Families with limited English proficiency and persons with disabilities: outreach and services a. Check the strategies the Lead Agency or partners utilize to conduct outreach and provide services to eligible families with limited English proficiency. Check all that apply. i. [x] Application in languages other than English (application and related documents, brochures, provider notices). ii. [x] Informational materials in languages other than English. iii. [x] Website in languages other than English. iv. [x] Lead Agency accepts applications at local community-based locations. v. [x] Bilingual caseworkers or translators available. vi. [x] Bilingual outreach workers. vii. [x] Partnerships with community-based organizations. viii. [ ] Collaboration with Head Start, Early Head Start, or Migrant and Seasonal Head Start. ix. [ ] Home visiting programs. x. [ ] Other. Describe: b. Check the strategies the Lead Agency or partners utilize to conduct outreach and provide services to eligible families with a person(s) with a disability. Check all that apply. i. [ ] Applications and public informational materials available in braille and other communication formats for access by individuals with disabilities. ii. [x] Websites that are accessible (e.g., Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act). iii. [x] Caseworkers with specialized training/experience in working with individuals with disabilities. iv. [x] Ensuring accessibility of environments and activities for all children. v. [x] Partnerships with State and local programs and associations focused on disability- related topics and issues. vi. [x] Partnerships with parent associations, support groups, and parent-to-parent support groups, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) federally funded Parent Training and Information Centers. vii. [x] Partnerships with State and local IDEA Part B, Section 619 and Part C providers and agencies. viii. [ ] Availability and/or access to specialized services (e.g., mental health, behavioral specialists, therapists) to address the needs of all children. ix. [ ] Other. Describe: 2.4.2 Families experiencing homelessness: Outreach and technical assistance efforts a. Check, where applicable, the procedures used to conduct outreach for children experiencing homelessness and their families. i. [x] Lead Agency accepts applications at local community-based locations. ii. [x] Partnerships with community-based organizations. iii. [x] Partnering with homeless service providers, McKinney-Vento liaisons, and others who work with families experiencing homelessness to provide referrals to child care. iv. [ ] Other. Describe: b. The Lead Agency must provide training and technical assistance (TA) to providers and appropriate Lead Agency (or designated entity) staff on identifying and serving children and families experiencing homelessness. i. Describe the Lead Agency’s training and TA efforts for providers in identifying and serving children and their families experiencing homelessness. The Early Childhood Training Center (ECTC) has created a training entitled "Working with Children and Families Experiencing Homelessness." It is available for early education and child care providers to access in either face-to-face or virtual format. Additionally, ECTC and the Head Start Collaboration Office are both parts of the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) Office of Early Childhood Education. The Office of Early Childhood Education staff work with the NDE Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) team, which houses McKinney- Vento services, to assist early childhood education and care providers in locating and serving children birth through age 12 who do not live in stable housing. ii. Describe the Lead Agency’s training and TA efforts for Lead Agency (or designated entity) staff in identifying and serving children and their families experiencing homelessness. The Lead Agency provides training and TA efforts to staff in identifying and serving children and their families experiencing homelessness by providing training and resources to staff. Training was provided to all staff in 2020 when homelessness was added as a need for service eligibility criteria. This training went over the definition of a child experiencing homelessness, how to determine if a child/family is experiencing homelessness, and the care the child is eligible to receive. Families experiencing homelessness are eligible for Child Care Subsidy up to 40 hours per week through the end of their eligibility period to seek out community resources. If the family is still experiencing homelessness at the time of redetermination, they may be eligible under the same need for service for another 12-month period. Additional resources have been sent out to staff as informational memos to remind staff of the information about homelessness and eligibility. The Lead Agency has a policy question mailbox that staff use to contact the Lead Agency at any time if they have questions about the program, including questions regarding homelessness.