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. [ ] Lead Agency accepts applications at local community-based locations. v. [x] Bilingual caseworkers or translators available. vi. [ ] Bilingual outreach workers. vii. [x] Partnerships with community-based organizations. viii. [x] Collaboration with Head Start, Early Head Start, or Migrant and Seasonal Head Start. ix. [ ] Home visiting programs. x. [x] Other. Describe: The Lead Agency takes reasonable steps to ensure that persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) have meaningful access and an equal opportunity to participate in its services, activities, programs, and other benefits. The policy of Lead Agency is to ensure meaningful communication with persons that experience LEP and their authorized representatives. This policy also provides for communication of information contained in vital documents, including but not limited to, applications for benefits, client release forms, and civil rights complaint forms. The Lead Agency contracts with language services to provide interpretation, translation, and other services needed to comply with this policy without cost to the person being served. Language assistance is provided through use of competent bilingual staff, contracts or formal arrangements with organizations providing interpretation or translation services, or technology and telephonic interpretation services. All employees receive notice of this LEP policy and procedure, and staff who may have direct contact with LEP persons are provided effective communication techniques, including the effective use of an interpreter and how to engage such services. 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. [ ] 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. [x] Other. Describe: The Lead Agency makes reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures when the modifications are necessary to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability, unless the modification would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity. The Division of Rehabilitation Services is housed in the Lead Agency and coordinates to support the needs of families and children with disabilities. The Lead Agency, through the Division of Rehabilitation Services, takes appropriate steps to ensure that communication with applicants, participants, and members of the public with disabilities are as effective as communications with others. The Division of Rehabilitation Services furnishes appropriate auxiliary aids and services upon request and where necessary to afford an individual with a disability an equal opportunity to participate in, and receive, a service, program, or activity conducted by the Lead Agency. 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. [ ] 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. Tennessee Child Care Resource and Referral Network (CCR&R) provides statewide training and technical assistance to child care providers on identifying and serving children and families experiencing homelessness as defined at section 725 of Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a). The Lead Agency and CCR&R Family Engagement Quality Coaches provide outreach services to families experiencing homelessness by implementing strategies to increase networks for families through supportive cross-sector collaborations. 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 and its People Operations Learning and Organizational Development team develop ongoing supplemental training for Lead Agency staff in CCDBG and other content areas, including a training entitled Serving Families Experiencing Homeless consistent with the definition of ￿homeless￿ at section 725 of Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a).