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. [x] 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. [x] Home visiting programs. x. [x] Other. Describe: The Lead Agency has identified potentially eligible families through coordination with local county/tribal human services agencies, Family Resource Centers (FRCs), CCR&R agencies, migrant worker service providers and through local TANF agencies. This outreach will be expanded to include homeless service programs, domestic abuse service programs, and housing programs. Spanish and Hmong are the predominant languages in addition to English. The Lead Agency has the ability to provide interpretation and translations for all languages. The Lead Agency provides training and technical assistance in other languages. 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. [x] Other. Describe: To promote access to person(s) with disabilities, the YoungStar website was made accessible for people using screen readers by using meta and alt tags or descriptions. These tags can play a crucial role in how people interpret a webpage and help to give written information for images found on pages. The Wisconsin Shares subsidy program provides added financial support to families seeking high quality child care for children with a disability. A family that receives Wisconsin Shares may be eligible to receive a higher subsidy amount to assist the child care provider with any additional costs (e.g., specialized training, individualized services, etc.) to care for children with disabilities who may require a higher level of care within the child care setting. 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. The Lead Agency collaborated with the State Cross Sector Homelessness Task Force to develop a Homelessness Tool Kit to help serve families and children experiencing homelessness in 2017. The tool kit contains resources and information for how child care programs can assist families and children experiencing homelessness. The tool as well as other homelessness resources, can be found on the Collaborating Partners website (http://www.collaboratingpartners.com/diverse- populations/homelessness/) or on the YoungStar Homelessness webpage (https://dcf.wisconsin.gov/youngstar/providers/homelessness). Through braided funding with DPI and DHS, a Regional Early Childhood Outreach Specialist was contracted to support children and families experiencing homelessness. This specialist disseminates materials and provides or facilitates professional learning opportunities around the topic of homelessness. In 2023, the specialist was able to provide six learning opportunities to various stakeholders around the state. In addition to real-time professional learning opportunities, the specialist piloted a free online computer-based training for pre- service educators around supporting learners experiencing homelessness. In 2024, that training in being launched statewide and being exhibited statewide to direct- care providers and pre-service education institutions. The specialist also disseminated quarterly newsletters on topical issues related to homelessness. The specialist partnered with the child care resource and referral network through ECE homelessness workgroup out of the greater Dane County area to create a resource for families experiencing homelessness to find appropriate child care settings. The specialist helped to plan a Homelessness Awareness Month kick-off event at the state capitol. The YoungStar Homelessness webpage also contains links to other state agencies, specific information for Milwaukee County residents, and resources that technical assistance providers can use to support the child care providers who care for children of families experiencing homelessness. The Lead Agency works to disseminate the tool kit to Child Care Resource and Referral agencies, as well as other state agencies, that are in direct contact with families that may be experiencing homelessness. These agencies also inform families about how to access Wisconsin Shares child care funding so their children can attend, or continue to attend, a high-quality child care program. 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. Lead Agency staff have received training on homelessness and poverty in early care and education. Lead Agency contracts with a specialist through Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners who collaborates with the DPI McKinney-Vento Homeless Program Team to share and disseminate information. This specialist helps to connect and support the different regions of the state through training opportunities and resources. Continuing the work started with the State Cross Sector Homelessness Task Force, the Lead Agency works to strengthen its collaboration and coordination with Head Start Directors, WCCAA, ECAC, statewide CCR&R agencies and, through DPI, with Wisconsin Homeless Education Coordinators, to help ensure that young children experiencing homelessness are accessing quality early childhood programs. The Lead Agency continues to encourage collaboration and individual partnerships at the local level to expand capacity to meet the needs of families and children experiencing homelessness. This includes, but is not limited to, local educational agencies/school districts/local homeless liaisons, local early intervention or early learning councils, Head Start and Early Head Start programs, local child care providers, HUD Continuums of Care, domestic violence shelters, homeless coalitions, CCR&R agencies, and the Salvation Army.