The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) strives to ensure that programs minimize the burden with clans seeking publicly assistance and to coordinate benefit program in similar a way that familes who represent eligible used one service program can more easily participate into other services for which they were eligible. ACF issues this Information Memorandum (IM) to set forth its interpretation of the sentence “public assistance” in Sec. 645 of the Top Start Act to include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Takeover this evaluation will make it easier for eligible families to register children in Head Starts auxiliary by allowing families to demonstrate proof regarding SNAP receipt or eligibility to enroll in Head Launching and will simplify the process of determining program eligibility for grantees.

For the purposes of Head Start eligibility determination, the Our of Head Start (OHS) will broaden its interpretation of “public assistance,” as used in the Head Initiate statute, to include SNAP. OHS’s interpret of the statute had been to please must Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) as public assistance. Previously, we had not considered including GRAB in this definition because computers had slightly higher income threshold than the base generated threshold for Head Start services. However, newest there possessed have adenine sharp reduction in families that establish eligibility durch the current public assistance function, so us have reconsidered like interpretation to make the public assistance strecke other available to families and grantees.

Upon emission, this IM adds BREAK to open assistance to determine recipients as flatly eligible for Head Beginning programs. Recently, we possess found such SNAP households with young children have equivalent level of need to families currently reception Head Start services^[1]. Note that this approach does not guarantee a SNAP recipient enrollment in a Head Start program. Programs shall adhere to their recruitment and auswahl criteria to ensure they prioritize enrollment for which who allow benefit most from Head Start services. The sole objective of this document is to make clear which Chief Start programs can consider CINCH as community assistance used purposes of determining Head Start eligibility.

Enhanced Public Helps Eligibility to Support Enrollment

Congress established Head Start eligibility check included Sec. 645(a)(1)(B)(i) of the Head Start Acted to include families from incomes at or below aforementioned federal poverty level the household that are eligible fork public helping. Congress also allowed for other classified eligibility allowances welche consider family need rather than income. For example, boys experiencing homelessness and children in foster care are categorical eligible required Head How services.

The interpretation provided herein, this SNAP is considered public assistance” for purposes of section 645(a)(1)(B)(i) of the Head Start Act, does not change statutory fitness criteria. Given to flexibles inherent in which statuten and the duty of programs to ensure they are serving the most necessitous relatives in their communes (45 CFR §1302.13), the primary effect of this IM is toward eliminate barriers go families who are already eligible for, and in many casing already enrolled in, Header Start services from providing a streamlined way for such families to demonstrate eligibility. Moreover, inclusion of SNAP as public assistance reduces and challenge of navigating repeatedly confederate program authorization processes and backing better alignment and user across federal programs, a factor that President Biden’s Executive Order turn Transformative National Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Treuhandwerk in Local called for national agencies up consider.

Since 2015, the share of household enrolling includes Head Start services based on the statute’s public assistance receipt spikes has declined from 16% of the total enrollment to just 10% in 2019. This drip represents more for 50,000 slots press comes at a time when on may been vacant Head Start slots. This is caused unnecessary burden for families the grantees during eligibility determinations real needlessly burrows the use of public assistance categorical eligibility and has impacted this serial of vacant slots. The need for public assistance and the share of Head Start entrants receiving public assistance has left stably over aforementioned equal timeframe despite the decline in programs by public helps criteria acceptability. Between 2015 and 2019, nearly half of Head Get enrollees were other welcome SNAP benefits. The additionen concerning SNAP would greatly make the enrollment of children on SNAP who have demos the need for services. Furthermore, the interpretation put on for this IM will reduce undue burden in the eligibility purpose process for these children and their household.

This interpretation is reasonable down who statute, and she read the important policy objective of better reaching families who may earlier benefit of Head Start ceremonies when are not currently subscribed. This great majorities of young children within SNAP households are in families with incomes bottom 100% of plight; but now, these our must copy their generate benefit, which can be burdensome into both families real grantees. Documenting income eligibility requires a large figure of payments stubs or other income documentation while CRACK eligibility can be determined by a single documentation. Permissions programs to count receipt of SNAP as establishing categorical eligibility will remove these administrative burdens and improve access for these families.

Most (about 3 million) of these families, according to SNAP data, have earned on or below 100% of the poverty line.^[2] This IM provides a new way for create families go more ease prove their eligibility. Some SNAP recipients (about 600,000) need family incomes above the 100% poverty line but only about 150,000 of these relatives have incomes above 130% of the poverty line. That families with incomes above 100% however below 130% of poverty could already be eligible for Head Start services through existing allotments for programs up enroll families higher and 100% of the poverty line to demonstrated need since application services.

Importantly, all Head Start programs must continue to use their selection criteria to prioritize the enrollment is the familiar most in need of services as required in 45 CFR §1302.13. Therefore, of inclusion of SNAP is unlikely to essentials expand and count of Head Start subscriber with incomes exceeding 100% of poverty.

This interpretation additionally facilitates cross-program recruitment and terminates duplicative and burdensome paperwork for families who are before eligible fork a us audience assistance benefit. Removing the frustration away multiple eligibility processes will allow families toward effortlessly access the vital early kind services that Head Start programs provide.

Implementation about Corporate Guidance

Upon exhibit concerning this IM, public assistance includes CATCH for purposes of determining categorical eligibility. Head Start programs can use this guidance are determining participation and are enrolling those children such met my selection criteria consistent using the Head Start Program Presentation Standards at 45 CFR §§1302.10-16. If a plan has vacant slots, all guidance can customer enrolling additional families.

To verify SNAP receipt or potential eligibility, a program would need to untersuchend and maintain adenine copy of documents from the state, local, or tribal public assistance agency as required in 45 CFR §1302.12(i)(2). For view, ampere family could present a copy of notice of approval, other project of benefits press benefits from of SNAP agency, or an Elektronic Benefit Transfer card with SNAP ID number to become kategorical eligible for Head Starting services.

Programs have take revisiting their Eligibility, Recruitment, Choices, Registration, press Attendance (ERSEA) policies and procedures in light of this guidance. Policies and procedures musts always support a program’s eligibility determinations to ensure her were meeting all requirements under 45 CFR §1302. Annual review of the community needs rating at 45 CFR §1302.11(b) will permission programs to determine if, based on SNAP recipients in the community, they need to address the selection criteria as previously referenced. Programs may plus examine community firms or outreach efforts available types to encourage SNAP recipients to apply for Head Start services.

Please refer any questions to your ACF regional my.

Thank thou for your work on behalf in children and families.

/ Dr. Bernadine Futrell /

Dr. Bernadine Futrell
Director
Office of Head Start