Health/Mental Health/Nutrition

Health

The Head Start Program's guidelines require that we monitor and track your child's health status while they are enrolled in our program. Your Family Advocate along with the Health Coordinator will be contacting you throughout the year to make sure that your child is on track with a consistent plan of health care and that your child has a medical home. Below is a list of the things that our program asks you to provide us at the time of your child's enrollment into our program:

An up-to-date Well Check Exam (Physical)

An up-to-date copy of your child's Immunization record

A copy of your child's Medicaid or Private Insurance card

Any special documentation required to make sure that your child is safe and cared for properly while at our facility including, but not limited to: Medical Diet documentation if your child has a food allergy or requires a special diet and a Chronic Illness Care Plan if your child has a chronic health condition such as: Asthma, Diabetes, etc. Medications will only be administered on site if there is a Care Plan and Medication Request filled out completely by a Physician.

A Blood Lead Screening result (this should be completed at 12 months of age and 24 months of age--if your child's Pediatrician does not have record of this on file, it must be completed as soon as possible)

Hemoglobin/Hematocrit (blood count) applicable for your child's age

Our program requires that your child have the following screenings performed within 45 days of enrollment into our program:

Vision screening (if your child fails they will be referred for required medical follow-up)

Hearing screening (if your child fails they will be referred for required medical follow-up

Developmental and Social Emotional Screenings (Ages & Stages Questionnaires filled out at enrollment appointment)

Our program requires that your child have the following screening performed within 90 days of enrollment into our program:

Dental Exam--performed either by our program dentist or by your child's Private Dentist. We MUST have documentation on file of the initial exam AND any follow-up treatment required

Mental Health

Our program contracts with a Licensed Mental Health Consultant who is available to parents of enrolled children that may be struggling with personal issues, child behavior concerns, or other issues. Our consultant has a flexible schedule and is available to meet at the parent's convenience.

Our consultant is also available to do child observations, with parent permission, for behavioral concerns. After the observation is completed, a Care Team meeting is scheduled with the parent at which time an action plan may be developed and/or referrals to appropriate agencies may be made.

Nutrition

Daily Meal Counts:

Call Head Start centers between 7:00 - 8:30 if your child will be tardy, absent for breakfast/lunch or your child plans to leave early before lunch and PM Snack. Breakfast may be served about 9:00. Lunch may be served about 12:00. Snack may be served about 1:30 PM.

Bad weather days affecting school hours: Breakfast is not served in the school system when we have 2 hour delay announcements—time does not allow:

· [At Sugar Hill & Early Head Start] for children who pay for wrap-around, arrival time is at 9:00. We have approved food in the pantry for those children.

· For [EHS, Eastfield, Nebo & Sugar Hill] Head Start children, their arrival time is 10:00. They will have lunch within an hour or so after arrival.

Proper nutrition plays a crucial role in the health and development of children. Nutritious food should be offered throughout the day to ensure children receive nourishment and energy they need to learn, grow and be healthy. USDA school program guidelines are followed.

Teachers will provide a monthly focused nutrition activity and WIC staff or other nutrition consultants may provide special nutritional activities throughout the year.

All children are provided a nutritious breakfast, lunch and snack on campus during program hours for food safety reasons. No meals/snacks are to be taken home. A monthly menu is provided parents for review and posted in the center/classroom.

Homemade prepared food (cupcakes, cakes, cookies, sandwiches, etc.) will not be served in our licensed Child Day Care Facility.

Homemade packed meals/snacks are only allowed with a receipt of a Medical Diet Plan signed and dated by child’s doctor and filed in child’s health file. Individual case-by-case decisions will be honored to the greatest extent possible.

NO CANDY ALLOWED at any time.

A Medical Diet Documentation Form is required to be filled out by your family doctor if there is a food allergy, a diet restriction or special diet for your child. The completed form is provided Child Nutrition so that your child’s medical diet may be modified.

An Ethnic or Religious diet shall be honored to the greatest extent possible, but we will need documentation from the parent in order to change any food from your child’s menu.

For Infants and Toddlers: If the Parent wants to take their child off of formula before age one (12 months) or change the formula, a Diet Documentation Form must be signed/dated by the child’s doctor.

Head Start Performance Standard 1304.23(b) (1) (vi).

Menu Restrictions (Safety concerns & Non Nutritious Items are restricted). Ensure foods are high in nutrients, and low in fat, sugar & salt.

EHS under 12 months of age: NO corn, citrus fruits, eggs, honey, chocolate, peanut butter.

EHS over 12 months of age: NO honey, peanut butter by spoonful, hotdogs, shellfish.

HS/EHS children: No donuts, pastries, sausage pancakes on a stick, limit syrup and serve fruit topping when pancakes are served, potato chips, hotdogs, corn dogs, fruit mix (because of grapes). NO CANDY at any time. Avoid foods posing health risks (choking). Children younger than age 5 are vulnerable to choking because they have fewer & smaller molars, weaker chewing ability, and narrower airways than older children.