To: Board of Supervisors
From: Marla Stuart, Employment and Human Services Director
Report Title: 38-125-0 Child Advocates of Contra Costa County
?Recommendation of the County Administrator ? Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Employment and Human Services Director, or designee, to execute a non-financial Memorandum of Understanding with Child Advocates of Contra Costa County to establish a formal referral system for streamline entry into the Head Start and Early Head Start programs for children and pregnant or parenting youth participating in the Court Appointed Special Advocates Program for the period September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2029.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact.
BACKGROUND:
The Employment and Human Services Department, Community Services Bureau (EHSD), operates the Head Start and Early Head Start Programs, which provides quality early care and education to pregnant women and children 0-5 years of age. These programs are required to provide priority placement to children in the child welfare system and are a preferred placement option requested by judges due to their comprehensive services and their whole-child, whole-family approach.
The Child Advocates of Contra Costa County (CACCC) operates the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Program, which advocates for children and youth in foster care and juvenile justice systems to ensure each child's voice is heard and their best interests are represented.
EHSD and CACCC will establish a referral system designed to ensure that eligible children 0-5 years of age, as well as pregnant and parenting youth in the CASA Program, are aware of Head Start and Early Head Start Programs available to them.
This action seeks approval to implement a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU with CACCC to facilitate information regarding the County's Head Start and Early Head Start Programs to children and youth in the child welfare and juvenile systems for the period Se...
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