The mission of the Health Services Area is to encourage the development of positive health behaviors, preventative safety measures and instill life long healthy habits in Head Start children, pregnant mothers, family and staff.
Foster preventative health and safety through:
- Ensuring that each pregnant mother and child has a source of ongoing medical care
- Providing families with information on all available public and private health coverage opportunities
- Offering educational programs for children, pregnant mothers, family and staff which promote physical, mental and dental health, as well as, healthy eating and exercise
- Requiring all children's immunizations to be current as specified by the N. Y. State Health Department
- Requiring a medical and dental examination
- Requiring a TB risk assessment
- Ensuring children are up-to-date on age appropriate well-child visits
- Requiring the following health screenings:
Height/Weight
Lead
Vision/hearing
Hematocrit/ Hemoglobin
Blood Pressure
Behavioral Assessment
- Ensuring a safe, sanitary environment
- Requiring daily tooth brushing following meals
- Providing nutritious meals following CACFP requirements
Eliminate existing illness and disease through:
- Parent consultations and referrals for children whose examinations and /or screening results indicate existing or potential health concerns
- A daily health check of all children by the classroom staff to detect signs of illness
- A physician's note indicating the type of illness, suggested treatment and duration of contagion, if applicable, for any child absent due to illness
- Follow-up consultation with pregnant mothers and families to encourage needed medical/dental/nutritional and mental health treatment
Encourage family linkages with community based health systems through referrals and advocacy to local providers and follow-up to ensure delivery of services.