Program Services
Early Head Start offers a home-based service for infants, toddlers, and pregnant women. Once a week, a trained Family Advocate comes into the family’s home for ninety minutes to offer fun activities, services, and information. The Family Advocate may focus on child development, health and safety, nutrition, reading with your child, parent education, pre-natal health education, transportation support, etc. During home visits, the Family Advocate will bring activities and information that focus on goals set by the family, which are based on the individual family’s needs and interests.
To promote health and wellness in our families, we follow well-baby checks, dental exams, and immunization to encourage and educate families on prevention, early identification, and intervention. Families are given support, information, and referrals to social services that meet the needs of the family.
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Socialization Activities - Families participate in different activities, interact with their peers and participate in community learning during socializations. Through our home-based program we offer one activity at our building twice a month, at different times to meet the needs of our families. During socializations, at the Early Head Start building, we offer a family style meal. Once a month families enjoy a community activity and all entrance fees are covered by Early Head Start. Transportation support can be provided to families as needed and when available.
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Parent Committee - Parent Committee meetings give the families an opportunity to voice their opinions, make decisions about the activities for the program, and develop leadership skills. Through the Policy Council and Parent Committee, parents and other community representatives actively participate in the shared decision-making process concerning program design and implementation.
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Policy Council - Through the Policy Council and Parent Committee, parents and other community representatives actively participate in the shared decision-making process concerning program design and implementation.
2025 HHS Poverty Guidelines
Persons In Family Unit**
Eligibility
Early Head Start is a no cost program for families that have a child under three years old or pregnant women. Families must meet the federal criteria for low-income. A pregnant woman is counted as two people when calculating the number in household. Extended family living in the home are not considered part of the family when calculating eligibility of family. Ten percent of the families enrolled in Early Head Start may have income that is over the Federal Criteria for low-income.
For each additional person, add $5,500.
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*Applicants must qualify based on these income guidelines. Some exceptions may apply. These guidelines are used from1/15/2025 to 1/14/2026 and pertain to 48 Contiguous States and D.C.
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**Pregnant Women Count as Two Persons
Enrollment priority is given to families that face certain risks or difficulties including: teen parents, housing concerns, parents' education less than 8th grade, language barriers, foster child, single parent, and/or developmental delays.
Enrollment
Process
Early Head Start receives referrals from several sources; community, TANF, and other agencies. Once Early Head Start receives a referral, the family is contacted and given more detailed information about the program. An application appointment is set. The family is asked to provide immunization records, birth certificate, and income verification with the application. After a family fills out an application they are placed on a waiting list. The family is notified when there is an opening in Early Head Start. Since we are a year round program and do not follow traditional school schedules a family may be contacted at any time during the year.
"DDI Vantage helped set reasonable expectations. We learned more about childcare and education. A lot of goals were made. We have learned a lot of skills to help us with our child."
Parsons 2023
"I didn't have the chance for early school, early head start, but the kids did. It makes a difference in their education."
Mariam Ibrahim
I was extremely inspired by DDI Vantage and feel so passionate about their purpose I am now employed by them and have the opportunity to help other families"
Bonnie Stroud
"I definitely feel that I have improved thanks to DDI Vantage because you gave me the confidence and security to believe in myself and helped me to feel secure in my decisions."
Cristina Hunter
"I have grown a lot and I am thankful for the program. I thank the Family Advocate and every single staff from DDIV."
Maria Zavala
"They taught and brought activities to help with challenges. Child is progressing and ready for school. I am not worried anymore."
Falemaka family
This website is supported by Grant Number 08CH012590 from the Office of Head Start within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Neither the Administration for Children and Families nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of DDI Vantage and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Administration for Children and Families and the Office of Head Start.