Statement on DHHS Safety Report
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Media Contact: | Sally Aman | |
| December 13, 2011 | 202-262-8003 | ||
| aman@a2pr.com | |||
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National Head Start Association Statement on
Department of Health and Human Services Head Start Safety Report
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a Head Start Safety Report from a May 2009 - October 2010 audit of three Head Start grantees from each of eight States that were most at risk for noncompliance with health and safety regulations and standards.
The following statement should be attributed to Yasmina Vinci, Executive Director of the National Head Start Association:
"The results of the HHS audit of Head Start programs at-risk for noncompliance with health safety regulations and standards are a testament to the Head Start community's shared commitment to ensuring the safest, highest-quality programs for the over one million children and families Head Start and Early Start serves every year.
The audit targeted 24 grantees with a high risk for non-compliance, 21 of which immediately corrected deficiencies, with the three remaining grantees losing Head Start funding. Each and every one of the more than 1,600 Head Start grantees recognizes that providing a safe early learning environment is a primary goal and remains committed to excellence in the pursuit of quality.
The Head Start community takes health and safety regulations seriously and is committed to ensuring every program meets or exceeds rigorous safety standards and delivers the most efficient and effective services during the critical window of opportunity from birth through age five."
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Yasmina Vinci, Executive Director of the National Head Start Association (www.nhsa.org) was the first Executive Director of the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA), has held leadership positions in local, state and national early childhood education organizations and is serving on a number of governing Boards of national and local organizations.