Latest news with #UnitedNeighborhoodHouses
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NYC's regional Head Start office shuttered as part of Trump's health cuts
NEW YORK — The federal Head Start outpost in New York City has been shuttered and staff laid off as part of the Trump administration's recent health department cuts — worrying preschool leaders about the future of child care for families in poverty. On Tuesday, providers learned that half of the agency's regional offices were closed effective immediately, including the headquarters in New York. Staff based in lower Manhattan were responsible for oversight and guidance for programs statewide and in New Jersey. Federal health officials insisted that consolidating the offices will not affect services while saving taxpayers money. But operators fear the loss of support could have a very tangible effect on their programs. Angela Terry, executive director of the Bedford Stuyvesant Early Childhood Development Center, which enrolls 247 children through Head Start, was scheduled to connect with a regional office staffer on the day of the layoffs — only to find she was unable to join the Zoom meeting. The specialist told her she was affected by the federal government's reduction in force. It was not the first time Head Start programs have been caught in the crossfires of federal changes under President Donald Trump. In January, his administration announced a blanket freeze on federal funding. The White House quickly clarified that Head Start was exempt, but programs reported being unable to access funds and the consequences of much uncertainty. 'It's not easy. It really isn't,' Terry said. 'We all continue to move forward day to day, but we know we have this all looming, we have to talk about it. We have to say, 'What do we do next?' And, 'how do we continue to serve?'' Head Start launched six decades ago as a federal anti-poverty program, supporting children's early development while allowing their parents to go to work. A family of four may qualify for Head Start if they have a joint income under $41,795 or are receiving cash assistance or SNAP. Bedford Stuyvesant Early Childhood Development Center is the oldest Head Start provider in the northeast, Terry said. Regional staffers serve a variety of functions. Some visit preschools in person to offer curriculum support and professional development. Others hold regular meetings to go over enrollment and waitlists. Another position is geared toward helping operators apply for or renew Head Start grants, and manage program budgets. 'This move threatens access to child care and undermines programs essential to young children's development,' said Susan Stamler, executive director of the United Neighborhood Houses, a membership organization that includes Head Start grant recipients. After days of confusion, a top health official in early childhood development, Laurie Todd-Smith, wrote in a letter Thursday that 10 regional offices would be restructured into five — a move they said would not affect services. The office based in New York was closed alongside others in Boston, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle. Providers interviewed by The New York Daily News confirmed they have connected in recent days with specialists who replaced their regional staffers. In a statement to the Daily News, the federal agency stood firm that the layoffs were limited only to redundant or unnecessary administrative positions, and involved moving out of the highest-cost cities. 'All statutorily required programs will remain intact, and as a result of the reorganization, will be better positioned to execute on Congress's statutory intent,' said Vianca Rodriguez Feliciano, press secretary for the U.S. Health Department. 'We remain committed to providing continued support to Head Start programs as they work to meet the needs of their communities.' Less than 1% of Head Start's annual funding is spent on federal staff, including regional office staff, according to the National Head Start Association. The conservative blueprint known as Project 2025 called for the elimination of Head Start altogether. Head Start operators are emphatic — their programs are worth the investment. 'These are complicated programs to run, and the work that we do we think is super meaningful and impactful,' said Ken Jockers, the executive director of Hudson Guild, a social services organization with multiple sites across the west side of Manhattan that operates Head Start programs. 'A big part of what makes that possible is the skilled, smart support that we get that understands our region and our challenges.'
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
NYC after-school providers warn programs could close without more funds
New York City providers who run free after-school for tens of thousands of children are asking Mayor Adams for an infusion of cash — or risk closing programs. On Thursday, 62 organizations — representing about 2 in 5 of those contracted to run after-school programs for the city — sent a letter warning that more than a decade of disinvestment has pushed them to a breaking point, with the best-case scenario still jeopardizing the quality of their programming. 'This puts providers in an impossible position,' read the letter drafted by United Neighborhood Houses, an umbrella organization representing local settlement houses. 'If we refuse to sign the extensions, it means closing programs that our families rely upon and laying off valued and dedicated staff. 'However, if we do sign the extensions, we are greenlighting the City's underinvestment and committing ourselves to barebones programs or utilizing lines of credit just to be able to meet the basic requirements of the program,' their plea continued. Instead of running its own after-school programs, the city's Department of Youth and Community Development awards contracts to independent operators, mainly through two programs: the Comprehensive After School System of NYC (COMPASS NYC) and School's Out New York City (SONYC). The families of up to 93,000 children rely on the system for childcare and enrichment after regular school hours. The programs typically run from school dismissal through the end of the workday, and may focus on homework help, leadership development, civics, sports or arts, among others. 'I don't know of many families who have the ability to have one parent staying home like they used to — New York is just too expensive,' said Nora Moran, director of policy and advocacy at the United Neighborhood Houses. 'So after-school really helps to fill that gap.' But rather than renegotiate those contracts, Adams and his predecessors have circumvented the standard procurement process with a series of short-term contract extensions, according to the letter. Paired with persistent delays during the Adams administration in paying city contractors, providers say they are in a bind. 'Our real fear is that if we wait another year, we're going to see organizations start to say, 'I can't do this anymore,' or 'I can't swing it or wait another year until there's a new contract in place,'' Moran said. As of this year, rates were negotiated at least a decade ago, with some after-school contracts dating back to 2011. The letter's signers — which also include the nonprofits Children's Aid, Citizens' Committee for Children of New York and the YMCA of Greater NY — claim the city's youth development officials have been promising a new request for proposals, or RFP, 'for months' to no avail. City officials who work with young people said they expect the more than 150 after-school providers will continue programming under their existing contracts and confirmed a concept paper is in development — the precursor to a request for proposals. 'COMPASS remains the largest afterschool program of its kind in the nation,' said Mark Zustovich, spokesman for the Department of Youth and Community Development. 'Extending COMPASS contracts through fiscal year 2026 helps ensure uninterrupted services for young people, and a safe place for families to send their children after regular school hours. DYCD looks forward to receiving ongoing feedback from our outstanding providers, as we work together to build the next generation of COMPASS programs.' The pressure campaign comes as Adams' challengers have seized on childcare as a top issue in this year's mayoral race. Zellnor Myrie, a Democratic state senator, has made free after-school a central tenet of his campaign. Other candidates have called for extending universal childcare programs to the families of 2-year-olds. United Neighborhood Houses has proposed a phase-in process for higher contract rates, starting next school year with a halfway base rate, per pupil increase of COMPASS elementary to $4,900 and SONYC middle school programs to $4,150. By the 2027 fiscal year, researchers said the city should cover the 'true cost' of high-quality care — which covers the cost of labor, state-mandated health and safety guidelines, and other services, such as licensed social workers. 'In this moment when you rightly have focused on making New York City more affordable for working families,' the letter said, referencing Adams' recent State of the City address, 'we must focus on equitable and sustainable funding for one of the basic supports the City provides them — after-school.'
