Head Start and Early Head Start programs provide comprehensive child development, health, nutritional, social and other services to economically disadvantaged children and families, with a special focus on assisting children develop skills that will help them be successful in school. While preschool Head Start has been around since the 1960’s, Early Head Start was established in 1995 to serve children from birth to three years of age in recognition of the mounting evidence that the earliest years matter a great deal to children’s growth and development. Head Start programs engage parents in their children’s learning and help them in making progress toward their own educational, literacy and employment goals. Significant emphasis is placed on the involvement of parents in the administration of local Head Start programs. Pregnant women may enroll as soon as they know they are pregnant and infants and toddlers may participate in the program beginning at birth until their third birthday. Families must have an income at or below the federal poverty level to qualify. Foster children and those whose families are homeless do not have to show proof of income to qualify. The Mountain States Early Head Start (MSEHS) service area is in the northern panhandle of Idaho and includes Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, Rathdrum, Hauser, Spirit Lake and Athol and surrounding areas in Kootenai County and Sandpoint, Clark Fork and Hope and surrounding area in Bonner County. There are all kinds of families enrolled at EHS: single mothers and fathers, two parent families, blended families, grandparents raising grandchildren and foster parents. We hope that fathers and mothers both will participate in home visits and all the other EHS activities available. In addition to parents, extended families often volunteer or attend EHS events. All of these people are important in children’s lives and we welcome their participation. Our DEI statement: An unwavering commitment to a culture of belonging and to fostering diversity, equity and inclusiveness is at the heart of Jannus. We embrace and celebrate the diversity of our staff, partners, volunteers and the communities we serve as reflected in our dedication to furthering these values through our policies, programs and all that we do.
