Our Impact

SNMCAC Head Start Centers

Federal performance standards have been adopted to ensure that every Head Start program provides the services necessary to meet the goals of each of the following components:

EDUCATION:

Head Start’s educational program is designed to meet each child’s individual needs. It also aims to meet the needs of the community served and its ethnic and cultural characteristics. If communities have a majority of bilingual children, for example, at least one teacher or aid must speak their native language.

HEALTH

Head Start emphasizes the importance of early identification of health problems. Since many preschool children of low-income families have never seen a doctor or dentist, Head Start provides every child with a comprehensive health care program, including medical, dental, mental health, and nutrition services.

PARENT INVOLVEMENT

Parents are the most important influence on a child’s development. An essential part of every Head Start program is the involvement of parents in parent education, program planning and operating activities. Many serve as members of SNMCAC’s policy council and have a voice in administrative and managerial decisions.

SOCIAL SERVICES:

The social services component of Head Start represents an organized method of assisting families to assess their needs then providing services that will build upon individual and family strengths to meet their own needs. Some of the activities that the social services staff use to assist families to meet their needs are: community outreach, referrals, family need assessments, providing information about available community resources, recruitment and enrollment of children, and emergency assistance and/or crisis intervention.

FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM

The Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) serves Eddy and Lea counties and offers seniors age 55 and older opportunities to serve as mentors, tutors, and caregivers for children and youth.

SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAM:

The Senior Companion Program (SCP) is a service initiative through which people age 55 and older provide assistance and friendship to elderly individuals who are homebound and generally living alone. Senior companions also provide respite care to relieve live in care takers for short periods of time.

CHILD & ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM

The Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) serves Eddy and Lea counties and offers meal reimbursement to providers of family day care and adult care homes and centers.

THE SENIOR CITIZENS PROGRAM

The Senior Citizens Program operates within Eddy county. Services provided for individuals 60 and older include: congregate meals, home delivered meals, and transportation. These services are provided with federal and state funding. Local funding is sought to meet program-funding requirements. In addition, donations are encouraged from participants in order to ensure services continue.

ADULT RESPITE

Provides an opportunity for seniors to avoid early institutionalization by allowing caregivers a safe place to leave their loved one in order to maintain employment or daily activities.

COMMUNITY SERVICES PROGRAM

Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) funding has been awarded by the New Mexico Human Services Department for Chaves, Eddy, Lea, Lincoln and Otero counties. Funding is used primarily for client emergency assistance and to supplement programs that are funded with little to no administrative dollars . The following emergency assistance programs are administered by SNMCAC using CSBG funds:

• COVID-19 Related Emergency Assistance
• Rental Assistance
• Mortgage Assistance
• Utility Assistance
• Prescription Assistance
• Commercial Drivers License (CDL) Training Payment Assistance