HARTFORD, Conn — The state is expanding its Head Start on Housing pilot program to help more families with housing, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Monday.
The Head Start on Housing program is a cross-agency collaboration that aims to expedite access to permanent housing subsidies for Head Start families.
The program's goal is to also increase the pool of landlords renting to young families and to enhance educational performances in homeless children, or children who are "precariously housed," according to the Lamont administration.
“Stable housing is among the most important components of a child’s development and wellbeing, and by expanding this pilot program using federal housing vouchers we will be able to connect more young families to a place they can call home,” Lamont said. “Ensuring families have access to long-term, stable housing is not only possible, but it’s a moral imperative.”
The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, Connecticut Department of Housing, Connecticut Head Start State Collaboration Office, Connecticut Head Start Association, and the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare are partners in the program.
Head Start agencies are required to aggressively seek out and prioritize homeless children for educational enrollment so they can thrive in the classroom, the administration said.
“My department is proud to participate in this cross-agency partnership,” Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno with the Connecticut Department of Housing said. “We always strive to prevent and end homelessness and this program expansion allows us to take a proactive approach. These federal housing vouchers provide stability and gives a pathway for children and families to get a head start on housing.”
“This innovative model is two-generational, focusing on both the parent and the child, and brings both agencies together to wrap vital services around the whole family,” Commissioner Beth Bye with the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood said. “We know that providing safe and stable housing is a foundation for family well-being and brings consistency in the life of a young child, which is so critical to their overall health and development.”
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Doug Stewart is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.
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