Mountain States Early Head Start : Infant Toddler Program of North Idaho

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PROGRAM SERVICES & OPPORTUNITIES

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Coeur d'Alene Office
411 N. 5th, Suite 200
Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814
Phone: 208-765-6955

Sandpoint Office
137 McGhee Road
Sandpoint, ID 83864
Phone: 208-263-2569

What is Early Head Start?

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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.

 

Who can enroll?

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 Stats Early Head Start (MSEHS) service area is in the northern panhandle of Idaho and includes Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls and Rathdrum and surrounding areas in Kootenai County and Sandpoint 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.

 

 

What does it cost?  How is it funded?

 

Early Head Start is federally funded through a grant from Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Head Start.  There is no charge for families to enroll or participate.

 

Does Early Head Start provide child care?  What options are available at MSEHS? 

While some Early Head Start programs do provide full year, full day child care for enrolled children, Mountain States Early Head Start does not.  Program options available at MSEHS include:

  • The Prenatal model which provides home visits with information and support for pregnant women and their families beginning as early as possible in the pregnancy. 
     
  • The Home Based model which provides 44 home visits and 24 play groups per year.
     
  • The Combination model (Toddler Time), available for children 18-36 months old, which provides a two morning per week classroom experience and 2 home visits per month.


In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call, toll free (866) 632-9992 (Voice). TDD users can contact USDA through local relay or the Federal relay at (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866)377-8642 (relay voice users). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.