Good News! VOLUME 4 - ISSUE 1
Committed to Excellence
Since its inception 45 years ago, HCHRA has consistently placed great value on the quality management of programs and delivery of services. Each year, the agency undergoes extensive monitoring and audits to determine how well it is performing. Overall, it is doing very well. HCHRA’s 2019 fiscal review, which concluded near the end of 2020, produced a clean financial audit for the 24th consecutive year. The agency was found to have properly managed a $30 million budget without any findings. In March, the Mississippi Department of Human Services announced that HCHRA met 100% of the Community Services Block Grant Program organizational standards for 2020. The standards by which HCHRA was measured are designed to ensure that the agency has the capacity to provide high-quality services to low-income families and communities. The standards are comprised of nine categories: consumer input and involvement, community engagement, community assessment, organizational leadership, board governance, strategic planning, human resource management, financial operations and oversight, and data and analysis. HCHRA achieved a perfect score in every area. Head Start is the agency’s largest program. The perfor-
mance standards by which Head Start is governed ensure that HCHRA delivers comprehensive, high-quality individualized services to support the educational, social and emotional development and wellbeing of children from low-income families. In addition to conducting year-round training and monitoring and providing technical assistance, HCHRA established an independent Quality Assurance (QA) division to promote efficiency and strengthen accountability. QA specialists conduct comprehensive internal audits for the entire range of Head Start services to keep executive-level staff informed on any unusual practices or matters of significance, allowing the agency to self-correct before an observation becomes an area of concern. Instituting a QA division is not a widespread practice for Head Start programs. HCHRA saw it as a worthwhile investment to ensure ongoing success and continuous improvement. “As an organization that is highly regulated by federal standards, our goal is to operate at a level of excellence that exceeds the norms,” said Kenn Cockrell, HCHRA president and CEO. “Despite a year full of challenges, we have managed to do just that.”
So, what exactly does the Quality Assurance division focus on? Everything! Governance Eligibility Recruitment Selection Enrollment Attendance
Structure Curriculum Individualized Services Health and Safety Nutrition Facilities and Grounds
In addition to auditing program areas, QA specialists visited 99 classrooms at 17 Head Start centers to assess COVID-19 preparedness and safety. The specialists found every center to be properly equipped with personal protective equipment and in full compliance. 3 Masking 3 Social distancing 3 Disinfecting and sanitizing 3 Health checks and temperature scans before entry 3 Signage to promote proper distancing, masking and hand washing
Transportation Family and Community Engagement Human Resources Professional Development Program Management Data Management and Systems
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Educating Children in a Pandemic
Through its Head Start and Early Head Start programs, HCHRA provides educational and developmental services to over 1,982 children and pregnant women each year. Due to the pandemic, the ways in which deliver those services has changed. A year ago, you could walk into any HCHRA Head Start classroom and be greeted by happy faces and delightful voices of children engaged in discovery and learning. In Head Start, there is lots of dancing, singing, and discussions among teachers and students about everything from the foods we eat, to the colors we see on flowers and trees. Learning takes place by doing. It is normal to see parents and grandparents volunteering in classrooms and chaperoning field trips. But COVID-19 would change all of that—quickly. Like schools across the world, HCHRA was forced to adapt and find new ways to keep our children and families engaged at a distance. Given that student and family engagement is a core component of the Head Start program, and is as much of a priority as educating children, we were greatly concerned about how well we would be able to serve our families. Head Start—by design and with intentionality—provides a circle of support to make sure the holistic needs of each family are met. This is the standard and expectation by which we operate. How would we do that without the face-to-face interaction each day, or the regular home visits? Fortunately, we already had Ready Rosie and Teaching Strategies Gold systems in place before the pandemic, and they have served us very
well throughout. Ready Rosie is a parenting curriculum and Teaching Strategies is a teaching curriculum, assessment and professional development tool. These systems work together to help strengthen family engagement through the use of video modeling, family workshops, and mobile technology; and they provide parents and teachers with a whole picture of a child’s skills, knowledge and abilities. Families have been able to access and extend the learning going on in the classroom in their homes. Teachers have been able to communicate goals, exchange information, and receive information from parents, as well as track progress and assess impact. Out of an abundance of caution and concern for our Head Start staff and families, we chose to continue with a virtual learning model for this school year. Given the obvious challenges of masking and social distancing for adults, it is quite a bit more challenging with three- and four-year-
olds who may not fully understand why everything we have taught them about speaking up, sharing, engaging in interactive play, and learning by exploring are now the things that put them and everyone around them at risk. With the use of videoconferencing technology and mobile learning devices, we have managed to keep students engaged in learning inside virtual classrooms. While we have not been able to physically take students out on fieldtrips, we have organized virtual trips. Although we have not been able to visit with parents inside their homes, we have managed to stay in touch throughout the year to make sure HCHRA is providing the best possible environment and education for their children. We have ‘virtually’ managed to do everything we would normally do to ensure the academic success and overall well-being of our Head Start students and families.
While learning is taking place virtually, Head Start nutrition staff prepares breakfast, lunch and snacks for every child. Parents participate in a drive-thru twice a week to pick up their child’s meals and learning materials for the week. H I N D S
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Coming Together While Being Apart Parent-Staff Conference
During a virtual parent-staff conference, Head Start Teacher Cartellia Brown spoke with Ms. Candis Cooper about how well her daughter, Cadence, is performing this school year. Ms. Brown reported that Cadence has mastered numbers 1 through 10 and is learning letter patterns very well. She is also learning how to compare and contrast things to help develop her thinking, organization and comprehension skills.
Field Trips
Some of the fondest childhood memories are created on school fieldtrips. Staff organized virtual fieldtrips to make sure our Head Start students did not miss out on unique experiences that would expand their knowledge and interests. Up next is a trip to the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science.
Library
An introduction to checking out books and other fun learning resources
Fire Station
A lesson about fire safety and careers as a first responder
Grocery Store
An interactive expedition that allowed students to identify fruits and vegetables that grow on trees while they explored the different departments in the store. They also learned about the responsibilities of being a store manager. H I N D S
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RELIABLE. AFFORDABLE. ACCESSIBLE.
Transportation Services for Rural Hinds County Residents Mention public transportation and people automatically With its flexibility and affordable rates, rural Hinds Counthink of bus and rail systems in urban areas. Public transporty residents can rely on HCHRA’s rural transit program. “We tation also exists in rural areas, but not all rural communities want people to think differently about public transit,” said have access. Fortunately, residents of rural Hinds County can Roger Lutrell, vice president for planning and development. rely on HCHRA to provide safe and reliable transportation “It’s a reliable, accessible, and affordable option for passenthat’s easily accessible. gers who want to save time and money while they sit back With a full fleet of ADA accessible buses and vans, and enjoy the ride.” HCHRA transports about 1,500 people each month for mediLutrell went on to explain that in addition to offering cal, shopping, education, recreation and employment needs. rides to the general public, HCHRA is working with rural Because many passengers are managing illnesses or disabilchurches and community organizations to organize group ities which may not be disclosed, drivers and transportation trips and set up park-and-ride services for morning and evestaff have to be prepared to handle medical emergencies. ning commuters who travel to the metro Jackson area for Members of HCHRA’s rural transit team participate in work or school. Rates are as a low as $5 per person per trip. training each year to ensure they are equipped with knowlDiscounted rates are available for groups. For more informaedge and skills to keep passengers, themselves and the tion, give HCHRA a call at (601) 923-1768. roadways safe. All HCHRA drivers are CPR and AED certified, and receive annual training on topics such as defensive driving, emergency management, ADA lift operations, passenger safety, and customer service—just to name a few. In Apply online at hchra.jobs.net/search response to the COVID-19 pandemic, drivers also participate in COVID-19 awareness and response training and are required to perform daily sanitization to help keep everyone safe. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic, transportation is the second largest household expense. In Mississippi, like in most southern states, anyone who has a choice, opts to drive their own vehicle. But there are many people—because of age, disability or income—who cannot drive or do not have access to a personal vehicle, that struggle to reach medical appointments, the pharmacy, grocery store, social events, or even work. Theresa Hill, Transit Driver Shirley Smith, Transit Driver
We’re hiring drivers!
Marion Mitchell, Transit Driver H I N D S
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Durwood Silas, Transit Driver H U M A N
Eric Rhodes, Transportation Fleet Manager
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Providing Help Where It’s Needed Most
Through Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding and the generosity of donors, HCHRA has been able to provide COVID relief in new and unique ways to help those who need it most. HCHRA has… • Issued gift cards to senior citizens to buy personal protective equipment to help safeguard them from COVID-19. • Provided free rides to grocery stores and shopping centers during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season for those without transportation. • Increased and improved technology to support virtual learning for Head Start students. • Implemented virtual platform to offer continuous and uninterrupted delivery of services for those seeking assistance. • Provided free rides to vaccination sites for rural Hinds County residents. • Delivered meals to senior citizens who could no longer come to our Congregate Meals sites, which were forced to close to protect their health and safety. • Provided utility and rental payment assistance to individuals who lost jobs and income due to the pandemic. Please consider making a gift to HCHRA. With your support, we can do even more to help families facing financial hardships because of lost jobs and wages due to COVID-19 and the recent natural disasters that have occurred. Not only are we lending a helping hand to those in need, we are also providing hope.
Over the past year, HCHRA has spent more than $1.4 million on the purchase of personal protective equipment to keep our staff, clients, vendors, and Head Start children and families safe from COVID-19.
3 Child-sized disposable masks 3 Sanitizing and disinfecting machines
to treat Head Start classrooms, agency facilities, and a fleet of vehicles used for public transit services
3 Hand sanitizer and disposable masks for visitors and a staff of 400
3 Gloves, face shields, isolations gowns,
$125 can purchase a bus pass to help someone living in rural Hinds County get to and from work, school, or the doctor for a month.
$500 can provide four senior citizens with enough food for a month.
$4,000 can make the difference between a family being safe, secure and self-sufficient, or being hungry and homeless, facing unavoidable threats to health and wellbeing. Without help, in just a few months, families will lose everything they have spent their lives working to gain.
disinfectant wipes and spray for employees
3 Protective barriers and signage installed
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Looking for a Career with Purpose? HCHRA is now hiring for the following positions: Cooks
Teachers
Children’s Services Specialists
Disabilities Services Specialists
Health and Nutrition Specialists
Management Information Assistant Licensed Social Workers Transit Drivers
Security Guards
Special Projects Officer
Managerial and Supervisory If you’re looking for a career with purpose, visit www.hchra.jobs.net to see what opportunities exist for you.
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A Special Thank You to Our 2020 Supporters! Together, we are helping families and strengthening communities.
A Heart felt thanks for your commitment to the families and seniors who need the support.
Benefactors
$12,500 to $24,999
The Challenges are great but the results are even GREATER.
Partners
$6,000 to $12,499
Sustainers
Kenn Cockrell
$3,250 to $5,999
Supporters
$2,000 to $3,249
Friends of HCHRA $1,500 to $1,999
M.W. Stringer Grand Lodge Gloria & Frederick Casher CCSI Security Jackson Area Federal Credit Union
Contributors $500 to $1,499
$1 to $499
Mikel Therapy Group TeamLogic IT Terry’s Installation & Delivery Service, Inc. Wells Heating, Cooling & Refrigeration, Inc.
A-1 Detective & Patrol Service, Inc. Florida Non-Profit Housing, Inc. Mr. Transmission Ace Data Storage, Inc. G & M Enterprises, Inc. One Cut Above, Inc. Alvin’s Repair Service Wayne Goodwin Pearl Street AME Church Mabel Bankston Attorney Gloria Green Porter’s Insurance Agency, Inc. Eugene Blackmon H & M Gas Company Rainbow Enterprises, Inc. Brenda Hayes-Williams & Associates Dewey A. Handy, O.D. RWA, Inc. Ann Burton Hotel & Restaurant Supply Terry Service, Inc. Charles J. Becker and Bro., Inc. Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center Chester Wasser Crown Enterprises, Inc. Lamesha Lewis, CCC-SLP Glenn Wilkerson Dependable Pest Service, Inc. Law Office of Attorney Bridgett M. Clayton Dr. Bryman Williams Elkins Wholesale, Inc. Cedric Morgan Dr. Joe Ann Williams Equinox Services, LLC Jackson (MS) Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Ella Wooten
H I N D S
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Hinds County Human Resource Agency
A Heart felt thanks for your commitment to the families and seniors who need the support. The Challenges are great but the results are even GREATER.
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