08/21/2026
Head Start is about more than early learning. For generations, its comprehensive approach has helped connect children and families with health, dental, vision, nutrition, and mental health services that can help children arrive in the classroom ready to learn.
The Head Start Program Performance Standards provide specific requirements for this work, from developmental, behavioral, vision, and hearing screenings to helping families access healthcare and insurance.
As the federal government considers proposed changes to these standards, one of NHSA’s latest Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) issue briefs takes a closer look at Head Start’s comprehensive health services, what the research tells us, and what could be at stake for children and families.
Read the issue brief: https://nhsa.box.com/s/glgkpoi754s2jt3o2ja0c7308ypdmc07