PECOS COUNTY COMMUNITY

HEAD START - PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH, EDUCATIONAL, NUTRITIONAL, SOCIAL AND OTHER SERVICES PRIMARILY TO ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED PRE- SCHOOL CHILDREN. THE CHILDREN ARE PROVIDED WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES. SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES. ALL CHILDREN RECEIVE A DENTAL, VISION AND HEARING SCREENING. CHILDREN AT HEAD START ARE SERVED BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND A MID-AFTERNOON SNACK UNDER AN ANNUAL CONTRACT WITH THE TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION AT ALL CLASSROOM LOCATIONS. NUTRITION IS PROMOTED THROUGH HEALTHY SNACKS, EXERCISE ACTIVITIES AND NUTRITION TRAINING TO THE CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. PARENT INVOLVEMENT AND FAMILY SERVICES HELP PROMOTE TO PARENTS THAT THEY ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT TEACHERS OF THEIR CHILDREN. PARENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND MONTHLY PARENT MEETINGS AND TRAININGS THAT ARE BASED ON THEIR NEEDS AND INTEREST, SUCH AS, PARENTING SKILLS, HEALTH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, CHILD ABUSE, MENTAL HEALTH, NUTRITION AND OTHERS.

CLIENT ASSISTANCE - PROGRAM PROVIDES CRISIS ASSISTANCE TO CLIENTS THROUGH VOUCHER PAYMENTS FOR UTILITIES, FOOD, SHELTER AND MEDICAL SERVICES. MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION IS ALSO PROVIDED. ALL CLIENTS MUST BE INCOME ELIGIBLE. INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICES ARE ALSO PROVIDED THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER. FUNDS ARE USED TO RESPOND TO THE ENERGY NEEDS OF LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS THROUGH DIFFERENT COMPONENTS SUCH AS, ENERGY CRISIS, ELDERLY AND DISABLED, CO-PAYMENT, AND HEATING AND COOLING. QUALIFYING HOUSEHOLDS ARE ASSISTED WITH PAYMENT OF THEIR ENERGY BILL, HEATING AND COOLING REPAIRS, AS WELL AS PLACEMENT OF HEATING AND COOLING UNITS WITH MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT ONES.