wthr.com
INDIANAPOLIS — As the government shutdown continues in Washington, the impacts are being felt across the country, including here in Indiana through federally-funded programs Hoosiers depend on.
One of those programs, Head Start, provides childcare and early learning for kids, starting at birth all the way to age 5.
But the executive director of the Indiana Head Start Association says some of the state’s Head Start programs are already having to make tough choices to stay open.
“Head Start, our politics is children,” said Rhett Cecil, the association’s executive director.
As the standoff between Republicans and Democrats continues in Washington, Cecil says Head Start families across Indiana are living with how politics can impact everyday life.
“It’s not geographically one spot. It’s not a large community or a small community. It’s small towns in Indiana, big towns in Indiana that are impacted by the current government shutdown,” Cecil said.
The federal government funds 42 Head Start programs across the state, serving just under 13,000 kids, but not all Head Start programs receive federal money at the same time.
In November, six programs receive their federal money, but not this year as the shutdown drags on.
“We have one, today is their last day of operation. They cannot movie forward past today in serving the family and children in their community,” Cecil explained of the Fremont Community Head Start program near Angola.
Cecil says the closure has left 140 families without childcare.
“You’re also talking about 140 folks out of the workforce. They’re having to choose between going to work and caring for their children,” Cecil explained.
According to Cecil, five other Head Start programs that also get their money in November have found a way, for now, to stay open.
“They are using reserves or lines of credit or working with community foundations across our state to find the funds to operate,” Cecil said of programs located in Elkhart and Saint Joseph Counties, along with programs in Fort Wayne, Madison, Vincennes and Plymouth.
Cecil worries Head Start programs forced to close during the shutdown may not return.
“Being able to open up again where they are funded, what does that look like?” Cecil asked, saying he’s concerned teachers who were laid off during the shutdown will have moved on to other jobs.
This week, Gov. Braun received a letter from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services about the lapse in Head Start funding. The letter said Indiana could use money from a federal grant the state gets every year called Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Under Indiana law, the state can use TANF money for Head Start programs, but there are limits.
“The children and families we serve are not interested in the politics of Head Start because there is none,” Cecil said. “Our politics are centered around ‘how do we build tomorrow’s economic drivers? How do we create lifelong learners? How do we help families have generational change?’ None of that has to do with the government shutdown.”