 
Information Memorandums (IMs) - 2005
HS Staff Impacted by Hurricane Katrina (ACYF-IM-HS-05-06)
| ACYF Administration on Children, Youth, and Families |
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Administration for Children and Families |
|
| 1. Log No. ACYF-IM-HS-05-06 | 2. Issuance Date: 09/21/2005 | |
| 3. Originating Office: Head Start Bureau | ||
| 4. Key Word: Head Start Staff; Funding; Hurricane Katrina | ||
INFORMATION MEMORANDUM:
TO: Head Start and Early Head Start Grantees and Delegate Agencies
SUBJECT: HS Staff Impacted by Hurricane Katrina
INFORMATION:
Hurricane Katrina has caused the closure of approximately 150 Head Start centers, leaving many Head Start staff without work for unknown periods of time.
Head Start and Early Head Start grantees should consider steps to assist their staff who are currently not able to work because of the impact of Hurricane Katrina and further consider ways to use these staff to continue Head Start services, even on a limited basis, until it is possible to resume full services.
All staff should be paid any wages due to them for time worked before Hurricane Katrina forced the closing of their program. Any Head Start staff from closed centers who are ready and available to work should be encouraged to provide assistance, under the auspices of the Head Start program, to enrolled families that have been displaced by the hurricane (e.g., work temporarily as home visitors or family child care providers) or be employed for other Head Start-related purposes with their original program. Grantees may also wish to deploy employees to assist neighboring Head Start programs. For Head Start employees who themselves have been displaced by the storm and are unable to work, we are encouraging grantees, if their personnel and other policies permit, to put staff on paid administrative leave through the end of September 2005.
Thank you for your continued assistance in helping the evacuee children and families impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
Wade F. Horn, Ph.D.
Assistant Secretary for Children and Families
(Download in PDF)