NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 27, 2014
Media Contact: Veronica Mikitka Reed, Maven Communications
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PHMC to service more than 600 children and families through Philadelphia Head Start Partnership
PHILADELPHIA, PA – Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities, has been awarded a $5.2 million dollar, five year grant by the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families to administer the Philadelphia Head Start Partnership (PHSP) in Southwest Philadelphia. PHMC will administer more than 600 Head Start slots for children, ages three to five, and families once the program begins September 8.
Head Start is a comprehensive program that supports mental, social and emotional development of children, ages three to five, from low income families. Its purpose is to nurture future success for children and families by providing education, support and resources.
"Hundreds of families in our region benefit from Head Start, and we are excited and humbled to grow this important program in Southwest Philadelphia," said Amanda Atkinson, PHMC's Director of Head Start and Operations for Early Childhood Education. "PHMC's partnership model, deep experience in early childhood education and ability to leverage a variety of services throughout our organization enable us to provide comprehensive support to the families we serve."
PHMC, along with its partners, developed three key operational strategies to successfully implement the Philadelphia Head Start Partnership: direct operations, and sub-contracting via high-quality childcare centers and charter schools, and a family childcare network. This diverse model enables PHSP to combine childcare operations with the strength of high-quality provider partners who are embedded in their communities and committed to the families they serve. A full list of partners and their locations can be found on the PHSP website: www.philaheadstartpartnership.org.
As the region's largest nonprofit public health institute, PHMC brings decades of nonprofit management experience, a strong early childhood education background and a proven track record of providing the highest quality services to at-risk children and families in Philadelphia and beyond. Through the Southeast Regional Key, PHMC oversees the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), Keystone STARS. In this role, PHMC supports 1,200 providers in delivery of high-quality care to 47,000 children in Philadelphia, Montgomery and Delaware Counties and preparing the children for kindergarten.
"The Philadelphia Head Start Partnership expands PHMC's vision to meet the early childhood education needs of our region in new and unique ways," said Natalie Renew, PHMC's Managing Director of Early Childhood Education. "Our diverse and first-of-its kind partnership model in Philadelphia enhances relationships across the region, and creates a platform for further program integration and a broader continuum of services for the region's most at-risk populations."
In addition to early childhood education, PHMC will leverage its extensive network to offer a continuum of services for families, as needed, including:
- Primary care through the PHMC health network, which consists of five nurse-managed, federally qualified health centers serving Philadelphia.
- Behavioral health services through an extensive network of treatment and recovery program options for adults and children.
- Early childhood intervention through ChildLink, a PHMC program.
About PHMC
Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) is a nonprofit public health institute that creates and sustains healthier communities. PHMC uses best practices to improve community health through direct service, partnership, innovation, policy, research, technical assistance and a prepared workforce. PHMC has served the region since 1972. For more information on PHMC, visit www.phmc.org.
About PHSP
Through a five-year grant from the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, Philadelphia Head Start Partnership administers more than 600 Head Start slots in Southwest Philadelphia through direct operations and partnerships with high-quality childcare centers, charter schools and a family childcare network. PHSP is a Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) program, combining nonprofit management experience and a strong early childhood education network with a proven track record of serving the region's at-risk populations.
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