The Massachusetts Head Start - State Collaboration Office (HSSCO)

Through a series of Federal grants, Head Start State Collaboration Offices have been developed in each state to assist in the development of partnerships among Head Start and state initiatives related to the support of low income children and families. The primary federal goals for the Head Start- State Collaboration Project are to:

• Build early childhood support systems and access to comprehensive services and support for all low-income children;
• Create partnership agreements and initiatives between Head Start and appropriate state program/agencies and augment Head Start's capacity to be a partner in State initiatives on behalf of children and their families; and
• Facilitate the involvement of Head Start in State policies, plans, processes and decisions affecting the Head Start target population and other low-income families.

There are eight priority areas that State Collaboration Projects address:

1. Improving access to health care services
2. Improving the availability, accessibility and quality of child care services
3. Collaboration with welfare systems
4. Expanding and improving early childhood education opportunities
5. Initiating interaction with volunteer efforts such as Americorps
6. Improving access to family literacy services
7. Improving opportunities for children with disabilities
8. Improving access to services for homeless children

In Massachusetts, the Head Start – State Collaboration Office is located at the Department of Early Education and Care. It is supported by an Advisory Board with members from the following agencies and administrations:

• Administration for Children and Families
• MA Head Start Association (Including Head Start and Early Head Start Directors and Parents)
• MA Executive Office of Health and Human Services
• MA Department of Early Education and Care
• MA Department of Social Services
• MA Department of Public Health (WIC Office, Office of Oral Health and Early Education Comprehensive Systems Program)
• MA Department of Housing and Community Development, Community Services Division
• Horizons for Homeless Children
• Head Start Quality Initiative/ University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute
• Massachusetts Community College Executive Office
• Massachusetts Association for Community Action (MassCAP)

For more information about the Head Start – State Collaboration Office in Massachusetts contact:

Anita Moeller, Head Start – State Collaboration Director
Department of Early Education and Care
51 Sleeper St.
Boston, MA 02210
(617) 988-6600 (Main Number)
anita.moeller@massmail.state.ma.us