Going to College with Aspergers and Autism

https://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/college-resource-center/students-with-autism/

Chicago Early Learning Program Implementation Manual

Children Services Division is happy to release the final version of the Early Learning Program Implementation Manual for Community Based Organizations.

The Manual has been a group effort—the result of thoughtful input from staff of the Department of Family and Support Services Children Services Division, the Chicago Public Schools Community Partnership Program, and Head Start, Early Head Start, Pre-School for All, and Prevention Initiative delegate agencies.  The Manual provides guidance of program implementation for all Chicago Early Learning programs.

Click to view the Manual

Chicago Early Childhood Program Locator

Finding quality Early Childhood Education programs for your child has never been this easy!  Whether you are looking for a program near your home or near your job, the Chicago Early Childhood Program Locator can help you find what you're looking for.  There are many Early Childhood Education programs for children ages 3 to 5 with varying services, hours and fees-- whether it's a half day at your neighborhood public school or a full day at your community center.

Click here to locate a Chicago Early Childhood Program

Chicago Community Needs Summary Tool

The Chicago Community Needs Summary Tool lets the user map demographic data in discrete areas of the city drawn by the user.  The tool focuses on data related to young children, including demographic information for children under age six, community-level risk factors, and family composition information.

Click here: http://cnat.childrenserviceschicago.com/

Professional Development Scholarship Information

Below is the revised scholarship opportunity application to support your professional development goals. 

Please be mindful of the following requirements when submitting applications: 

• Only the attached application will be accepted 
• The application must be signed by both the applicant and the program/site director
• Only completed applications with current COPA HR information will be processed 
• Applicant Information entered into COPA HR must include the following: 

o Correct mailing address
o Criminal Records Check Dates 
o Current TB/Physical
o Current Professional Development Plan should align with the program option on the Professional Development application
o Salary Percentage Recorded (must align with HS/EHS/EHSCCP respective budgets)
o Years of services/Years in Position should match application

Download Professional Development Scholarship Application

For additional information/inquiries, please contact Elaine Millsap Parker, Supervisor Children Services Programs at 312-743-1926 or at Elaine.Millsap-Parker@cityofchicago.org   or  Sue Reynolds, Director of Quality and Improvement at 312-743-1690 or at Susan.Reynolds@cityofchicago.org.


** Please Note: If you have submitted an application for review and have not received any other correspondence from us, your application and applicable documentation may no longer be valid.  Any applications not sent to the institution of higher learning are discarded at the end of every grant fiscal year. Interested applicants will need to re-submit a new application to be considered for the new grant fiscal calendar year. 

Measles Virus

Dear Parents and Staff of Head Start and Early Head Start Children, 

As the Medical Consultant for Head Start I am encouraging all of you to check the immunization records for the children and yourselves to determine if you or your children are at risk for contracting Measles during this epidemic. Your health care provider can give your further direction. Please read the information below. 

WHAT IS MEASLES? Measles is a preventable communicable disease caused by the measles virus. It is a respiratory disease that can have serious life-threatening complications. In the year 2000, measles was eliminated and declared no longer endemic (common disease) in the United States. Therefore, the recent confirmed cases of measles in the United States are considered part of an epidemic (more than usually expected). In the past week, there have been 5 confirmed cases of Measles in Palatine, IL in infants that attend the same day care center. These infants are too young to routinely receive the Measles vaccination. 

ROUTINE IMMUNIZATIONS: The Measles vaccination (immunization) is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Council on Immunization Practices. The initial dose is between 12 and 15 months. The second or booster is recommended between 4 and six years of age. Children receiving the measles immunization following this schedule are 95% likely to have immunity against Measles. See http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/ 

IMMUNIZIING THE COMMUNITY: Infants under the age of 12 months have no significant immunity against measles. This is why it is so important that all other children and adults receive these immunizations. The reason this is effective is “Herd Immunity”. This means that all others around the unvaccinated person are immune and should not catch disease. Hence the community or “herd” shelters the weakest one(s) from the disease by not exposing them. All eligible children should be vaccinated against Measles as well as adults with no history of vaccination or physician diagnosed history of Measles. 

RISK COMPLICATIONS OF MEASLES: The risk of complications of Measles is highest in young infants and those over 20 years of age. The complications may be something manageable like an ear infection, suffered by one in 20 children with Measles. A more serious and life threatening complication is pneumonia. Pneumonia is the Measles complication that most often leads to death. Encephalitis (swelling of the brain) is suffered by 1 in a thousand persons with Measles and may lead to brain damage and/or death. 

Written by Joyce M. Smith, M.D., MPH
DFSS Head Start Medical Consultant

View DFSS Cover Letter: English | Spanish
View Measles Memo: English |  Spanish
View Measles Fact Sheet: English | Spanish

COPA Registration Guide

To register for DFSS trainings and professional development opportunities using COPA, please download the step-by-step information guide and follow the instructions.

COPA Registration Guide

Delegate Agency Health Services Advisory Committee

Head Start delegate agencies are expected, based on the Head Start Performance Standards [1304.41(b), to have in place a Health Services Advisory Committee (HSAC).  This committee will function in conjunction with the Early Childhood Development/Health Services Advisory Council (ECD/HSAC) currently operated at the grantee level and will meet at least once per year.  Please download these important documents related to ECD/HSAC.

Operational Guidance