Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2010

Currently: 56° | Complete forecast | Log in

Editorial: Lagging behind on Head Start

Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2006 | 7:33 a.m.

Federal officials say hundreds of children from poor families are not receiving adequate medical and dental care in the Las Vegas Valley's Head Start program, which continues to be operated by a nonprofit agency that receives millions in federal funding despite ongoing deficiencies since 2002.

According to a story in the Las Vegas Sun on Tuesday, fewer than two-thirds of the estimated 1,800 children enrolled in the program receive the physical and dental exams that U.S. Head Start requires, and fewer than 25 percent received the dental treatments they needed.

The program, which helps poor families obtain education, health care and child care for their children up to age 5, is funded by the Health and Human Services Department through its Admininstration for Children and Families office. The federal government pays the valley's nonprofit Economic Opportunity Board $12.2 million annually to run 15 Head Start centers locally.

Nurses who have resigned from the program told the Sun that immunization records were outdated, as were hearing tests and newborn health checkups.

The EOB's Head Start operations have been under federal scrutiny since a 2002 audit revealed missing state and federal grants, inexplicable financial deficits involving large sums of money and inadequate health and dental care for the children.

The Administration for Children and Families issued letters on two occasions last year that threatened to cancel the EOB's contract. The EOB appealed and will continue to run the program until the appeal is settled.

That doesn't make sense, but it is the law. Federal funding cannot be withheld and the contract cannot go to another agency while the EOB's appeal is pending, according to Wade F. Horn, assistant secretary for the Administration for Children and Families, who in December wrote a letter to the Sun regarding the EOB's management of Head Start.

"This is, in a word, nuts," Horn wrote. "I have testified twice before Congress that this law needs to be changed."

Congress needs to close this loophole that could be preventing untold thousands of children from receiving the health and dental care that Head Start promises. It is unconscionable that this group continues to receive a huge sum of taxpayers' money for services that the federal government knows are deficient, even as it cuts the check.

archive

Spotlight

Elvis

Elvis

A look at the enduring bond between Las Vegas and Elvis

NASCAR Weekend

NASCAR Weekend

Full coverage of NASCAR weekend at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Miss America

Miss America

Stories, photos and videos from this year's pageant

CityCenter

CityCenter

The definitive guide to MGM Mirage's newest property

New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve

Full coverage of New Year's Eve 2009

Sights Unseen

Sights Unseen

A collection of our favorite images that didn't run in 2009

Bottoming Out

Bottoming Out

Gambling addiction in Las Vegas

Funny Face

Funny Face

Carrot Top's stage act a mask of contradictions

Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy

A detailed look at where renewable-energy sources are located in the state

A gamble in the sand

A gamble in the sand

The history of Las Vegas

Guest Gauge

Guest Gauge

The weekend crowd forecast for Las Vegas

CES 2010

CES 2010

Full coverage of the International Consumer Electronics Show

  • Most Read
  • Discussed
  • Most E-mailed

Calendar »

  • 19 Fri
  • 20 Sat
  • 21 Sun
  • 22 Mon
  • 23 Tue