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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFY26 LA2A HACAP ResponsesNovember 22, 2024 FY26 Legacy Aid to Agencies HCDC Question and Answer (Q&A) Session Instructions The Q&A session provides an opportunity for commissioners and staff to ask clarifying questions about the applications submitted through United Way. Please provide written responses to the questions below. Written responses must be received by City staff no later than December 6, 2024. This process is intended to gather the information required to accurately score submissions. Written responses can be directed to Brianna Thul at bthul@iowa-city.org or dropped off at City Hall (410 E Washington Street). All information related to this grant will be posted at www.icgov.org/grants. The Housing and Community Development Commission will hold a meeting on January 27th, 2025, at 6:30pm in City Hall to develop funding recommendations for City Council. This meeting is open to the public and applicants are welcome to attend to hear the conversation. The meeting will also be recorded and posted online for those unable to attend. Agency: HACAP Questions: 1. Income information for beneficiaries does not appear to be listed in the application. Is there income data available for beneficiaries reported? It will be assumed that beneficiaries is defined as clients served in the Head Start program. To be eligible for Head Start, clients are to meet age and income guidelines. Children from birth to age five who are from families with incomes below the poverty guidelines are eligible for Head Start services. It is required that at time of application, families provide a year’s worth of income to determine their income eligibility. Proof may come from tax returns, pay stubs, Iowa Workforce quarterly statements and/or other forms of income to the family. If a family and/or child is homeless, child is in foster care or family receives public assistance they are categorically eligible and income is not reviewed. Income eligibility and enrollment priority has the following guidelines: a. Children in foster care, homeless and children from families receiving public assistance (TANF, SSI or SNAP benefits) are categorically eligible for services. b. Children from families that are at or below 100% of federal poverty guidelines. c. Children with family income from 101-130% of federal poverty guidelines. This is considered near to low income. Programs are allowed to enroll up to 35% of children from this category. November 22, 2024 d. Children with family income 131% may be served (over-income). Only 10% of our enrollment may serve over-income children. The poverty guidelines are adjusted for families of different sizes. The guidelines are issued each year by the Department of Health Human Services. Effective fall 2024, Head Start programs are allowed to consider excessive housing costs in determining a family’s eligibility for Head Start. Upon identifying family’s gross annual income, if a family’s income is above the federal poverty guidelines, housing costs may be identified. If a family’s annual housing expenses are more than 30% of the family’s total gross income, we may subtract the family’s annual housing expenses that are more than 30% of the family’s annual gross income. Housing costs can include rent or mortgage payments, homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, utilities, interest and taxes on the home. Utilities include electricity, gas, water, sewer, and trash. This adjustment will support more families becoming income eligible for Head Start services. On an annual basis, HACAP Head Start’s Enrollment Protocols are reviewed and presented to HACAP Head Start Policy Council (Head Start’s governing board) and HACAP Board of Directors. Upon review, approval is requested for the Enrollment Protocols that designate priority of enrolling children based on need. 2. The board of 23 members includes one director representing Johnson County, with 7 from Linn, and 4 from Dubuque. Is the board make-up (County representation) related to service areas? If not, are there plans to include more Iowa City/Johnson County representatives? HACAP’s service area covers nine counties in eastern Iowa, and board members can be elected/appointed from any county within the service area. There is no geographic alignment, or designated number of members per county. HACAP’s board is made up of three different types of members (tripartite board) – one third are public, one third are private, and one third are consumer. The public seats are elected officials from a County Board of Supervisors/City Council or a designee they appoint, the private seats are community members who represent an area of expertise relevant to HACAP such as early childhood, finance, health, business, etc., and the consumer seats are individuals who are/have received HACAP services or are advocates for low income populations. We have three Head Start parents who are seated members of the Board of Directors. We currently have a Johnson County resident filling a public seat and could have some filling a private or consumer seat depending upon who is elected to fill those seats. We have had members from Johnson County in both private and consumer seats previously and likely will in the future. November 22, 2024 3. Is it anticipated that the State’s restructuring of AEAs will impact collaboration and/or service delivery? There will be changes to the collaboration between Grant Wood AEA and HACAP. This has been an honest and open conversation between the two agencies. We are both committed to continuing providing the needed services to our enrolled children and families. We are currently reviewing and discussing the changes that will occur and how services will look going forward. HACAP expects to pay for more services that in the past have been part of our on-going agreement of services. One service that will most likely become a fee service is deliverance of hearing screens to enrolled children. It is possible that Mental Health consultation will turn into a fee service. HACAP and Grant Wood AEA have worked together to have their professionals provide Professional Development training to our staff. The training was built into the contract, at this time we are unsure of how this will look. HACAP and Grant Wood AEA have and remain in communication with one another and determining how services will look going forward. HACAP and Grant Wood AEA recognize that the look of services and support will change for both parties. HACAP recognizes that there will be services that will now be a fee for service and/or built into the contract that would reflect paying for these services.