For years, the Head Start Legal Advisory Service ("LAS") has provided high quality, cost effective training for your Head Start agency. In all of our online trainings, we identify and explain the law and where the rules come from, what they mean on a practical level, and how you can help ensure that your program is in and will stay in compliance. Below you can register for upcoming live webinar trainings and purchase webinar recordings as on-demand programs. Our live webinars provide you with the opportunity to ask questions while our on-demand programs offer the convenience of viewing at anytime for up to 30 days. We hope to "see" you online soon! Read more about LAS here.
Rarely do programs undergo monitoring reviews and come away with no findings. And unfortunately, in this era of additional scrutiny and consequences, every finding counts. We’ve helped many programs over the years respond to monitoring findings. So, what do you do when you receive a monitoring report with deficiencies or non-compliances? How do you break the report down and properly respond? Join us on this webinar to learn:
• How to review your report and clues to look for; • Tips on how to develop and strengthen your Quality Improvement Plans; and • How to document and "prove up" your compliance to "clear" your findings.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Senior management and staff, but all are welcome.
We recommend that your organization share a webinar registration and gather to participate in the webinar together. Should your organization not be able to come together, you may register for additional lines at the discounted rate of $50 per line.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: February 01, 2012 On-Demand Release Date: February 01, 2012
HR in Head Start can be very confusing. The regulations require that certain actions need to take place pre-employment; others during the hiring process, and still others while someone is employed by your program. And then what happens if someone's employment needs to be terminated? Getting these elements right matters - not just for proper program operations, but for morale too. In this webinar, we will discuss the Human Resources Lifecycle of the Head Start employment relationship and include:
• Pre-employment requirements, such as recruitment and selection procedures and health exams; • Hiring process, including steps and tips; • Elements during employment, such as performance reviews and training/development; and • Firing, including steps on "how to." Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Human Resources Director and HR Personnel, but all are welcome.
We recommend that your organization share a webinar registration and gather to participate in the webinar together. Should your organization not be able to come together, you may register for additional lines at the discounted rate of $50 per line.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: February 15, 2012 On-Demand Release Date: February 16, 2012
Personnel matters can be challenging for management. In addition, in Head Start, special rules apply to the employment relationship (that is, between a Head Start agency and an employee). In this webinar, we will discuss some of the unique aspects of Head Start agency employment. Join us to learn about:
• What needs to be in your Head Start personnel policies, including tips; • The ins and outs of your employment Standards of Conduct, including useful checklists; and • Issues surrounding staff qualifications and timelines.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Human Resources Director and HR Personnel, but all are welcome.
We recommend that your organization share a webinar registration and gather to participate in the webinar together. Should your organization not be able to come together, you may register for additional lines at the discounted rate of $50 per line.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: March 07, 2012 On-Demand Release Date: March 08, 2012
Does your Head Start or Early Head Start program need to gain knowledge on federal employment laws? Are there federal, non-Head Start employment laws that you aren't sure about? In addition to Head Start-specific Human Resources laws and rules, agencies running Head Start programs need to ensure compliance with a handful of other federal employment laws. These include: the Americans with Disabilities Act and other laws involving discrimination, and the Family Medical Leave Act.
This webinar will:
Help you understand the key points of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other employment laws involving discrimination; and
Assure you know the details of the Family Medical Leave Act.
This webinar has been developed to supplement our two other Human Resources in Head Start webinars. It will not cover Head Start-specific human resources issues stemming from the Head Start Act or Program Performance Standards. Please see our other HR in Head Start webinars for that information.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Human Resources Directors and HR Personnel, but all are welcome. We recommend that your organization share a webinar registration and gather to participate in the webinar together. Should your organization not be able to come together, you may register for additional lines at the discounted rate of $50 per line.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: March 22, 2012 On-Demand Release Date: March 26, 2012
The recent allegations of improper eligibility determinations in the Head Start world should serve as a wake up call to programs across the country. Effective compliance is the name of the game across the board for the Head Start program, whether you are explaining your practices to funders, program reviewers, auditors or the media. So just how do you establish a culture of compliance in your Head Start program? Join us on this webinar to learn:
Why compliance matters;
The 7 elements of a compliance program; and
Tips about what works and what doesn't.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Senior Management, Compliance Officers, Compliance Committee members, but all are welcome.
We recommend that your organization share a webinar registration and gather to participate in the webinar together. Should your organization not be able to come together, you may register for additional lines at the discounted rate of $50 per line.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: April 04, 2012 On-Demand Release Date: April 05, 2012
With all of the additional scrutiny that Head Start programs continue to receive from the Government Accountability Office, the HHS Office of Inspector General, the Office of Head Start, Congress, the media, and others, there has never been a better time to understand when and how to conduct internal investigations. On this webinar, we'll focus on the following:
Who, what, why, when and how of internal investigations;
Factors to consider when you need to begin an internal investigation; and
Significance and challenges of making disclosures, including legal ramifications.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Senior Management, Compliance Officers, Compliance Committee members, but all are welcome.
We recommend that your organization share a
webinar registration and gather to participate in the webinar together.
Should your organization not be able to come together, you may register
for additional lines at the discounted rate of $50 per line.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: April 25, 2012 On-Demand Release Date: April 26, 2012
ACF's Program Instruction HS-10-02, Income Eligibility for Enrollment, addresses how Head Start employees must determine and verify income eligibility. The PI states that programs "should provide annual training to employees responsible for determining and verifying income eligibility and to ensure that those employees are fully aware of the consequences established by the grantee for employees who knowingly sign a verification form that contains false information."
This topic is of special importance - in fact, programs are receiving additional scrutiny about their eligibility practices from Congress, the Government Accountability Office, the HHS Office of Inspector General, and the Office of Head Start. In the wake of Congressional and Departmental scrutiny, now is the time to make sure your staff is determining eligibility correctly.
This session will help your program comply with the often-confusing eligibility rules, and ensure that all of your employees who determine eligibility get needed training. We'll cover not only the basics of the Head Start eligibility process, but also discuss the consequences of knowing violations of the eligibility rules. This webinar will cover:
What the Head Start eligibility rules are (and, which are mandatory or optional);
Where the pitfalls lie for your program in determining eligibility (including reviewing eligibility documents and signing income verification forms); and
How to ensure your program is in compliance with the requirements of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act; PIs and the Head Start Policy Clarifications.
Tips for best practices will be included and your questions will be addressed.
Who Should Attend: Eligibility Workers, Eligibility Managers, ERSEA staff, Executive Directors, Head Start program Directors, and other senior staff, but all are welcome.
We recommend that your organization share a
webinar registration and gather to participate in the webinar together.
Should your organization not be able to come together, you may register
for additional lines at the discounted rate of $50 per line.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: May 02, 2012 On-Demand Release Date: May 03, 2012
In Head Start and Early Head Start, many children and families are served by delegate agencies (known as "sub-recipients" in the federal grants arena). When one primary organization (the "grantee") holds a Head Start grant and provides some of the grant funds to another organization to fully serve part of a service area (the "delegate"), challenges can result. During this webinar, we'll discuss:
Building positive relationships between grantees and delegates;
The myth of creating "Partnerships" under federal grant rules;
Delegate agency agreements and what should be in them;
Common pitfalls to avoid; and
The Delegate agency appeals process.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Leadership Team Staff of both Grantees and Delegates, but all are welcome
We recommend that your organization share a webinar
registration and gather to participate in the webinar together. Should
your organization not be able to come together, you may register for
additional lines at the discounted rate of $50 per line.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: May 16, 2012 On-Demand Release Date: May 17, 2012
Many Head Start and Early Head Start programs have numerous funding streams, such as federal Head Start funds, Recovery Act dollars, and state funding, to name but a few. With the myriad funding sources that programs juggle, following the federal rules for cost allocation carefully and appropriately has never been more important. If your program fails to follow these rules correctly, monitoring findings, cost disallowances, and additional penalties can result.
In addition, charging the costs of employee time to specific federal grants can be onerous. But doing it right - that is, following proper requirements and ensuring proper oversight - is critical. Unfortunately, this continues to be an area in which we see a lot of findings, both from ACF Head Start monitoring, as well as OIG audits.
Use this training to double check your practices and as a guide to help you avoid significant cost disallowances. Join us to learn:
Requirements for Time and Effort Reporting, including the 4 necessary elements for time sheets;
Common timesheet problems;
How to do cost allocation; and
Why all of this should matter to you.
We'll also include a sample timesheet that we recommend using.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Program Directors, CFOs, and others involved in planning or accounting activities, but all are welcome to attend.
We recommend that your organization share a webinar
registration and gather to participate in the webinar together. Should
your organization not be able to come together, you may register for
additional lines at the discounted rate of $50 per line.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: May 30, 2012 On-Demand Release Date: May 31, 2012
ACF's Program Instruction HS-10-02, Income Eligibility for Enrollment,
addresses how Head Start employees must determine and verify income
eligibility. The PI states that programs "should provide annual
training to employees responsible for determining and verifying income
eligibility and to ensure that those employees are fully aware of the
consequences established by the grantee for employees who knowingly sign
a verification form that contains false information."
This topic
is of special importance - in fact, programs are receiving additional
scrutiny about their eligibility practices from Congress, the Government
Accountability Office, the HHS Office of Inspector General, and the
Office of Head Start. In the wake of Congressional and Departmental
scrutiny, now is the time to make sure your staff is determining
eligibility correctly.
This session will help your program comply
with the often-confusing eligibility rules, and ensure that all of your
employees who determine eligibility get needed training. We'll cover
not only the basics of the Head Start eligibility process, but also
discuss the consequences of knowing violations of the eligibility
rules. This webinar will cover:
What the Head Start eligibility rules are (and, which are mandatory or optional);
Where the pitfalls lie for your program in determining eligibility
(including reviewing eligibility documents and signing income
verification forms); and
How to ensure your program is in compliance with the requirements of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act; PIs and the Head Start Policy Clarifications.
Tips for best practices will be included and your questions will be addressed.
Who Should Attend:
Eligibility Workers, Eligibility Managers, ERSEA staff, Executive
Directors, Head Start program Directors, and other senior staff, but all
are welcome.
We recommend that your organization share a webinar
registration and gather to participate in the webinar together. Should
your organization not be able to come together, you may register for
additional lines at the discounted rate of $50 per line.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: June 13, 2012 On-Demand Release Date: June 14, 2012
With all of the additional scrutiny that Head Start programs continue to receive from the Government Accountability Office, the HHS Office of Inspector General, the Office of Head Start, Congress, the media, and others, there has never been a better time to understand when and how to conduct internal investigations. This on-demand webinar specifically focuses on:
The who, what, why, when and how of internal investigations;
Factors to consider when you need to begin an internal investigation; and
The significance and challenges of making disclosures, including legal ramifications.
Some of the questions addressed during this webinar:
Do we retain attorney-client privilege if we use the law firm of the attorney on our Board?
Given that attorneys hired by an agency represent the agency, if we are dealing with litigation, should we advise our employees to retain their own legal counsel?
If a federal agency is investigating an allegation, wouldn’t they advise the agency to not do a concurrent investigation?
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Senior Management, Compliance Officers, Compliance Committee members, but all are welcome.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: March 02, 2011 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
The recent allegations of improper eligibility determinations in the Head Start world should serve as a wake up call to programs across the country. Effective compliance is the name of the game across the board for the Head Start program, whether you are explaining your practices to funders, program reviewers, auditors or the media. So just how do you establish a culture of compliance in your Head Start program? Listen to this on-demand webinar to learn:
Why compliance matters;
The 7 elements of a compliance program; and
Tips about what works and what doesn’t.
Some of the questions addressed during this webinar:
Do you have tips on how to implement a compliance program is our agency is strapped for cash?
You talked about the need for prompt investigations and that if there is an allegation of wrong doing, it would go through a compliance officer. What happens if the allegation gets "sat on" or not followed up upon quickly?
You talked about not wanting a police officer mentality around compliance. How do you change behaviors to value compliance in an organization that is overworked, stressed, busy, and overwhelmed?
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Senior Management, Compliance Officers, Compliance Committee members, but all are welcome.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: February 16, 2011 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Have you ever worried about getting audited by the government? Perhaps from the Office of Inspector General ("OIG"), the Government Accountability Office ("GAO"), or others? Head Start and Early Head Start programs across the country have been audited by the OIG every year (separate and apart from your OHS monitoring reviews) and over the past year, some have been visited by the GAO as well. This on-demand webinar covers what to expect from these kinds of audits and what is expected of your program, including:
The purpose of government audit and their elements;
The limits of OIG authority; and
The process for challenging audit findings, including administrative appeals and formal legal action.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Senior Management, Compliance Officers, Compliance Committee members, but all are welcome.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: September 16, 2010 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Head Start governance has always been complicated. Yet in this day and age, it has never been more important. Maintaining proper oversight and accountability over the program is the name of the game. Join us on this online training session, in which we’ll clarify:
The unique roles and responsibilities of the governing board and Policy Council;
Conflicts of Interest and Composition; and
Considerations for your program to be in compliance
Who Should Attend: Head Start Management, and staff assisting Boards and Policy Council.
Please note that we also offer a Board and Policy Council Governance Boot Camp On-Demand Series, designed specifically for Board and Policy Council Members.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: October 26, 2011 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Many Head Start and Early Head Start programs have numerous funding streams, such as federal Head Start funds, Recovery Act dollars, and state funding, to name but a few. With the myriad funding sources that programs juggle, following the federal rules for cost allocation carefully and appropriately has never been more important. If your program fails to follow these rules correctly, monitoring findings, cost disallowances, and additional penalties can result. Don't let any of these happen to your program! This on-demand webinar covers:
What are common challenges with blended funding;
What are the cost allocation basics; and
Why should it matter to you.
Some of the questions addressed during this webinar:
Do we have to use Personal Activity Reports to allocate salaries or just to support the allocations of salaries?
What if we just show on time sheets the number of hours that each person spends on each program - is this okay or must we document the specific activity?
Must we do a cost allocation if we have an indirect cost rate?
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Program Directors, CFOs, and others involved in planning or accounting, but all are welcome.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: September 29, 2010 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Are you new to the Head Start or Early Head Start program? Or, do you just need a refresher on some of the key concepts? The core elements of grants are critically important and you need to understand them. This on-demand webinar reviews some key fundamentals and the legal framework for Head Start/Early Head Start grants, including:
What is a Grant Program?;
What Terms and Conditions Apply to Me, including what's buried in the FAA?;
Six Core Grant Administration Concepts that You Should Know;
Five Common Themes in DAB Cases that You Should Really Know; and
Thoughts on Compliance Strategies.
Some of the questions addressed during this webinar:
You talked about budget flexibility, but also explained that expenditures cannot go beyond the scope of the project. So how much leeway does the grantee have?
You spoke about how important sufficient documentation is - can you elaborate on the types of things auditors will need to see in a grantee's file?
Is it necessary for all Head Start grantees to earn program income?
Who Should Attend: Head Start and Early Head Start Directors, Executive Directors, Fiscal Officer and Fiscal Team, Other Senior Management
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming
Original Program Date: March 11, 2010 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Head Start programs are required to provide a 20% match of non-federal funds for the operation of their programs. This match (or "non-federal share") applies to regular Head Start and Early Head Start funds, as well as those received under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Year in and year out, non-federal share is an ongoing trouble area for programs. Join us in this webinar to learn or refresh:
What items and services your program can count as match;
How to document matching share;
Why showing "overmatch" makes sense; and
Common and not-so-common pitfalls to avoid
Based on our review of numerous examples from the field, we’ll also discuss what we think your non-federal share documentation forms should look like.
The content in this webinar is expected to be largely the same as the Non-Federal Share in Head Start - Getting it Right webinar scheduled on 6/29/11 with the possible addition of any updates needed. If you were unable to attend in June, this is an excellent opportunity to ensure your program is trained on Non-Federal Share.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Fiscal Staff, and Management Team, but anyone is welcome.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: September 14, 2011 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Procurements with Federal grant funds come with specific requirements to ensure that contracting costs are not disallowed. Some of the key elements are conducting competitive procurements, performing cost and price analyses, and avoiding conflicts of interest. On this webinar, we’ll discuss:
• Review the processes involved in procuring goods and services with federal funds; • Items for inclusion in your procurement policies and procedures; and • Specifics needed for Codes of Conduct.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, CFOs and Fiscal Staff, other senior staff, but all are welcome.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: January 11, 2012 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
When Congress passed the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 ("ARRA") to stimulate the economy, it imposed copious new reporting requirements on recipients of ARRA funds. As a result, all Head Start programs that received ARRA COLA funds, Program Improvement funds, and/or Head Start or Early Head Start Expansion funds under ARRA had new data to report quarterly. Then, at the close of 2009, jobs reporting methodology from the use of Recovery Act funds came under intense public scrutiny. In response, ACF issued critical new supplemental guidance. Additionally, the Office of Management and Budget ("OMB") issued revised guidance on Recovery Act reporting at the end of 2009. This on-demand webinar helps to untangle the ARRA reporting guidance, including:
What reporting requirements are for both grantees and delegates;
Deadlines for reporting;
Consequences of reporting mistakes;
Tips to ensure compliance;
Details of Recovery Act reporting guidance, including important ACF guidance that may change your job counts; and
The correct reporting codes needed for your Head Start ARRA reporting.
Some of the questions addressed during this webinar:
What part of the report should include our in-kind match?
In our program, under ARRA all the Early Head Start and Head Start employees are receiving a temporary COLA and quality improvement funds quarterly. Are all of us defined as a "funded job"?
What does a program do in terms of reporting on an employee that started in the middle of the quarter?
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Management Team, Finance and Accounting Staff
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming
Original Program Date: March 09, 2010 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
In Head Start and Early Head Start, many children and families are served by delegate agencies (known as "sub-recipients" in the federal grants arena). When one primary organization (the "grantee") holds a Head Start grant and provides some of the grant funds to another organization to fully serve part of a service area (the "delegate"), many issues can result. During this webinar, we'll discuss:
Building positive relationships between grantees and delegates;
The myth of creating "Partnerships" under federal grant rules;
Delegate agency agreements and what should be in them;
Common pitfalls to avoid; and
The Delegate agency appeals process.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Leadership Team Staff of both Grantees and Delegates, but all are welcome.
This is a new LAS topic requested by you! To request topics, please contact us at las@ftlf.com. We'll try our best to accommodate your requests.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: April 27, 2011 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Join Zoë Beckerman, one of the nation’s leading Head Start
attorneys, to hear analysis of the recent Recompetition
rule and what it means for your program. With this rule, all Head
Start and Early Head Start programs will be moved onto a 5-year grant
cycle. Based on current data, ACF has stated that roughly one-third of
programs will need to compete for their next grant. On this webinar,
we’ll discuss:
changes made from the draft NPRM to the final rule;
the seven triggering events for Recompetition; and
timelines for each.
You’ll have an opportunity to ask questions and develop a better understanding of how this new process will affect you.
Who Should Attend:
Executive Directors, Head Start/EHS Directors, Compliance Officers,
Other Senior Management, and Board Members, but all are welcome.
Formats Available: Streaming, Live Webinar, Webinar + Archive, Additional Line
Original Program Date: January 09, 2012 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Many Head Start and Early Head Start programs have numerous funding streams, such as federal Head Start funds, Recovery Act dollars, and state funding, to name but a few. With the myriad funding sources that programs juggle, following the federal rules for cost allocation carefully and appropriately has never been more important. If your program fails to follow these rules correctly, monitoring findings, cost disallowances, and additional penalties can result.
In addition, charging the costs of employee time to specific federal grants can be onerous. But doing it right - that is, following proper requirements and ensuring proper oversight - is critical. Unfortunately, this continues to be an area in which we see a lot of findings, both from ACF Head Start monitoring, as well as OIG audits.
Use this training to double check your practices and as a guide to help you avoid significant cost disallowances. Join us to learn:
Requirements for Time and Effort Reporting, including the 4 necessary elements for time sheets;
Common timesheet problems;
How to do cost allocation; and
Why all of this should matter to you.
We'll also include a sample timesheet that we recommend using.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Program Directors, CFOs, and others involved in planning or accounting activities, but all are welcome to attend.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: May 18, 2011 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Charging the costs of employee time to federal grants can be onerous. But doing it right - that is, following proper requirements and ensuring proper oversight - is critical. Unfortunately, this continues to be an area in which we see a lot of findings, both from ACF Head Start monitoring, as well as OIG audits. Double check your practices and listen to this on-demand webinar so that you can avoid significant cost disallowances.
Listen to this on-demand webinar to learn:
Requirements for Time and Effort Reporting, including the 4 necessary elements for time sheets;
Why this matters, especially while you are still dealing with ARRA funding; and
Common timesheet problems.
Also included is a sample timesheet that we recommend using.
Some of the questions addressed during this webinar:
How do we account for time worked for more than one program at the same time; for example a bus driver who drives Head Start and Community Preschool children on the same route?
Regarding leave time (e.g., vacation or sick time) on timesheets - if someone takes leave time, how do we allocate that time over the several different grants that the employee generally works on?
How do I document activities that impact each of the funding streams for my Early Head Start and Head Start programs? For example, revision of Policy Council Bylaws impacts both the Head Start and Early Head Start program and a portion of my time needs to be charged to both grants. How do I achieve that?
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Program Directors, CFOs, and others involved in accounting and planning activities, but all are welcome to attend.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: September 08, 2010 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Recently, ACF issued Program Instruction HS-10-02, Income Eligibility for Enrollment, that addresses how Head Start employees should be determining and verifying income eligibility. The new PI states that programs “should provide annual training to employees responsible for determining and verifying income eligibility and to ensure that those employees are fully aware of the consequences established by the grantee for employees who knowingly sign a verification form that contains false information.”
This topic is of special importance currently – in fact, programs are receiving additional scrutiny from Congress, the Government Accountability Office, the HHS Office of Inspector General, and the Office of Head Start. In the wake of a Congressional hearing and additional scrutiny, now is the time to make sure your staff is determining eligibility correctly.
To help your program comply with the often-confusing eligibility rules, and to ensure all of your employees who determine eligibility get needed training, join attorney Ted Waters for this program.
Ted will not only cover the basics of the Head Start eligibility process, but will discuss the special eligibility rules for American Indian and Alaska Native programs and the consequences of knowing violations of the eligibility rules.
This webinar will cover:
Who, What, Where, When, Why and How: Basics of Head Start Eligibility
Understanding Special Rules for Special Populations (AI/AN, homeless, priority rules)
Documentation and Compliance Strategies
Errors and Omissions: what you should worry about and what you shouldn't
And, we’ll include a special add-on to discuss the new Program Instruction and what it means for your program, including employees’ responsibilities when it comes to reviewing eligibility documents and signing income verification forms. Tips for best practices will be included and your questions will be addressed.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Additional Line
Original Program Date: July 22, 2010 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
ACF's Program Instruction HS-10-02, Income Eligibility for Enrollment, addresses how Head Start employees must determine and verify income eligibility. The PI states that programs "should provide annual training to employees responsible for determining and verifying income eligibility and to ensure that those employees are fully aware of the consequences established by the grantee for employees who knowingly sign a verification form that contains false information."
This topic is of special importance - in fact, programs are receiving additional scrutiny about their eligibility practices from Congress, the Government Accountability Office, the HHS Office of Inspector General, and the Office of Head Start. In the wake of Congressional and Departmental scrutiny, now is the time to make sure your staff is determining eligibility correctly.
This session will help your program comply with the often-confusing eligibility rules, and ensure that all of your employees who determine eligibility get needed training. We'll cover not only the basics of the Head Start eligibility process, but also discuss the consequences of knowing violations of the eligibility rules. This webinar will cover:
What the Head Start eligibility rules are (and, which are mandatory or optional);
Where the pitfalls lie for your program in determining eligibility (including reviewing eligibility documents and signing income verification forms); and
How to ensure your program is in compliance with the requirements of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act; PIs and the Head Start Policy Clarifications.
Tips for best practices will be included and your questions will be addressed.
Who Should Attend: Eligibility Workers, Eligibility Managers, ERSEA staff, Executive Directors, Head Start program Directors, and other senior staff, but all are welcome.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: August 24, 2011 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Are you new to Head Start or Early Head Start? Or have you not undergone a review in a while? If so, it's important to understand that Head Start programs must undergo federal programmatic monitoring at least once every three years. In addition, two things are changing the landscape: 1) last year OHS increased the number of unannounced reviews in which the monitoring team shows up at your program unexpectedly and 2) the monitoring review process will soon be linked to re-competition. On this webinar we’ll cover:
The nuts and bolts of the monitoring process;
Advice on ensuring your monitoring review goes smoothly; and
Tips on how to handle an "unannounced" review
Please note that this webinar does not walk you through the OHS Monitoring Protocol. If you are interested in detailed discussions of parts of this year’s Protocol, please see our other Monitoring Series webinars.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, other Head Start Management, any program personnel who are new to the monitoring process, but all are welcome.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: October 12, 2011 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Head Start monitoring results have major legal ramifications for your program. It's always been important to get things right, but with the additional scrutiny that eligibility processes have received from government sources recently, it’s more important than ever. This webinar has a special focus on the ERSEA section of the OHS monitoring protocol. We’ll cover:
• A review of actual ERSEA questions in the new tool; • Discussion what reviewers might be looking for; and • Provides ideas about documentation to "prove up" your compliance.
Please note: this webinar covers ERSEA questions. Please see our other Monitoring webinars for other key parts of the Monitoring Protocol.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, ESREA Staff, but all are welcome.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: December 07, 2011 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Head Start monitoring results have major legal ramifications for your program. It's always been important to get things right, but with re-competition on the horizon, it’s more important than ever. This webinar has a special focus on the Fiscal Management Monitoring section of the OHS Monitoring protocol. On it, we’ll:
• Review actual fiscal management questions in the new tool; • Discuss what reviewers might be looking for; and • Provide ideas about documentation to "prove up" your compliance.
Please note: this webinar will cover only fiscal questions. Please see our other Monitoring webinars for other key parts of the Monitoring Protocol.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, CFOs and Fiscal Staff, but all are welcome.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: November 09, 2011 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Head Start monitoring results have major legal ramifications for your program. It’s always been important to get things right, but with re-competition on the horizon, it’s more important than ever. This webinar covers what the lawyers have to say and includes a special focus on the governance and management systems sections of the OHS Monitoring protocol. In this session, we’ll:
• Review actual governance and management systems questions in the new tool; • Discuss what reviewers might be looking for; and • Provide ideas about documentation to "prove up" your compliance.
Please note: this webinar covers only governance and management systems questions. Please see our other Monitoring webinars for other key parts of the Monitoring Protocol.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, and Management Team, but all are welcome.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: November 16, 2011 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Rarely do programs undergo monitoring reviews and come away with no findings. And unfortunately, in this era of additional scrutiny and consequences, every finding counts. We’ve helped many programs over the years respond to monitoring findings. So, what do you do when you receive a monitoring report with deficiencies or non-compliances? How do you break the report down and properly respond? Join us on this webinar to learn:
How to review your report and clues to look for;
Tips on how to develop and strengthen your Quality Improvement Plans; and
How to document and “prove up” your compliance to “clear” your findings.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Senior management and staff, but all are welcome.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: January 19, 2011 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
HR in Head Start can be very confusing. The regulations require that certain actions need to take place pre-employment; others during the hiring process, and still others while someone is employed by your program. And then what happens if someone's employment needs to be terminated? Getting these elements right matters - not just for proper program operations, but for morale too. In this webinar, we will discuss the Human Resources Lifecycle of the Head Start employment relationship and include:
Pre-employment requirements, such as recruitment and selection procedures and health exams;
Hiring process, including steps and tips;
Elements during employment, such as performance reviews and training/development; and
Firing, including steps on "how to."
Some of the questions addressed during this webinar:
When hiring head start program parents, we are sometimes their "first" real job and they have no employment references, only personal references. How do we meet the standards in these cases?
What should we do when an employee disagrees and refuses to sign performance appraisal - document and place in file?
Does the initial health examination have to be completed before the start of employment or within a timeframe of hire?
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Human Resources Director and HR Personnel, but all are welcome.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: January 12, 2011 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Personnel matters can be challenging for management. In addition, in Head Start, special rules apply to the employment relationship (that is, between a Head Start agency and an employee). In this webinar, we will discuss some of the unique aspects of Head Start agency employment. Join us to learn about:
What needs to be in your Head Start personnel policies, including tips;
The ins and outs of your employment Standards of Conduct, including useful checklists; and
Issues surrounding staff qualifications and timelines.
Some of the questions addressed during this webinar:
Are we required to have staff sign job descriptions annually even if they do not change? Additionally, when a job description changes, are we required to have the new description approved by our policy council?
Is there a defined consequence if early head start and head start teachers do not meet the new staff qualifications requirements? If not, is it up to the individual head start agency to develop consequences for teachers not meeting the new staff qualification requirements?
Regarding Standards of Conduct as it affects contractors who may be at a head start or early head start center and around children, would they need to sign a SOC acknowledgement? Also, when parents are volunteering in the classroom for a short time, should they also sign a Standards of Conduct acknowledgement?
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Human Resources Director and HR Personnel, but all are welcome.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: February 09, 2011 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Does your Head Start or Early Head Start program need to gain knowledge on federal employment laws? Are there federal, non-Head Start employment laws that you aren't sure about?
In addition to Head Start-specific Human Resources laws and rules, agencies running Head Start programs need to ensure compliance with a handful of other federal employment laws. These include: federal Wage and Hour laws, the Americans with Disabilities Act and other laws involving discrimination, and the Family Medical Leave Act.
This webinar will:
Identify the specifics of Federal Wage and Hour laws;
Help you understand the key points of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other employment laws involving discrimination; and
Assure you know the details of the Family Medical Leave Act.
This webinar has been developed to supplement our two other Human Resources in Head Start webinars. It will not cover Head Start-specific human resources issues stemming from the Head Start Act or Program Performance Standards. Please see our other HR in Head Start webinars for that information.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Human Resources Directors and HR Personnel, but all are welcome.
This is a new LAS topic requested by you! To request topics, please contact us at las@ftlf.com. We'll try our best to accommodate your requests.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: April 14, 2011 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
This is the first section of our Board and Policy Member Governance Boot Camp.
Every Board and Policy Council meeting is chock full of work to be done — ranging from developing goals, to approving grant renewals and policies, to ensuring fiscal and programmatic oversight. Despite the time crunch, both bodies still need regular training. Because we kept hearing from programs across the country how hard it is to fit in governance training into busy Board and Policy Council schedules, we’ve designed our Governance Boot Camp just for you!
This series is designed to ensure that you can provide cutting-edge governance training to both your Board and your Policy Council – in short segments that can fit into their regular meetings. Each of these two webinars is comprised of discrete, short topics of 20-30 minutes in duration. So you can show one segment at one Board or Policy Council meeting, and another segment at the next. The presentations are “on-demand” so that they can be watched at your Board or Policy Council’s convenience. You can also use the same training segments for both your Board and your Policy Council –so you get multiple trainings for one low price. And, importantly, you’ll have an extended time (6 months) to use each one webinar, comprised of multiple segments.
In this first section of our Board and Policy Member Governance Boot Camp, we’ll tackle key topics that every Board and Policy Council needs to know or brush up on.
In one segment, we’ll discuss:
Shared Governance
Roles of Board and Policy Council
General Responsibilities of Board and Policy Council
In another segment, we’ll cover:
Specific Responsibilities of Board and Policy Council
In another segment, we'll cover:
Composition Requirements of Both Bodies
In another segment, we'll cover:
How to Handle Potential Conflicts of Interest
Target Audiences: Boards of Directors/Governing Bodies, Policy Council and Committees, and Senior Management or staff that work with them. *Please Note: LAS Subscriptions are not valid for Governance Boot Camp webinars but can be used to purchase any other live or on-demand webinars located on this site for savings up to $30 per webinar.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming
Original Program Date: September 09, 2010 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
This is the second section of our Board and Policy Member Governance Boot Camp.
Every Board and Policy Council meeting is chock full of work to be done — ranging from developing goals, to approving grant renewals and policies, to ensuring fiscal and programmatic oversight. Despite the time crunch, both bodies still need regular training. Because we kept hearing from programs across the country how hard it is to fit in governance training into busy Board and Policy Council schedules, we’ve designed our Governance Boot Camp just for you!
This series is designed to ensure that you can provide cutting-edge governance training to both your Board and your Policy Council – in short segments that can fit into their regular meetings. Each of these two webinars is comprised of discrete, short topics of 20-30 minutes in duration. So you can show one segment at one Board or Policy Council meeting, and another segment at the next. The presentations are “on-demand” so that they can be watched at your Board or Policy Council’s convenience. You can also use the same training segments for both your Board and your Policy Council – so you get multiple trainings for one low price. And, importantly, you’ll have an extended time (6 months) to use each one webinar, comprised of multiple segments.
In this second part of our Board and Policy Council Governance Boot Camp, we’ll tackle some important process tools that will improve the functioning of your Board and Policy Council.
In one segment, we’ll cover:
Board/Policy Council Self Evaluation
Why it matters and how to do it
Considerations for whether your Policy Council should do this as well
In another segment, we’ll cover:
How best to conduct Board or Policy council meetings;
Including tips on process; and
When and how to use Executive Sessions
In another segment, we’ll cover:
Best Practices for Meeting Minutes
In another segment, we'll cover:
Creating an Annual Board or Policy Council Work Plan
Materials: This section contains 3 handouts and a copy of the full presentation slides covering all included topics.
Target Audiences: Boards of Directors/Governing Bodies, Policy Council and Committees, and Senior Management or staff that work with them.
*Please Note: LAS Subscriptions are not valid for Governance Boot Camp
webinars but can be used to purchase any other live or on-demand
webinars located on this site for savings up to $30 per webinar.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming
Original Program Date: September 10, 2010 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
Assuring health services for Head Start children is important. Head Start Program Performance Regulations require programs to assist parents in enrolling their children in an ongoing system of health care and ensuring that each child has an ongoing source of continuous, accessible care. But it can be very difficult to do with limited resources.
Join us on this webinar to:
Discuss Information Memorandum, Accessing Professional Medical and Dental Services (ACF-IM-HS-09-05) and some of its suggestions;
In the context of the new health reform law, learn more about Section 330 funded Federally Qualified Health Centers’ (“FQHCs”) model of care and expected increase in funding over the next few years; and
Consider how your agency might be able to work with one in your area or whether your agency could become an FQHC.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Senior Staff, but all are welcome.
Formats Available: On-Demand Streaming, Live Webinar, Live Webinar + On-Demand Streaming, Additional Line
Original Program Date: March 17, 2011 On-Demand Release Date: Available Now
This series is designed to ensure that you can provide cutting-edge governance training to both your Board and your Policy Council – in short segments that can fit into their regular meetings. Part 1 includes: Shared Governance, Specific Responsibilities of Board and Policy Council, Composition Requirements of Both Bodies, and How to Handle Potential Conflicts of Interest.
Governance Boot Camp - Process Tools (September 2010)
This series is designed to ensure that you can provide cutting-edge governance training to both your Board and your Policy Council – in short segments that can fit into their regular meetings. Part 2 includes: Board/Policy Council Self Evaluation, How best to conduct Board or Policy council meetings, Best Practices for Meeting Minutes, and Creating an Annual Board or Policy Council Work Plan.
