Head Start Participant Program

This feature allows users to add the Head Start program type to a participant. All meals claimed for the Head Start program type are automatically set at the Free reimbursement level.

Remember that to take a meal count for the Head Start program type, the

• sponsor,
• site,
• meal and
• participant

all need to be set up. This article is about authorizing a participant for the Head Start program type. See Related Features below for links to articles about setting up the sponsor, site and meal for Head Start.

To use this feature:

• Click on Participants & Rosters from the main dashboard

• Click on the name of the participant
• Scroll down to the Participant Programs section

To add the Head Start program type to a participant:

• Click the orange "Add Program" button

• You will receive a pop-up alert reminding you that you will need to save your work when you are finished

• Click OK to clear the pop-up and you will see a new row in Participant Programs
• Select Head Start from the first dropdown
• If Head Start is not available, the the Head Start program type hasn't been added to either the sponsor and/or the site.
• In Start Date, enter the first date that this participant can be claimed for Head Start
• Leave the End Date blank

• Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save

To end the Head Start program type for a participant:

• Enter the end date in the row for Head Start
• Scroll to the bottom and click save

• Participants can have the Head Start program type and also have one of the program types listed below.
• CACFP Standard
• CACFP Preschool
• CACFP School Age
• Participants who are eligible for Head Start will have an "HS" box next to their name on the meal count page
• Once you enter the Head Start program type for a child, you still need to make sure all of these settings are correct in order to take a meal count
• The Sponsor needs to be eligible 
• The Site Program needs to be active
• The meal type needs to be authorized

• If you have a participant with the Head Start program type and also a CACFP program type, you can ask the system to automatically maximize your reimbursement by making sure any meals eligible for the Head Start claim are included, even if originally marked for the CACFP program type.