Families learning and growing together from pregnancy to preschool

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Now Enrolling!

To enroll your child in Head Start or Early Head Start you may fill out an online application; call 607.433.8055; or email hfay@ofoinc.org. Head Start eligibility is based on income; however, with many families having lost wages due to COVID-19, those who would not have been eligible before may now qualify. Children must be turning three years old to enroll in Head Start center-based services.

Head Start and Early Head Start are federally funded comprehensive early childhood development programs serving low-income children from ages birth to five and their families throughout Otsego County.

Early Head Start programs promote healthy pregnancy, enhance the development of very young children, assist with coordinating children's medical and dental visits, and guide you through the choices that lead to a healthy family. Early Head Start is available to the family until the child turns 3 years old and is ready to transition into Head Start or another early childhood program.

Head Start programs promote school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of three and four year old children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services to enrolled children and families.

Oneonta Universal Pre-kindergarten (UPK) program is offered in collaboration with Oneonta City School District. UPK is a high-quality educational program that prepares your four-year-old for future school success by developing strong foundational skills in early literacy and numeracy. To be eligible for this free program, the child must reside in the Oneonta School District area and must turn four years of age by December 1st of the program year.

Services offered:

  • Early Head Start Home-based: We make weekly visits to your home in Otsego County and offer monthly socializations where your children can enjoy a light snack and some fun activities.
  • Early Head Start Center-based: 12 month program offered to children 18 months to three years old offered for 6 hours
  • Head Start part day or full day: 10 month program offered for 4 - 6.5 hours
  • UPK part day: 10 month program offered for 2.5 hours

 

Family Resources:

This program funded by:

For more information:

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Mental Health Resources

  • Otsego County Mental Health Clinic – 607.433.2334 for outpatient therapy
  • Mobile Crisis assessment Team (MCAT) – 1.844.732.6228 – A team of people who will come to your home to provide emergency mental health needs.
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 988 or 1.800.273.8255 - Provides resources and support for those in distress. 
  • Warm Line - 607.433.0661 or 1.800.377.3281 – Call if you need to talk when you feel sad and lonely.  This is not a crisis hotline.