XVIII.DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS

POLICY

This section of the Standard Operating Procedures Manual will discuss the general day-to-day operation of the Health component staff activities. This section will discuss:

  • Roles & Responsibilities

(See Health staff/Job Descriptions)

  • Team Format/Crossing Triads
  • Team Meetings
  • Transportation
  • Transition
  • Trainings
  • Standardized Health Trainings
  • Sub-Committees
  • End of year Activities
  • Activities for Centers open during the Summer

A)ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

(See Health Staff/Job Descriptions)

Roles and responsibilities were described earlier in the SOP. See health staff responsibilities, job descriptions, and pre-center activity.

B)TEAM FORMAT/CROSSING TRIADS

POLICY

The Health Staff will adhere to the performance standard and provide health services within the appointed timeline. The Health Assistants will mainly be responsible for all health screenings. The Health Specialists will assist during the months of Aug- Oct. After Nov. 1st. annually, Health Assistants will be responsible for all screens, rescreens, and data entry information.

If the Health Assistants exhibitpoor time management or organizational skills, the Health Specialist will establish a Corrective Plan of Action and address poor work performance per Corrective plan in the HR manual.

When the Health Content Area is short staffed, it may become necessary for Health staff to “cross triads” in order to provide health screenings within the appointed timeline. The Health Coordinator will make this decision after consulting with the Health Staff. All Site Managers and Triad Directors will receive prior notification. Under the following circumstances, the Health staff will be allowed to “cross triads”.

PROCEDURE

1)When new Health Staff are not certified to provide sensory screenings

2)Vacancies in the Health component

3)Several staff members out related to illness, death, etc.

4)The Head Start Director,Associate Head Start Directors and Site Managers will be notified.

5)A scheduled will be made for health staff. All health staff will be expected to assist with the delivery of health services.

C)TEAM MEETINGS

POLICY

All Health Staff will attend meetings pertaining to the agency, staff or Head Start children. The Nurse Practitioner/Health Service Manager will make every effort to attend required meetings as indicated. However, priority will be the delivery of health services to the children in the agency. Since the Health Specialistsare responsible for several centers, every effort must be made to coordinate meetings in a manner for the Specialists to attend.

The Health Content Staff will receive a projected schedule for meetings at the beginning of each year. The Health Administrative Assistant will arrange meeting sites and keep minutes of concerns and resolutions. This information will beshared with Head Start Administration and Site Managers annually.

PROCEDURE

1)Health Coordinator will make a schedule for staff meetingsannually.

2)Health Specialists will meet with the Health Assistants once a month or when indicated.

3)During the team meetings, each team member will indicate which services are completed for each child, as well as identify services that are about to expire.

4)Health’s team meetings are designed to be informative, specific with regard to services completed and needed for each child enrolled at the center.

5)Health Specialists should meet with their center’sstaff monthly or when indicated.

6)All staff will attend external trainings when indicated or when monies are available.

7)HealthService Manager/Nurse Practitioner will attend external health meetings when indicated.

8)All staff should attend health related conferences per monies available.

D)TRANSPORTATION

POLICY

The Health Staff will assist parent/guardian(s) and child with transportation for medical services (physician’s or dentist’s office) when indicated.

Health staff should encourage parents to take their child for appointments when they have a means of transportation. Staff may assist families and meet them at the place where service is being provided. When Head Start providestransportation, Health Staff will abide by the agency’s policies based on standard guidelines as well as a “Transportation Plan” that includes the following:

  • Type of Transportation provided
  • Geographical Areas Serviced
  • Time Schedule of the Services
  • Parental Permission is obtained

1)VEHICLE CHECK OUT PURPOSES

HEAD START vehicles may be checked out for the following reasons:

a)Transport HEAD START staff and children.

b)Pick up and deliver HEAD START inventory to and from HEAD START centers, etc.

c)Transport parents to Policy Council meetings, parent meetings, etc.

d)Pick up and deliver in-kind donations.

ANY OTHER REASONS MUST HAVE PRIOR APPROVAL OF TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR.

2)PROCEDURES IN RESERVING AN AGENCY VEHICLE

ASSOCIATE TRIAD DIRECTORS WILL DETERMINE WHO MAY CHECK OUT A VEHICLE FROM THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT (FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WILL RESULT IN LOSS OF ABILITY TO USE THE AGENCY VEHICLES)

a)Send a copy of Driver’s License to the Human Resources Department.

b)Completely fill out Vehicle Request Form

(Form VII-8) Identify if driver is needed.

c)Must have Supervisor’s signature.

d)The Vehicle Request Form must be submitted seventy-two (72) hours in advance in order to coordinate the assignment of the vehicles.

PROCEDURES IN RESERVING AN AGENCY VEHICLE (cont’d.)

e)Check with the Transportation Coordinator for availability within twenty-four (24) hours before the vehicle is needed after submitting the Vehicle RequestForm.

f)Once the availability of the vehicle has been confirmed, before leaving to your destination, completely fill out the Safety Inspection Form.

g)Upon returning the vehicle, all paperwork must be completed and turned in to the Transportation Department.

3)HEALTH STAFF TRANSPORTING FAMILIES AND/OR CHILDREN

a)Health Staff will be required to attend the bus monitoring training their 1st year of employment and send a copy of the certificate to the health content office.

b)Health Staff will be required to attend updated trainings when indicated.

c)Every effort will be made to encourage parents to transport their child to their health appointment.

d)Consent for Child to Receive Medical/Dental Treatment and Transportation (HC-13) must be signed by parents/guardians when Health Staff transports children by a Head Start vehicle (bus or van). This form is valid for one year.

e)Parents should be informed of the appointment ASAP, with a reminder notice 1-2 days prior to the appointment date.

f)Health Staff will transport only the number of children allowed per seat on the bus. Children must have safety harness when transporting.

g)When transporting in a Health Staff’s car, the safety restraints must be obtained from transportation department. The ratio for transporting in a car is four children to one staff.

  1. If more than four children are being transported, Health Staff must be accompanied by another adult.
  2. Health Staff will adhere to the safety guidelines to ensure that children are being transported to their health appointment.
  3. Have a stocked fanny pack when using your personal car for transportation of children
  4. Each child must wear a nametag or other identification

listing the name of the child, center, and center’s

telephone number.

  1. Children should know the Health Staff name and able to identify you.

4)MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CHILD-CARE CENTERS FOR FIELD TRIPS AND TRANPORTING BY STAFF VEHICLE.

Minimum Standard 746.3001

Health Staff must ensure the safety of all children when providing transportation for appointments or health services. Any time a Health Staff takes a child away from the center, they must comply with the following requirements:

1)Have a signed permission form from the parent (HC-13).

2)Emergency contact information for each child

3)Have a written list of the number of children (if more than one) and check the list frequently to account for presence of all children.

4)Prepare a First Aid kit when using your own personal car. When using the agency’s vehicle, a First Aid kit is already stored on the bus/van.

5)Each child must wear a nametag or other identification listing the name of the child, center, and center’s telephone number.

6)Children should know the Health Staff name and able to identify you.

E) TRANSITION PROCEDURES

Performance Standard 1304.20(f) (2) (i)

Performance Standard 1308.21

POLICY

Occasionally, Children enrolled in Head Start will either drop from or transfer to another center. Health Staff should document appropriately regarding these situations and should implement the procedures in chapter 12 relating to Drops/Transfers/Transitioning steps.

If the information is absent on the forms, the receiving Health Staff has the right to refuse to “check off” on the folder until the sending Health Staff has documented the appropriate information. The delay with documentation could cause the receiving center to be out of compliance if the afore mentioned steps are not implemented.

Most transitions usually occur towards the end of the school year in the month of April. The transition process involves all content areas. The Health Specialistis responsible for completing the Health Summary, which will be included in the Transition Packet. All Health Summaries should be ready for distribution by the end of April.

Children who are not returning to the centers should receive reminder notices for their immunizations, physicals and dentals when indicated.

G)HEALTH SUMMARY (HC-64)

At the end of year, the health summary is required to be filled out for those children transitioning into the school district. The transition coordinator will inform all staff when the transition folders are expected to be completed.

This form is on the database system. Health Specialist will fill in this form and put in the Transition Packet by April of each year. The informationon the Health Summary is obtained from the child’s Health Record, the Immunization Status form and theForm 5, Dental Health Record. Two copies should be printed from the database system. A copy should be given to the parents and one put in the Transition Folder.

PROCEDURE HEALTH SUMMARY FORM INSTRUCTIONS

1)If the information is on the data system click “Retrieve”. All information will transfer to the form.

2)If the information is not on the database system, then the information should be updated on the data system and then create the form. Staff should ensure the following information is on the form.

a)Child’s birth date

b)Child’s address

c)Parent/guardian’s name

d)Center child enrolled in

e)Center’s address

f)Center’s telephone number

g)Enrollment date

h)Termination date (the last day of school)

i)Physical examination findings (i.e. well child or any abnormalities detected along with the treatment plan and the completion date)

j)Screening (date and the results).

k)Immunizations (information retrieved from the immunization record and the Varicella form when indicated)

H)TRAININGS

1)NURSE PRACTITIONER/HEALTH SERVICE MANAGER

1)The Health Service Manager will keep informed of Head Start Performance Standards and update the Health Standard of Procedure Manual annuallywith the assistance of the SOP committee annually.

2)Health Service Manager will attend Head Start and other Health conferences (classes, meetings and training’s) to keep up to date with the latest medical and health practices.

3)The HSM will implement appropriate changes for Head Start after approved by administration, advisory board and consulting physician. The HSM will provide trainings to Health Specialists/Assistants and other staff when indicated.

2)HEALTH SPECIALIST

1)Health Specialists will be trained to become CPR & First Aid instructors for Head Start.

2)Health Specialists will become health educators for Head Start conferences, staff trainings and family/parent meetings for each center. (A list of topics and objectives may be developed/implemented for Health Specialists to do health training’s for the children in the center).

3)Health Specialists will participate in Case Management meetings. If unable to attend, the Health Specialist will submit a written recommendation to assist families. Health Specialists may delegate the Health Assistants to attend in order to take notes in their absence.

4)A Gantt chart will be developed to be used as a guideline forHealth Specialiststo follow and provide similar trainings.

5)Health Specialists will receive supervisory and auditing/monitoring training to maintain a proficient health content and facilitate the activities of the Health Assistant.

6)Health Specialists should attend both internal and at least twoexternal trainings annually. Attendance atconferences will be determined based on monies available.

7)Health Specialists will be certified for vision, hearing and impedance screenings.

3)HEALTH ASSISTANT

1)Health Assistants will be trained/checked off via Nurse Practitioner in order for them to perform screenings with minimum guidance from Nurse Practitioner and Health Specialists.

2)Health Assistants will be certified for vision, hearing and impedance screenings via TDH.

3)Health Assistants should attend agency trainings and at least one external health training to maintain up to date health practices.

I)STANDARDIZED HEALTH TRAINING SERVICE

Theseare the recommended health trainings required for the agency. These trainings are:

  • Check-In Procedure
  • Medication Administration (Training Modules)
  • First Aid/CPR
  • Blood Borne Pathogens (Training Modules)
  • Accident and Injury (Training Modules)
  • Communicable Diseases
  • Incident/Illness recording/reporting (Training Modules)
  • Hand washing Procedure (Training Modules)
  • Child Abuse Reporting
  • Tooth brushing Procedure (Training Modules)

Health Specialists and Nurse Practitioner will presentthese trainings during orientations. Some of these trainings may be presented and reviewed with staff during summer and/or spring conferences.

J)END OF THE YEAR ACTIVITIES

Staff should make preparations for closing of centers for the year and opening of centers for the next year. The following things should be accomplished prior to the closing of the centers.

1)PIR Reports

2)Vision Report to Austin and Health Content Office

3)Hearing Report to Austin and Health Content Office

4)Sharps container brought to the Health Content Office

5)Puretone/Impedance machines returned and checked off in the Health Content Office

6)Hemocue machines returned and check off in the Health Content office

7)Otoscope returned and checked off in the Health Content office

8)Submit current Inventory of Supplies

9)Submit a Request for Supplies

10)Lock-up of equipment for the summer (HOVT, BP and Stethoscope, extra health supplies)

11)Evaluations of HA and HS

12)Health Referral Completion (HC-52)of Center via Health Assistants

13)Provider Surveys (Administrative Assistant)

14)Parent Surveys (Health Specialist)

15)Monthly Reports (last one due in May)

16)Turn in unopened TB vaccine to the Health Content Office

17)Health summary (Health Specialist)

18)Comprise an excel control sheet of a list of returning children’s health information. Identifying delinquency, special needs, etc. of those children who are returning to the agency next year. This list should be sent to the health office at the end of the year.

K)SUB-COMMITTEES OF THE HEALTH CONTENT AREA

The Health Content Area developed small sub-committees made of Health Staff in order to address the needs or problems of the health content area. These committees are:

1)Standard Operating Procedure Committee

This committee will review and assist with updating the manual annually. Assignments will be made per Health Coordinator.

2)Education Pamphlet Committee

This committee will assist with identifying and developing trainings, educational pamphlets, modules for staff and parents.

3)Dental /Medical Committee

This committee will review current, potential and recruitment of providers or partnerships. This committee will train staff how to recruit new providers. This committee will review and ensure contracts are updated when indicated.

4)Forms Committee

This committee will review current forms, update, develop and delete forms when indicated. They then will present usage of forms to all staff at the beginning of each year. The committee Chair will be assigned by the Health Coordinator. The Chair will make assignmentsfor members. The Chairperson will also meet with the dBase Administrator to ensure changes are possible and done on the database system.

5)Bilingual Committee

This committee will develop and train Health Staff on how to do enrollment in Spanish.

L)CENTERS OPEN DURING THE SUMMER

Head Start will offer a summer program for working parents during the summer months. Normally this is an additional four weeks after most of the centers are closed for the summer. Most of the time, the agency will have 1-3centers open. Some Health Staff will be required to work. Selected staff will be decided per Health Service Manager and Human Resources Director.

Children selected for summer school will be determined by the Family Advocate Resource Associate. The children enrolled are classified as agency children. In order to ensure a continuity of care for children attending summer school, the following is a guideline of work activities for health staff.

Health staff should:

  • Maintain an Excel Control Sheets for summer children
  • Perform past due screenings
  • Follow-up with dental information
  • Follow-up with Immunizations
  • Follow-up with Medical Home
  • Follow-up with known health problems
  • Participate in the Check-In Procedure rotation

For all returning children (August of the upcoming year) attending summer session, the Health Staff should:

a)Perform past due screening

b)Notices for Physical Exams

c)Notice for Dental Exams

d)Notices for immunizations

e)Follow-up with identified health problems

f)Make enrollment packets for other centers (100 for each center)

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