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Answer. We believe the President's budget request of $100 million will enable up to 29,500 more children to be served by Head Start, while assuring that program quality will be maintained. То the extent that grantees must use a portion of the $100 million increase to maintain services levels, the increase in enrollment may be lower.

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Question. The FY 1992 budget requests funds to monitor Head Start programs, which is required under the statute. Does the Department plan to conduct monitoring services from in-house, or will these services be contracted? If contracted, please provide the details of how much of the monitoring will be contracted, estimated cost of such a contract, etc.

Answer. In FY 1992, as has always been our policy, monitoring reviews of Head Start programs will be directed by Federal staff and not "contracted out". One-third of all programs will be monitored. Each monitoring team will be led by a Federal staff member. The team will consist of individuals that are paid as consultants. In most instances, the consultants will be Head Start program staff from other States. Consultants may also be individuals that have worked with Head Start in the past and are experts in the area they will be monitoring. A contractor is used only to help arrange travel and to pay for the travel and other costs of non-Federal team members. The contractor identifies the team members, contacts them to verify availability, makes travel and lodging arrangements for the team, pays travel and per diem costs associated with the monitoring review, and an honorarium for their services. The estimated cost of the contract supporting the monitoring effort in FY 1992 is $3.2 million. When monitoring a Head Start Program, the consultants take direction from the Federal team leader and assist the leader by monitoring one or more of the component areas of the Head Start program. At the end of the review, team members provide a written report to the Federal team leader. The official report sent to the Head Start program that has been monitored is from the responsible HHS official.

We have requested additional funds in the FY 1992 Program Direction request for new positions, some of which will be for Head Start monitoring.

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Question. Are there any plans underway to conduct a longitudinal study of the effects of Head Start, pursuant to the provisions in last year's reauthorization?

Answer: We are in the process of funding, with FY 1991 funds, a contractor who will assist in implementing the recommendations of the Head Start National Evaluation Advisory Panel. Our strategy involves a series of longitudinal studies, at numerous sites, which would be conducted by a consortium of researchers.

However, while the FY 1991 reauthorizing legislation for Head Start included provisions for a longitudinal study, the FY 1991 appropriation did not include funds to conduct the longitudinal study. The longitudinal evaluation envisioned in the statute cannot proceed until the necessary funds are appropriated.

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HEAD START

Question.

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What kind of activities are being conducted under the new state-level collaboration and coordination projects. In which states are these projects being operated?

Answer. The Head Start-State Collaboration grants were designed in acknowledgement of the mutual Federal-State interest and commitment to understanding changing needs of children and families and the commitment to common goals. The objectives of the grants are to: (1) strengthen the involvement of Head Start in the development of State policies and plans which affect Head Start families and other low-income populations; (2) establish State-level agreements and collaborative structures which in turn will support local community coordination; and (3) highlight a mutual commitment to children and their families.

The twelve States where the Head Start-State Collaboration grants are being implemented are Maine, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Oregon.

The States are working to develop partnerships with Head Start in the area of JOBS by working on state and local partnerships, and transition activities to assist Head Start children and families as they move from Head Start to elementary school. The States are also working to build on the collaborative relationships already developed around services to children with disabilities.

NUTRITION/NATIVE AMERICANS

Question: In recent years there has been an increase in the number of Indian tribal organizations making application for nutrition services. How many organizations do you expect to apply in FY 1992? What is the status of the grant for the Native Hawaiian program?

Answer: To date 193 tribal organizations have been awarded grants under Title VI, Part A. We anticipate seven more to make application in FY 1991 and an additional ten in FY 1992.

Concerning the Native Hawaiian (Title VI, Part B) grant, a new director was hired recently, as well as more staff; the staff now includes Native Hawaiian persons. The grant is operating under a no-cost extension. All five sites are functioning well, serving increasing numbers of older persons. Last year at this time, approximately 5,000 meals were served in a three-month period. This year, in a one-month count, over 2,319 meals were served.

AGING/TRANSFERS

Question. What is the percentage and dollar amount of funding transferred from congregate meals into home-delivered meals and into supportive services?

Answer. In FY '90, the percentage of funding transferred from the congregate meals program into the home-delivered meals program was 10.02%. The total amount of funds transferred from the

congregate meals program into the home-delivered meals program was $35,265,998.

The percentage of funding transferred from the congregate meals program into the supportive services program was 6.6%. The total amount of funds transferred from the congregate meals program into the supportive services program was $23,200,552.

Question. Of the monies transferred to supportive services, how much is used for home and community based services?

Answer. Since AoA does not require States to report this kind of data, we are unable to determine how much of the monies transferred to supportive service is used for home and community based services. It is our impression, however, that a significant portion of such funds are directed toward home and community based services.

WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON AGING

Question: What is the status of the White House Conference on

Aging?

Answer: A decision about whether to convene a 1991 White House Conference on Aging is pending within the Executive Branch.

GAO STUDY

Question: The GAO is currently undertaking a study on the unmet needs of the aging community and the effectiveness of the AOA in meeting these needs. When do you expect that this report will be forthcoming?

Answer: The GAO study is being conducted with the full support and cooperation of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Administration on Aging. AOA senior staff have met with the GAO investigators and have provided a variety of records and other documents which the GAO has requested. All components of the Department stand ready to provide any further assistance which the GAO may need to complete the study successfully. Since it is the GAO and not the Department which is responsible for the study, it would be inappropriate for the Department to offer any predictions about when the project will be finished.

ADMINISTRATION FOR NATIVE AMERICANS

Question. It is my understanding that staffing for the Administration on Native Americans programs is down to 25 FTE, and that a substantial number of current employees are ready for retirement or are leaving government service. How many of the positions at ANA are currently filled by Native Americans?

Answer. Currently 5 positions within the Administration for Native Americans (ANA) are filled by Native Americans. One of these is filled by the Commissioner, and is an appointed position.

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Question. What action is the Department taking to recruit Native Americans to fill vacant slots?

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Answer. In FY 1992 Budget Request, the Office of Human Development Services (HDS) has requested additional funds in the Program Direction account to hire an additional 115 FTE. If this request is approved, each of the four Program Administrations in HDS, including ANA, would receive additional staffing resources. Therefore, ANA would have the opportunity to hire staff from the outside and bring a fresh perspective to the agency.

Question. What steps are being taken to coordinate funding for economic development with other programs that have setasides for "Native Americans,' such as elderly nutrition and supportive services, education and health programs?

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Answer. The Commissioner of ANA is a member of a permanent Task Force on Older Americans which was established by Section 134 of the Older Americans Act Amendments of 1987, Public Law 100-175. This Task Force, composed of representatives from approximately 17 agencies, is responsible for improving the coordination of services to older Indians.

In addition to its input on the Task Force, ANA is currently exploring the possibility of establishing an economic development initiative pertaining to job training, in conjunction with the Department of Labor and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of Interior.

University Affiliated Program

Question. How much funding is required to have a training grant at each University Affiliated Program?

Answer. Currently, there are 50 University Affiliated Programs (UAPS). If each UAP were awarded a training initiative project that was funded at a level of $90,000, the total funding cost would be $4,500,000 per year.

The ADD funded 33 training initiative projects in FY 90 to University Affiliated Programs to support training projects in the areas of early intervention, programs for elderly persons with developmental disabilities, and community-based programs (training paraprofessional direct care staff).

Question. How many states have University Affiliated Programs, and how many states have expressed an interest in making application for UAP?

Answer. There are 43 states and the District of Columbia that have UAPS. Of the remaining 13 eligible States and Territories, all have expressed interest in making an application for the UAP Expansion Program.

The ADD will publish a program announcement in the Federal Register this spring to announce that applications are being accepted in from universities in the 13 eligible States, Territories and Insular Areas for the FY 1991 UAP Expansion Program. These applications are for the purpose of establishing new University Affiliated Programs or satellite centers, or for conducting feasibility studies leading to the establishment of University

Affiliated Programs or satellite centers. The eligible States,
Territories and Insular Areas are:

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Question:

AGING/RESEARCH

To what extent is AoA focusing on private/ public sector partnerships, i e., in Title IV, what impact is private/ public sector partnerships having on traditional research, demonstration and training programs?

Answer: AOA is placing heavy emphasis on the promotion of private/public sector partnerships to enhance the availability of resources and to generate new resources to assist the elderly in their efforts to live independently and with dignity in their later years. While government programs continue to provide support for the elderly, the rapid growth of the aging population presents a strong challenge to develop additional resources to meet the present and future needs of America's elderly.

In 1990, AoA invested over $3.5 million to promote

private/public sector partnerships through the funding of projects that will (1) design and develop new and innovative collaborative programs between the public and the private sectors and (2)

stimulate training and technical assistance within the AoA network to strengthen collaboration skills.

(1) Collaborative programs between the public and the private sectors are needed to increase the availability of resources to meet the needs of older persons in such areas as health, housing, employment, and access to community-based

supportive services.. As with other collaborative projects one important outcome has to be that the private community will gain a better understanding of the needs and issues facing the elderly.

(2) Training and technical assistance materials are being

developed to provide approaches, techniques, and models for successful interaction between the Network on Aging and the private sector. In addition, AoA is supporting a project to inventory the type and extent of assistance provided by

State and Area Agencies on Aging in response to the needs of employed caregivers.

In 1991, AOA will incorporate private/public sector partnernships as a major part of its National Eldercare Campaign. In that regard, AoA intends to support the establishment of a number of National Eldercare Institutes, among them Institutes on Business and Aging, on Employment and Volunteerism, and on Human Resources Development.

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