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In 1987 Minnesota Head Start grantees established the Minnesota Head Start Association (MHSA) with the mission to empower themselves as a united voice in speaking and acting on issues affecting low-income children and families. Read more...

Interested in applying for Head Start services for your children? Please call the Head Start Program that serves your county. For a list of Head Start programs by county (see map), click the map or here.

The Minnesota Head Start Association supports a Public Policy Vision for early care and education in Minnesota.

MHSA's Special Focus Minnesota

Minnesota's Head Start grantees rely on the Association to gather information about gaps and trends in local service delivery, targeting families with young children. Identifying common concerns for local programs and families affords the Association opportunities to help grantees develop statewide strategies to improve Head Start programs and policies.

With corporate donations, grants, and financial support from the State Head Start Collaboration Office, the Association's Special Focus projects include:

Oral Health

Knowing that a majority of Head Start children have problems accessing oral health prevention and treatment, which affects their ability to grow in language and literacy, the Association and its stakeholders in 2003 completed a Statewide Oral Health Action Plan and has been implementing innovative approaches to oral health since then. Read more...

Mental Health

MHSA is working with MN Head Start grantees to strengthen Head Start's mental health prevention activities, screening, referral processes, and systems to assure treatment services in the area of mental health. Read more...

Leadership Training for Parents

MHSA is enhancing its annual cycle of leadership training opportunities for Head Start parents, including its Parent Training Conference, to empower between 400-500 low-income parents annually. It has also initiated a statewide dialogue toward the development of Culturally Reflective Leadership in Head Start . Read more...