North Central Missouri Head Start Program
North Central Missouri College To a Degree: The Green Hills Head Start Program
Author: Jenny Lewis, Head Start Director of Centers and Administration
The Green Hills Head Start (GHHS) program is funded by a grant from the Administration for Children and Families (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) and serves families throughout the nine-county Green Hills area. Counties served include Caldwell, Daviess, Grundy, Harrison, Mercer, Linn, Livingston, Sullivan, and Putnam. The grant is awarded to North Central Missouri College to serve pregnant women and children ages 0-5 via center-based or home-based options. PreK centers are in Bethany, Brookfield, Milan, and Trenton. Infant and Toddler/PreK centers are in Chillicothe and Unionville. Home Visitors serve families throughout the nine-county area with weekly visits and a playgroup twice a month. All our sites and locations operate Tuesday through Friday.
The vision of GHHS is to serve children and families first by keeping our centers a safe and constant refuge, as well as helping families create positive home environments. We envision empowering our families to become more self-sufficient, trauma informed, and positive role models for their children and community.
Enrollment selection is in accordance with federal regulations and is based upon the child’s age and family income of applicants. Families can also be eligible for services if they are homeless, receive SNAP or SSI, if the child is in foster care, kinship care, or a ward of the state. Children with disabilities are also prioritized for services. Once a child is selected, children and families are eligible to receive all services offered by the program. Examples of services provided include:
- Nutrition: A nutritious low-sugar breakfast, lunch, and snack are served in centers. A nutritious snack is served during home-based group meetings.
- Health: Screenings include vision, hearing, speech, anemia, lead level, blood pressure, medical examinations, dental examinations, and immunizations. Follow-up referrals are done if needed.
- Mental Health: Children with atypical behavior or suspected developmental concerns are either observed directly by a licensed mental health provider or referred to the appropriate professional. Connections to counseling services are made as necessary.
- Disability Services: Services are provided for disabled children in conjunction with other agencies.
- Family Engagement: Parents make the Head Start difference! Staff and parents are partners in the classroom, during home visits, Family Days, Policy Council meetings, and with program assessment.
Applications are taken year-round for GHHS. All locations will be able to take applications for the 2025-2026 school year starting February 18th. Contact your local Head Start center to schedule a time to complete an application. If you are interested in volunteering or getting involved with GHHS, we welcome anyone that is interested in volunteering, substitute teaching, or serving as a community representative for Policy Council or the Bright Future’s Trenton Head Start Site Council. We always appreciate when anyone helps spread the word about what GHHS does and are willing to help advocate for the program at the local, state, or federal level. If your business, club, or organization is interested in learning more about GHHS, staff would welcome the opportunity to come visit with you. Please visit our website at www.greenhillsheadstart.org or call 660-359-2214 for more information.
