NHSA wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Becerra to urge the prompt and urgent release of a final rule regarding COVID-19 vaccination for Head Start and Early Head Start staff. While our community is grateful for the September 2022 announcement by the Administration for Children and Families finally aligning the masking requirement in the Head Start Interim Final Rule with Comments (IFC) with CDC guidance, a final rule on vaccines is necessary.

“The health and safety of Head Start children, families, staff, and communities continue as our top priority. Yet, over eight and a half months since it went into full effect on January 31, 2022, the IFC continues to apply only to some agencies – depending on the state where they are located – due to legal action,” wrote NHSA Executive Director Yasmina Vinci. “This sets a dangerous precedent for a federal program that owes its success to deep community engagement and local autonomy.”