WASHINGTON — The Manhasset/Great Neck Head Start program will shut down Monday morning if it does not regain federal funding that it has not been able to access since Tuesday in the wake of the short-lived federal freeze, the program’s director said Thursday.
Director Stephanie Chenault said the financial system showed her grant was funded on Saturday, the beginning of the fiscal year, but when she went to draw down money on Monday it said the request was pending review — and she hasn’t been able to access funds since.
“It’s now Thursday. There’s still no money in the bank, and the payment management system still says pending review,” Chenault said.
“If we don’t have money by tomorrow morning, we’re going to be notifying parents and staff that as of Monday we will be closed temporarily — until we get our money,” she said. “That’s a real hardship on everybody.”
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND
- The Manhasset/Great Neck Head Start program will shut down Monday morning if it does not regain federal funding that it has not been able to access since Tuesday in the wake of the short-lived federal freeze, the program’s director said Thursday.
- Director Stephanie Chenault said the financial system showed her grant was funded on Saturday, the beginning of the fiscal year, but when she went to draw down money on Monday it said the request was pending review — and she hasn’t been able to access funds since.
- The Manhasset-based Head Start is one of about 52 Head Start programs serving just under 22,000 children that have not been able to get access to their grant funding in the past week, said Tommy Sheridan, deputy director of National Head Start Association.
The Manhasset-based Head Start is one of about 52 Head Start programs serving just under 22,000 children that have not been able to get access to their grant funding in the past week, said Tommy Sheridan, deputy director of National Head Start Association.
Asked why some Head Start programs have problems getting funds, Sheridan said, “We do not know entirely right now, given that they are not allowed to be communicating externally right now, per some of the President’s orders.”
Technical issues
The press office for the Administration for Children and Families in the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes Head Start, acknowledged in an email response to a Newsday query that some users of the payment system experienced technical issues last week.
“The system is back up and running now, but users may be experiencing lags due to the high volume of requests,” the email said. “HHS is working through the Program Support Center to help expedite resolution as quickly as possible.”
Chenault said she has contacted the office of Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove); the two New York senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand; and the Office of Head Start.
The problem seems to have developed after President Donald Trump ordered a freeze on Jan. 29 and lifted it two days later.
“The answer from everyone is that because of the freeze and then the unfreeze, there was some glitch that developed in the payment management system,” Chenault said.
“And then in the time it’s been taking them to resolve whatever that alleged glitch is there’s now a backlog of agencies and programs waiting for their money. The problem is that we have no money to operate the program,” she said.
Six-decade history
The Manhasset/Great Neck Head Start program, which has been in operation for nearly 60 years, has 46 children aged 3 to 5 years old from low-income families whose parents are mostly service workers, Chenault told Newsday in a phone interview.
It is one of 29 Head Start programs on Long Island and nearly 1,600 nationally. No other Long Island Head Start program contacted by Newsday reported a problem with access to grant funding.
The Manhasset-based program provides preschool education, food and other services with a budget of almost $578,000 and 11 staffers that include teachers, teacher assistants, family service workers, a food service manager and a part-time licensed practical nurse, she said.
“I am all for government efficiency, but I am not for hurting vulnerable children and families by cutting funding for a Head Start,” Suozzi said.
“It’s unacceptable, and I will continue hounding the administration for answers until they unlock the funds that Congress voted to support in an overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion,” he said.
