State Program Increases Access to Permanent Housing for Families with Young Children

Governor NedLamont announced that his administration will be continuing Connecticut’s recently launchedHead Start on Housingpilot program, a first-of-its-kind initiative in Connecticut and the nation that identifies young children enrolled in Head Start whose families are experiencing homelessness and connects them with permanent housing support.

Governor NedLamont announced that his administration will be continuing Connecticut’s recently launchedHead Start on Housingpilot program, a first-of-its-kind initiative in Connecticut and the nation that identifies young children enrolled in Head Start whose families are experiencing homelessness and connects them with permanent housing support. 

Launched in 2022 under theLamontadministration, the program is jointly administered by the Connecticut Department of Housing and the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, and it leverages existing support from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s voucher program to connect these families with housing. Head Start is a program that provides low-income families with young children access to free services centered around early learning and development, health, and family well-being. 

Since its launch, Connecticut’s Head Start on Housing pilot program has housed 144 families consisting of 317 children. Specifically, 85 school-aged children and 232 Head Start/Early Head Start aged children have been housed. Moving forward, the Connecticut Department of Housing will allocate 50 vouchers annually for Head Start and Early Head Start families.  

Every year, more than 25,000 Connecticut families receive homelessness support and prevention services through the Connecticut Department of Housing. 

For more information on Head Start on Housing, visitheadstartonhousingct.com.