Press Releases

U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) joined a group of 33 House Democrats in pressing Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for answers after the sudden shutdown of five regional Head Start Offices, including the San Francisco regional office that serves families in the Central Coast. 

The closures come on the heels of a major agency reorganization and reduction in force that led to 10,000 layoffs on Monday. In the letter, the lawmakers raise concerns about the lack of warning or transition plan and the potential impact on children and families who rely on the program.

“The abrupt closures—without a clearly communicated transition plan—puts services and education for our nation’s most vulnerable children and families at risk,” the lawmakers wrote.

Head Start is a federal program that provides early childhood education, health care, and family services at no cost to low-income children across the country. In the last 60 years, Head Start has positively impacted more than 40 million children and their parents across the nation, including more than 55,000 in Santa Barbara County.

The letter stresses the essential role regional offices play in helping local Head Start centers access federal support and navigate complex regulations and that the closures will jeopardize vital services.

“Removing these support structures without an alternative plan or clear communication on the impact jeopardizes the reliability and quality of services that so many families depend on,” the lawmakers continued.

The group is asking Secretary Kennedy to respond by April 7 with answers to the following:

• What criteria were used to decide which regional offices to close?

• When were staff informed that their offices would be shutting down?

• What is the Department’s plan to support Head Start providers in the wake of these closures, and how will that be communicated to states and local communities?

“All children deserve quality education and services to support their early development during the most crucial years of childhood,” the lawmakers wrote. “An investment in Head Start and the regional offices that support them should remain a top priority.”

For a full copy of the letter, click here.

Rep. Carbajal, who formerly worked with Head Start as a Parent Involvement Coordinator and Family Services Advocate, is a leader in fighting for childhood education programs. In Congress, he’s worked to prioritize funding for Head Start to ensure this important program has the necessary resources to be successful in our communities.