Q&A
Discussing integration of Head Start into MyCity portal
0:49:09
·
3 min
Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez inquires about plans to incorporate Head Start and Early Head Start benefits into the MyCity portal. Matthew Fraser, the Chief Technology Officer, explains that while they are evaluating the integration, it's currently separate due to different eligibility review teams and processes.
- The childcare portal was built around the state-regulated childcare subsidy application
- Head Start has a different eligibility review team and process
- OTI is in discussions with schools about integrating early childhood education services
Jennifer Gutiérrez
0:49:09
Is there any plan to incorporate benefit for new workers that qualify for head start or early head start.
0:49:16
You know, that's like a that has been a a an issue or complaint that folks have said, like, yeah.
0:49:21
I tried it, but what I'm looking for is information about head start and whether or not I can apply for, you know, the local head start in neighborhood.
0:49:30
And so that they're doing separate and apart.
0:49:32
What was the decision to have that be a separate process?
0:49:35
And is there an intention to integrate it?
0:49:37
Yeah.
0:49:38
So it's a city program.
Matthew Fraser
0:49:40
It is a city program, but it's administered in a different way.
0:49:44
So one of the things that we looked at when we built the childcare portal was it was built around the childcare application, the subsidy childcare application, which is regulated on a state level.
0:49:53
We don't have the regulatory authority in that space.
0:49:56
So what we basically did was we built a process around that childcare subsidy.
0:50:02
And one of the things that we heard, as you've mentioned, is that it's great that it covers that universe, but what about everything else?
0:50:08
And we're currently in conversations with schools, about integrating the childcare, early childhood education piece of it into into one universe so that we can make some we can provide more information out.
0:50:21
Again, what we started was a space where we had a lot of we had a lot of demand and we had low tech capability, and we've brought that all the way forward.
0:50:37
And head start, there's there are capabilities that exist in that space.
0:50:40
But it's about providing an integrated experience.
0:50:43
Common services gives us a pathway to do that in in a much simpler way.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
0:50:48
So is that is that a yes or a no that you are looking to integrate it?
Matthew Fraser
0:50:52
It's it's yes.
0:50:53
We're evaluating.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
0:50:54
You're evaluating.
0:50:55
So it might not be possible.
Matthew Fraser
0:50:57
That determination, it's hard to tell you at this moment, but I think not possible means that you don't you're not trying hard enough.
0:51:05
I think it's it's not a question of if it's possible or not, it's a question of when?
Jennifer Gutiérrez
0:51:11
And the reason it's it's not included right now, and it's something that you are evaluating, is it because of it the because there's also, like, a federal interface, or what is the what is the reason for WhiteHat?
Matthew Fraser
0:51:21
The the the reason is the teams that were view these childcare applications versus the head start teams.
0:51:26
And across the agencies, those are different teams and different and different eligibility reviewers.
0:51:32
So we took this process holistically across all agencies.
0:51:36
And we took it in place for this child care subsidy for head start and everything else that has a different eligibility review team that has a different process.
0:51:45
It's it's almost like taking a separate application and integrating it into the most of the universe as well.
0:51:50
So that that's that's why the determination was made.
0:51:53
We found everything that had anything to do with the state with the state regulated childcare subsidy.
0:51:59
We pulled it all into one universe.
0:52:01
Head start is not in the same space as these.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
0:52:04
It's not in the Same space as these.
0:52:10
Have you heard that from folks as well about their interest in wanting to apply for head start?
Matthew Fraser
0:52:14
So what we've heard across the spectrum is that what you've done so far is great, but when we'll when we have more.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
0:52:21
Mhmm.
0:52:23
Thank you.
