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Contra Costa Head Start cited for safety-practice deficiency; county launches corrective plan

3413749 · May 20, 2025
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Federal Head Start auditors found a safety-practices deficiency after four incidents; county officials say staff involved were removed, corrective actions are underway and a 30-day remediation period is in effect with a likely 30-day extension request.

Contra Costa County officials told the Board of Supervisors on May 20 that the county’s Head Start program has received a deficiency finding from the Office of Head Start after auditors identified multiple incidents “with the potential to maltreat and endanger the health and safety of children.”

The nut graf: County officials said four brief incidents, three at county-run sites and one at a partner site, were substantiated; all four classroom staff were removed from the classroom and have been separated from employment. County leaders said they have launched a seven-category corrective action program and asked for extra time to finish work on partner-site video camera requirements.

Marla Stewart, director of the Employment and Human Services Department, told supervisors that the deficiency notice followed a risk assessment and a review on April 24. “A deficiency is a systematic or substantial material failure of an agency in the area of performance,” Stewart said. The performance area…

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