SAN JOSE, CA – The Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) is aware of reports stating the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region 9 Office in San Francisco is closed. Region 9 houses the Office of Head Start and other programs that improve the health and well-being of families and children. 

According to the HHS fact sheet, this closure is part of a plan to combine 10 regional offices to five. There has been no mention of an impact to Head Start or grant funding at this time. 

The SCCOE is monitoring for updates that provide accurate information and understanding of next steps to reduce, manage, and mitigate the impact on Santa Clara County families and children. 

Shuttering regional offices creates a lapse in services that are critical to eligible families and hinders children’s rights to essential services that empower them for success in their communities.