Community Partner: Head Start
Head Start is a government-funded program established in 1964 in response to The War on Poverty declared by President Lyndon B. Johnson at the time. Recognizing the significant impact that poverty can have on childhood education and development, experts at the time came together to develop a comprehensive program to meet the needs of preschool children in under-resourced communities. For 50 years, Head Start has aimed to break the cycle of poverty by addressing the social, emotional, health, nutritional, and psychological needs of families across the nation through numerous programs and services.
Here in Cincinnati, the Community Action Agency (CAA) serves as the second-largest Head Start Program in the Nation. The four major components of Head Start include Education, Health, Parent Involvement, and Social Services. Three different heart programs exist through CAA:
- Head Start – serving preschool children ages 3-5
2. Early Head Start – serving pregnant women and children under 3
3. Head Start Home School – providing at-home services to the groups listed above
About Ebunoluwa
Ebunoluwa is a Maryland native, a proud Nigerian, and a first-generation physician. She studied Human Biology, Health, and Society within the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University. She then received a Master’s in Medical Sciences at Boston University before enrollment into medical school. Her educational background has informed her passion for patient advocacy and mitigating social determinants of health in efforts to achieve health equity. Her areas of focus in past and current research include maternal mental health, birthing support, cultural humility, continuity of care in pediatrics, and experiences of racism in pediatric care.
As an aspiring general pediatrician, she is thrilled to work with a community partner such as Head Start Cincinnati, that meets the needs of young children, infants, and pregnant women to set them up for future success. Ebunoluwa observed many patients with complex social needs be referred to Head Start during her time rotating at the Cincinnati Children’s Pediatric Primary Care Clinic, which piqued an interest in partnering with the organization through this elective. As the Head Start program is a nationwide, federally funded resource, Ebunoluwa is confident that this partnership will allow her to gain insight and skills to strengthen the work of existing programs in whatever region she practices in!