The program offers health and social services in order to provide a well-rounded educational program for children and families. The educational component is designed to meet each child's individual needs. It also aims to meet the needs of the community served and its ethnic and cultural characteristics. The program goal is for children to develop into whole persons and social interaction is an important emphasis in the program. Heat Start arranges for every child to receive, if needed, comprehensive health care, including medical, dental, mental health, and nutrition services.
Parents are the most important influence on a child's development.
An essential part of the program is the involvement of parents in parent education, program planning, and operating activities. The social services component represents an organized method of assisting families to assess their needs, and then providing those services that will build upon the individual strengths of families to meet their own needs. It also cooperates with local education agencies to provide services for children with special needs as identified on their individual education plan. A federal program which establishes individualized plans for students who demonstrate developmental delays. Parents participate in the development and implementation of the plan and are encourages to participate in daily school activities.