YDI Early Head Start provides services for 136 infants and toddlers, and 8 pregnant mothers in center-based and home-based programs. The program serves infants andtoddlers from 6 weeks to 3 years old until they can successfully transition into the Head Start Program.

YDI operates Early Head Start in three New Mexico counties, serving infants/toddlers in a center-based, full day, full year program in Bernalillo County, home-based programs in Rio Arriba County, and both center-based and home-based programs in Taos County. Pregnant moms receive prenatal supportive services in a home based program in Bernalillo County. After the child is born he/she is enrolled in the center-based Early Head Start program.

The GrandStart program is funded by the Office of Head Start’s Innovation and Improvement Projects initiative. YDI will conduct weekly education classes for grandparents utilizing the “Second Time Around: Grandparents Raising Grandchildren” curriculum. This curriculum will cover various topics, such as child development issues, parenting skills, working with schools and the community, managing finances, and legal issues. These are issues that grandparents are most concerned about. Guest speakers from the community, such as financial counselors or legal experts, will also be invited to workshops to provide information to grandparents.

For more information about the program, please call Ernestine Padilla, Education Facilitator, at (505)212-7239.

Funded by the New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD), YDI offers comprehensive expanded "wrap-around" services for 28 infants and toddlers at the La Mariposa Early Head Start center. The expanded, "wrap-around" Early Head Start classrooms will have expanded hours in the morning and late afternoon. The hours of operation are from 7:30am to 5:30pm. Priority for this service will be given to New Mexico Works/TANF participants. This will allow New Mexico Works/TANF participants to fulfill their work/job training requirements.

Funded by the New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD), YDI offers a high quality preschool program for four-year old children in selected areas of Bernalillo, Rio Arriba, and Taos Counties. Children are served in half day (morning or afternoon) classes. There is no income requirement for this program. Children must be four-years old and be attending kindergarten the following year.