HHS incentivizes Head Start to reduce ultra-processed food

The Department of Health and Human Services rolled out plans Tuesday for a one-time increase to supplemental funding for Head Start, which partners with preschools across the country. The additional funding aims to encourage partners to reduce the use of ultra-processed foods.

The HHS Administration for Children and Families, called ACF, said the funds could go toward projects like modernizing kitchen facilities, setting up designated breastfeeding areas, or consulting with registered dieticians and nutritionists.

“Make America Healthy Again wants to protect America’s most vulnerable children from frequent exposure to poisonous ultra-processed foods,” Acting Assistant Secretary Andrew Gradison said in a statement. “Increasing access to whole foods and nutrient-dense meals while emphasizing parental nutrition education in Head Start is one way ACF is addressing the causes of chronic disease.”

To receive the funding, Head Start partners must apply no later than Aug. 22. The announcement did not include a maximum amount for the one-time funding.

What is Head Start? The Head Start program, which began as a component of the “Great Society” effort during the administration of President Lyndon Johnson, aims to improve early childhood education, health, and nutrition services to low-income children and families. The program offers a range of services, including preschool education, health screenings, parental training, and more.

To administer those services, Head Start partners with preschool programs, schools, and community centers that operate through as many as 1,600 agencies.

Applicants make use of Head Start’s resources through center-based or home-based options.

Are there any restrictions on the funding? The supplemental assistance will only be allowed for items that comply with the Head Start Program Performance Standards. Permissible expenses include improvements to food service upgrades, materials, education resources, and non-recurring personnel costs.

Dig deeper: The Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, movement has laid out an ambitious slate of priorities it aims to pursue. In June, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. identified children’s nutrition as just one of many areas in need of overhaul to combat chronic illness.Listen to my report on what MAHA identified as some of its other priorities.