What We Do
Region 9 fulfills ACF’s greater mission of improving the economic and social well-being of families, individuals and communities through our work with states, tribes, non-profit organizations, and community and faith-based service providers.
ACF Regional Programs
Head Start Regional Program Unit
The mission of the Office of Head Start (OHS) is to promote school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of low-income children through health, educational, nutritional, social, and other services, as necessary. The Head Start Regional Program Unit is the funding agency to organizations that provide Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start (EHS) services to pregnant women and children from birth to age 5. OHS provides oversight of these organizations through monitoring and technical assistance. For more information, resources and to locate a HS or EHS program in your community, please visit the OHS Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center at http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov.
Primary Contact: Leone Alston, Administrative/Program Support
Phone: (415) 437-7966
Email: leone.alston@acf.hhs.gov
Secondary Contact: Jan Len, Regional Program Manager
Email: jan.len@acf.hhs.gov
Children’s Bureau Regional Program Unit
The Children’s Bureau (CB) Regional Program Unit is responsible for providing program and technical administration of Children’s Bureau formula, entitlement, block and discretionary programs to State and Tribal agencies. These programs include:
- Child welfare, including child abuse and neglect
- Child protective services
- Family preservation and support
- Adoption
- Foster care
- Independent living
- State court improvement.
Contact: Debra Samples, Regional Program Manager
Phone: (415) 437-8626
Email: debra.samples@acf.hhs.gov
Office of Child Support Enforcement Regional Program Unit
The Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) Regional Program Unit is responsible for providing program and technical administration of OCSE entitlement and discretionary programs and for collaborating with ACF Central Office, States, Tribes and other grantees on all significant program and policy matters.
Primary Contact: Elise Wing, Regional Program Manager
Phone: (415) 437-8463
Email: elise.wing@acf.hhs.gov
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Bureau Regional Program Unit
The TANF Bureau Regional Program Unit is responsible for providing program and technical administration of the TANF block grant and for collaborating with the Office of Family Assistance, States, Tribes, and other grantees on all significant policy matters.
Contact: Julie Fong, Regional Program Manager
Phone: (415) 437-8400
Email: julie.fong@acf.hhs.gov
Office of Child Care Regional Program Unit
The Office of Child Care (OCC) Regional Program Unit is responsible for providing centralized program and technical administration of Child Care Development (CCDF) block grant and discretionary programs and for collaborating with OCC, States, Tribes, and other grantees on all significant policy matters.
Contact: Abby Cohen, Regional Program Manager
Phone: (415) 437-8437
Email: abby.cohen@acf.hhs.gov
Family and Youth Services Bureau/Runaway and Homeless Youth Regional Program Unit
The mission of the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) is to promote safety, stability and well-being for people who have experienced or been exposed to violence, neglect or trauma. Through the Runaway and Homeless Youth Program (RHY), FYSB supports street outreach, emergency shelters and longer-term transitional living and maternity group home programs to serve and protect youth.
Contact: Deborah Oppenheim, Program Specialist
Phone: (415) 437-8426
Email: deborah.oppenheim@acf.hhs.gov
Office of Refugee Resettlement Regional Program Unit
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) helps people of special humanitarian concern become integrated members of American society. The ORR regional program unit works in partnership with its State Refugee Coordinators, State Refugee Health Coordinators, and other refugee stakeholders to make available ORR programs that help refugees become self-sufficient and to strengthen coordination with non-ORR programs for which refugees are also eligible.
Contact: Bowa Tucker, Senior Analyst
Phone: (415) 437-8469
Email: bowa.tucker@acf.hhs.gov
Grants Management Regional Unit
The Grants Management Regional Unit responsibilities include:
- Ensuring that business and financial responsibilities of grants administration are carried out
- Managing ACF’s discretionary, formula, entitlement and block grants in the region
- Directing all grants and cooperative agreements
- Ensuring compliance with applicable statutes, regulations and policies
- Performing audit resolutions
- Providing leadership and technical guidance to ACF programs on grant operations and grants management issues.
Contact: Debi O'Leary, Senior Financial Management Specialist
Email: debi.oleary@acf.hhs.gov