Recently, I had the opportunity to visit a Head Start program located in downtown Meridian. This federally funded program is focused on giving pre-kindergarten kids aged 3-5 an active early-childhood education experience along with health and nutrition services for qualifying families. One of the goals of the program is to effectively prepare the students with the tools and life skills necessary for success once they enroll into a public school. It was a great experience where I was able to witness the challenges first-hand in a classroom that has a half-dozen different languages being spoken, there is a need for community volunteers, and how the program in Meridian tries to ensure it meets the unique needs of the community it serves.
Fast-forward to last week following the re-opening of the federal government when Idaho's own, Alex J. Adams officially took over as the Assistant Secretary for Family Support, leading the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ACF oversees the Head Start program and I had an opportunity to speak with Assistant Secretary Adams about my experience and a challenge the program in Meridian was trying to address concerning their preferred days of operation compared to the federal program’s standards. We talked about his desires for more local control of these types of programs, so it was a very refreshing conversation that I hope leads to the Meridian Head Start program being able to operate in a way that best serves our community.
When Assistant Secretary Adam's was the Director of Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, he had a real impact and passion related to adoption of foster kids. Through efforts to make adoption easier by reducing costs, simplifying licensing of foster homes, and creating a Foster Parent Bill of Rights, the focus was placed on ensuring every single child in Idaho received love, care and nurturing so they could flourish. Luckily, he is able to bring this passion with him to Washington, DC.
In his new role, Assistant Secretary Adams will continue to be focused heavily on child welfare and foster care, an area where Idaho has succeeded and made a real difference for kids. To that end, under President Trump’s executive order, given on November 13, 2025, Fostering the Future for American Children and Families, ACF has launched a new national initiative called ‘A Home for Every Child’ that will work to create a one-to-one ratio of homes to foster children. They will do this through effective prevention to reduce the number of children entering foster care, diligent recruitment of new foster parents, prioritizing kin relationships, and improving retention of existing caregivers. These efforts will reduce the number of kids waiting on homes while also working to reduce the regulatory burden that limits local decision-making. Ultimately, giving all children a safe place to call home during the most challenging of times.
As we head into this Thanksgiving week and prepare to spend time with our families, I want to first say thank you to all in Meridian who have opened their homes and expanded their family through adoption, fostering, or being a safe place for a child experiencing homelessness. Assistant Secretary Adams stressed how much our Meridian community does to help in these areas and you should be commended. If you have ever thought about expanding your family in one of these ways, I would say now is a great time to consider taking the step and make your own difference in the life of a child.
If taking on a new family member isn’t an option, but you want to help by volunteering with Meridian’s Head Start, you can learn more information here.
Enjoy your week, travel safe, and thank you for all you do to help Meridian be the premier community to live, work and raise a family.
About the author
Mayor Simison