The Occupational Associate of Family Development focuses on you strategies for strengthening the capacity of HS/EHS and other early childhood programs to implement and use strengths-based and culturally-informed practices. Participants learn to develop family engagement methodologies that are systemically integrated across Head Start and communities which can be sustained over time. Students will encounter real-world Head Start scenarios where they will use creative family health, medical homes, nutrition and mental health, and present conclusions based on family health outcomes data. Additionally, students will use methods and strategies, forms, and worksheets to complete formal, informal, and quantitative Family Development tasks.

Eight weeks in length, the courses are offered in pairs, or "blocks," designed to complement each other. In these courses, emphasis alternates 5 in-depth training events, weekly assignments between in class session, reading and online discussion one week and a work project the next.

The completion of an Occupational Associate of Family Development degree represents an important milestone for many Head Start staff as they pursue their professional development goals.