As a County Supervisor, I am
assigned to represent the County the FIRST 5 - Siskiyou Children & Families
Commission. FIRST 5 Siskiyou focuses on
improving the: (1) health; (2) development; (3) family functioning; and (4) school
readiness of children from the prenatal stage through age 5. (This stage of life is the
most critical in brain development and in subsequent intellectual, social, emotional, and physical growth.)
Proposition 10, passed by the voters in 1998, placed a 50 cent tax on cigarettes to
establish and fund the State and county commissions. http://www.first5siskiyou.org/
FIRST 5 Siskiyou has in
place a strategic plan to accomplish goals in the 4 focus areas. Providing basic funding for standard core services
paid for by Prop. 10 monies, the Commission has helped to support a system of nine
non-profit Family/Community Resource Centers located throughout the county. These
FRCs/CRCs are community based, directed and operated. They also network together to share
ideas and resources.
Their physical presence allows the local delivery of a wide spectrum
of programs to children and families. County agencies and area non-profits have
established a highly collaborative relationship with the FRCs/CRCs for resources and
referrals. Through basic funding by FIRST 5,
the FRCs/CRCs have been able to attract another $1,489,000 is grant and other funds for
programs in our communities.
In addition to funding the FRCs/CRCs, this year FIRST 5 funded a
mobile oral health project. Pre-schoolers are receiving education, followed by a dental
screening, assessment and cleaning in the mobile van. It also includes outreach to
pregnant women through local obstetricians. FIRST
5 also helped to support the efforts of the Early Childhood Mental Health and Siskiyou
Early Childhood Teams. The Commission funded certification for Public Health to teach the
PIPE parenting curriculum for at risk families. FRCs/CRCs staff and other community
partners that deliver voluntary home visitation and parent support services were offered
the training. In addition, FIRST 5 funded Remi Vista to provide pre-school consultation,
support and training in handling aggressive/disruptive and other difficult behaviors.
Another program that First 5 Siskiyou funds is Comprehensive
Approaches to Raising Educational Standards (CARES.) This partnership with the State
Commission promotes continuing education among all childcare providers through monetary
incentives for completing college units or professional trainings.
Finally, First 5 currently contracts with the County Office of
Education to provide a School Readiness Program in collaboration with the FRCs/CRCs. The
emphasis is on improving: (1) systems of care; (2) child health; (3) family functioning;
and (4) child development. Low performing areas have been identified as Butte Valley,
Happy Camp and the Shasta Valley HUB sites (Montague, Hornbrook, Grenada.) Efforts include
improving the kindergarten readiness of children by helping families apply for Healthy
Families Insurance, increasing family literacy and numbers skills, parenting classes and
other support services, play groups, voluntary home visitation, improved quality of
pre-school programs, and coordination with kindergarten teachers.
Unfortunately, state Senator Cox has proposed SB 893 to redirect all
Prop. 10 funds from the state and local commissions to be spent entirely on children’s
health services. This would impact funding of the FRCs/CRCs and discontinue projects like
the ones above.
I strongly oppose Senator Cox’s bill. I believe that Prop. 10
funding is being put to good use in our local communities. The bill is scheduled to be
heard by the Senate Health Committee on April 18. Comment letters should be received by
April 11th. The Chair of the committee is the Honorable Sheila Kuehl. The
Vice-Chair is the Honorable Sam Aanestad. The
address for both is State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814. |
