Why First 5? At birth, a child’s brain is fertile ground for knowledge. Sights, sounds, smells, and feelings all create the foundation for growth and development, now and throughout a child’s life. In particular, a child’s relationship with parents and other caregivers is crucial for providing the building blocks that the child will depend on to help endure the many stresses experienced over a lifetime. |
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What is the First 5 Placer Children & Families Commission? The First 5 Placer Children and Families Commission is an autonomous, self- governing commission appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Each Commissioner is a community volunteer with specialized expertise in enhancing child development. The First 5 Placer Children and Family Commission invests Proposition 10 tobacco tax money in services and resources for children prenatal through age 5 in Placer County. Since it was established in 1998, First 5 Placer has invested more than $23.6 million in localservices for critical issues such as:
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Who are the Commissioners? Catherine Goins, County Children’s Services Bob McDonald, Prevention and Early Intervention for Families at Risk Dr. Sandra Naylor-Goodwin, Children’s Behavioral Health Jim Holmes, Commissioner, Placer County Board of Supervisors, District #3 Richard J. Burton, M.D., M.P.H., Placer County Public Health Officer Elaine Rowen Reynoso, J.D., Ph.D., Education Kimberly Haswell, Parent/Consumer Dayle Edgerton, RN, Child Healthcare Sylvia Ambriz, Community Member, Lake Tahoe area |
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| How is First 5 Placer Accountable? Tobacco tax dollars in Placer County are locally controlled and distributed according to a community engagement process. This process ensures that our community is engaged and empowered to put resources toward services and programs that best serve our children. We hold ourselves and our funded partners accountable for tax dollars spent through its annual audit and extensive evaluation process. For the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2008, 85% of our budget went directly to programs that serve one of our three strategic areas — improved child development, improved family functioning, and improved child health and safety. |
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| How does First 5 Placer Support the Local Economy? First 5 Placer contributes nearly $4.6 million and creates 85 jobs to the County’s economy on an annual basis. Recent economic development studies show that programs for children under age 5 produce economic benefits as the child grows into adulthood, ranging from $1.26 to $17 for each $1 spent. Early childhood programs can keep children out of expensive special education programs; reduce the number of students who fail and must repeat a grade in school; increase high school graduation rates; reduce juvenile crime; reduce the number of youngsters who wind up on welfare as adults; and increase the number of students who go tocollege. (RAND Corporation, 2006) |
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