2020-2025 Funding Cycle begins - two new programs are among the 38 that receiving funding
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The 2020-2025 Funding Cycle officially began in July, as did a pair of new programs under the First 5 Kern banner.
In total, 38 programs will receive annual funding, with 36 programs continuing under Proposition 10 dollars from the previous funding cycle. A complete listing of the programs, with details on their services is available on our website. Proposition 10 funding is expected to provide over $7 million for the programs, which were selected over a nearly nine-month Request for Proposals process, which was completed earlier this calendar year.
Court Appointed Special Advocates (
CASA
) of Kern County's Infant and Toddler Program will be apart of this funding cycle. The program will help CASA-assigned children 0-5 receive developmental screenings.
Vision y Compromiso
was approved by the commission for the Family Caregivers Project. The program provides early childcare education and trainings to family, friends and neighbors caregivers as well as parents.
"We're excited for these programs to continue their work for children and families in our community, and proud to support them in those efforts," said First 5 Kern Executive Director Roland Maier. "Our RFP process is deliberate and comprehensive, and we relied on the eyes, hearts and minds of many community members to help us select the programs that will receive this important funding.
"Our gratitude goes out to those that applied, and those who helped us review every proposal and select our path forward for the next five years."
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Purple Ribbon Month in Kern County coming to a close
Purple Ribbon Month, a program of the Kern County Department of Human Services, calls attention every July to the dangers of leaving your child in a car, especially during the hot summer months.
First 5 Kern is proud to help sponsor this outreach effort locally, and reminds parents that the summer heat is far from over. And even in non-summer months, a car can reach dangerous temperatures in a matter of minutes.
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Did you know...
Of all child vehicular heatstroke fatalities every year in the U.S.,
56% of the children were left behind on accident
.
One recommendation is to put something in the back seat with your child that will be needed at your destination - a purse, a cell phone, a briefcase or backpack.
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Children's Health in Local News:
Excessive heat and drowning are two big summertime dangers for children in Kern County
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The Bakersfield Police Department offered safety tips to prevent heatstroke among children during the summer months.
In a news release, BPD pointed out that 858 children have died because of Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke since 1998. Last year, the department added, 52 children died from heatstroke in vehicles.
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Kern County is hitting extreme highs and while it’s heating up outside, there are safety you’ll want to be aware of.
Your vehicle heats up significantly in this weather and be a deadly scenario for a child left in the car.
It’s not just over heating in a car that poses a threat, cooling off in the pool raises other red flags.
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Kern County Public Health is reminding everyone that it is important to utilize pools and water equipment safely.
According to the Kern County Child Death Review Team, since 2014, Kern County lost 32 children to accidental drowning and 27 of those were less than six years old. In 2019, seven children died from accidental drowning.
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2020-21 California budget prioritizes young children and families
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All eyes in California's early childhood world were watching Sacramento as revisions to the annual budget came down to the wire.
The First 5 Association was quick to take note that despite the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic and inevitable alterations programs that followed, the budget still prioritized young children and families. Of note, the budget maintained reimbursement rates for subsidized child care providers, adds new child care spaces, and maintains funding for programs that include home visiting. The link below summarizes the budget from an early childhood perspective.
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New leadership at two area family resource centers
A pair of local family resource centers are welcoming in new leadership with a pair of longtime coordinators stepping down.
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M
elissa Vittoria (pictured) is the new coordinator for the Kern River Valley Family Resource Center, taking over for Sherry Lanza, who is retiring after three years at the helm. Vittoria has been a family advocate with the FRC since 2016. Prior to that, she worked with Family Preservation Community Services for several years, and has been a part of the Kern Valley community since 1994.
At the Buttonwillow Community Resource Center, Susan Watkins has retired from her leadership of the center. Hiedi Witcher, who is the Assistant Superintendent/ Principal for Buttonwillow Unified School District, has taken over as program coordinator.
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Please join us in congratulating Melissa and Hiedi on their new posts, and in wishing Sherry and Susan the best in their future endeavors. We would like to thank them for their service to children and families in their respective communities!
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Coalition meetings remain active while maintaining COVID-19 social distancing practices
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First 5 Kern has long been host to a variety of community coalitions and collaborative efforts that have had to adjust to new COVID-19 practices of social distancing and other measures. These committees still meet on a regular basis, however, mainly through Zoom, and continue their work on improving the lives of our youngest children. Below are four example of groups that are continuing to meet.
The
Medically Vulnerable Care Coordination Project (MVCCP)
met weekly during the first few months of modified lockdowns and continues to meet several times per month.
The
Safe Sleep Coalition
meets monthly to discuss local efforts to promote safe sleep practices for new parents and their babies.
Trauma-Informed Kern County
, which has been re-branded as
Resilient Kern
, has held regular online trainings with topics such as providing trauma-informed care, and practicing self-care during the pandemic.
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Help Me Grow Kern County
has enjoyed a successful first year in increasing the frequency with which children receive developmental screenings in our community. This monthly committee meeting brings together other agencies and care providers to discuss the availability of resources for families.
Community members are welcome to participate and contribute to these efforts, and are encouraged to reach out to us for more information on how to connect.
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Did you know...
The First 5 Association is a nonprofit membership organization that supports its First 5 county commissions in building early childhood systems and supports. The Association is a sister organization of the First 5 Center for Children's Policy, which recently launched All Together Now, an effort to highlight the need to prioritize children in policy and budget decisions.
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First 5 Association taps Melissa Stafford Jones as new Executive Director
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First 5 Association of California announces and warmly welcomes its new Executive Director, Melissa Stafford Jones, who will join the organization on July 6, 2020.
Prior to joining the Association, Melissa was the Executive Director of the Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation in Contra Costa County, and was a Regional Director for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as President & CEO of the California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems.
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California updates COVID-19 guidance for Child Care Providers
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The California Department of Public health, in collaboration with the Department of Social Services (CDSS) Department of Education (CDE) to develop updates to its COVID-19 recommendations for Child Care Programs and Providers.
First issues in early June as more Californians prepared to return to work, the guidance was updated on July 17 in response to the changes in workforce numbers and uptick in cases throughout the state.
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