First 5 Riverside, the Riverside County Children & Families Commission, is a public entity funded by Proposition 10 tobacco tax revenues and established by the County Board of Supervisors in 1999. First 5 Riverside provides funding of education, childcare, and health care services that help families and children through age five develop a strong foundation for success in school and throughout their lives.

First 5 California - The California Children and Families Commission - was created in November 1998 by the passage of Proposition 10 - the California Children and Families Act

Proposition 10 is funded by a voter-approved tobacco tax that generates approximately $700 million annually. To help direct Proposition 10 funds at the local level, and to support the healthy development of young children in their communities, County Commissions were established in each of California’s 58 counties.

The purpose of Prop. 10, the California Children and Families Act, is to help make sure that all our youngest Californians, from prenatal to five years old, get the best possible start in life. The Act stresses the importance of young children receiving nurturing interaction with their parents and other caregivers, good health care and nutrition, and the stimulating learning opportunities they need in order to be ready for school.

Recognizing the enormous potential benefit of early investments in children’s well being, the Act aims to make the research on early child development more widely understood by parents and the general public and to use it as a cornerstone for more effective local and statewide policies and programs.

• Respect the social, cultural, and ethnic diversity of families and communities
• Support access to services for all families in an environment of support and respect
• Support and encourage outreach to geographically and socially isolated families
• Support families to meet the developmental needs of their children
• Provide appropriate services and support to children with disabilities and other special needs and their families
• Support and encourage collaboration and leveraging opportunities among grantees
• Support promising practices and evidenced-based models
• Recognize and promote services and support for children ages 0 through 5 as the foundation for a lifetime of growth and success.

Child Care: Expand the availability of quality, accessible and affordable child care services.

Health: Foster a healthy community and provide access to affordable, comprehensive and preventive mental and physical health services.

Education: Educate Riverside County residents regarding the life long implication of optimal development through age 5.