What is First 5 Riverside?
First 5 Riverside, also known as the Riverside County Children & Families Commission,
is a public entity created by the passage of Prop.10, the California Children and Families
Act. The nine-member commission decides how to use Riverside County’s share of tobacco
tax revenues received through Prop.10 to prepare our youngest children and their families
now for success in the future. Commission meetings, held every other month, are open to
the public.
What is Proposition 10?
In 1998 voters passed a statewide initiative that added a tax of 50 cents per pack of
cigarettes and a comparable tax on other tobacco products.
Proposition 10 established the California Children and Families Program and the State Commission,
and authorized the establishment of county commissions.
Monies collected fund education, health care, and child-care programs that promote
early childhood development, from the prenatal stage through age five.
Proposition 10 - Full Text of the Proposed Law
Click on the above link for the full text of the Proposition.
The California Children and Families Act
Proposition 10 has been amended since its 1998 passage. Click on the above link for current law governing the California Children and Families Program
Proposition 10 - How does it work?
Read the California Legislative Analyst’s Office report from January 13, 1999.
First 5 California
Guidelines for Implementing the California Children and Families Act (Adobe PDF)
To guide its work, First 5 California developed the following Guiding Principles. These principles, revised in October 2006, are intended to be overarching statements that guide all Commission activities and responsibilities.
What is First 5 California?
Many people know First 5 California through its television and radio ads that promote
preschool enrollment and healthy parenting. In addition to educating people about child
development, First 5 California provides technical assistance and additional resources to
the 58 county commissions to help them improve services that foster early childhood
development. Visit the First 5 California Home Page
Why focus on children from birth to age 5?
The early years of a child’s life are critical because experience shapes how a child’s
brain develops. During the early years, critical connections form between nerve cells -
creating pathways that determine an individual’s emotional, social and intellectual makeup.
These connections must be used over and over to become permanent. Research shows that
playing with young children prepares them to interact appropriately with others.
Likewise, reading to young children helps them gain language skills that prepare
them to succeed in school.
Does the economic or immigration status of children figure in their eligibility for
services funded by First 5 Riverside?
No, all California children, from the prenatal stage through age 5, are eligible for
services.
What happens to Proposition 10 tax money?
Taxes are paid by tobacco users and forwarded to the state. Eighty percent is
redistributed to the 58 counties based on the number of live births in each county,
determined by where the birth mother resides. Twenty percent - including 1 percent for
administrative expenses -- is allocated to First 5 California for research, public
awareness campaigns, and statewide education and outreach.
What does First 5 Riverside do with Proposition 10 funds?
First 5 Riverside invests in preparing our youngest children and their families now for success in the future.
The three leading areas of funding are child care,
early education and school readiness, and
physical and mental health.
Services are provided in all geographic regions of Riverside County.
A new funding cycle began January 1, 2007 with programs aligned to the revised strategic plan.
How does First 5 Riverside decide what to fund?
Funds are distributed through both local initiatives and a competitive granting
process. Most awards fall into two categories: “innovative’’ grants, for good ideas
worth trying; and “best-practices’’ grants, for approaches proven to deliver optimum
results.
Typically, a public announcement is made inviting interested parties to submit proposals
to accomplish a particular goal. A panel evaluates the proposals and recommends those
most promising to the First 5 Riverside Commission for a vote. First 5 Riverside works
with its funded partners and provides support as needed through the funding period.
