Background

First 5 Santa Cruz County (formerly Santa Cruz Children and Families Commission) was established by the Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors on December 8, 1998 by emergency ordinance:

To ensure that family-friendly services and education are available so that each child reaches the fifth year of life healthy, ready and able to learn and emotionallly well developed.

The Board appointed nine Commission members between January and November of 1999. Since then, the Commission has been engaged in an intensive planning process including dozends of community discussions, focus groups, task forces, surveys, analysis of existing data and review of literature on best and promising practices.

First 5 Santa Cruz County is committed to involving community members as well as professionals working with young children and families.