Bay Area First 5 Commissions

1 out of every 3 California kids lives in the Bay Area. First 5 ensures that these children get the best start in life.

Research shows that a child’s brain develops most dramatically during the early years of life. This is why the Bay Area First 5 County Commissions invest in effective local health, education, family and community programs for children from the prenatal stage through age 5.

By using Proposition 10 tobacco tax funds in our local communities, the twelve Bay Area First 5 County Commissions fund programs that benefit more than 500,000 parents and children annually.

FIRST 5 ENSURES CHILDREN GROW UP HEALTHY

Children with health insurance are more likely to receive regular medical check-ups, while uninsured children are five times more likely to use the Emergency Room for their medical care. The cost of insuring a child averages $100 per month, but it costs $435 for just one emergency room visit.

• Annually, Bay Area First 5s cover health insurance premiums for 21,000 children.
• In response to the state budget cuts, Bay Area First 5s recently allocated an additional $2.1 million to the state- and federally-funded Healthy Families insurance program. This guarantees that no child 0 through 5 in the Bay Area will end up on a Healthy Families’ waiting list.

Dental decay is the #1 chronic disease affecting young children in this country. In California, untreated decay is even higher than the national average. In fact, almost 75% of our school kids have dental disease and 28% are suffering from untreated dental pain on a daily basis.

• In response to this health crisis, Bay Area First 5s provide dental screenings for 14,000 children annually. Most of these youngsters have never been to a dentist.
• One-third of these children need additional services such as teeth cleaning, cavity fillings and dental surgery. First 5 pays for these services.

1 in every 6 children has developmental, social-emotional, or behavioral problems that are undetected more than 70% of the time during routine doctor visits.

• Over 34,000 children were screened and assessed by Bay Area First 5s to detect disabilities &/or physical and emotional delays, including autism.
• First 5 ensures that these children receive any additional needed assistance or treatment to improve their long-term development.

FIRST 5 PREPARES CHILDREN FOR SCHOOL

Children who start school academically and socially prepared are more likely to graduate from high school.In Santa Clara County alone, less than 50% of children arrive to kindergarten ready to learn.

• Annually, the Bay Area First 5s provide 20,000 children and their parents with preschool, kindergarten readiness, and literacy programs.
• Throughout the Bay Area, First 5 invests $13 million annually towards education and training for thousands of teachers to increase the quality of early education for children.

FIRST 5 CONNECTS FAMILIES TO PARENTING RESOURCES

Children who grow up having strong, healthy relationships with their parents have higher self-esteem and perform better in school.

• In order to decrease the likelihood of child abuse and neglect, First 5 provides parent education classes, 1-on-1 professional support, and parenting information to more than 250,000 Bay Area parents annually.

Bay Area First 5s have a history of success in reducing the need for expensive taxpayer-funded crisis services, such as emergency room visits, special education, welfare programs, and child protective services.

The Bay Area First 5 Commissions have developed two new fact sheets about how we’re helping Bay Area children to become healthier and more prepared for school.

Download them here: Healthy Children , Children Ready for School

First 5 Bay Area Policy Brief

Brief 1
Brief 2

To find your local FIRST 5, please click on logos below: