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KEYS TO SUCCESS WITH LOW SES
Building Relationships With First
5 Commissions
In November 1998, Proposition 10 (a fifty-cent tax on tobacco
products) was passed by California voters. Proposition 10 created a state
California Children and Families Commission (CCFC) and
58 county Children and Families Commissions. Collectively these entities
are known as “First 5 California”. The commissions
are responsible for providing and monitoring programs that will improve
the health status, development and family functioning among young children
ages 0 to 5 years.
First 5 funds are available as a result of a tax on cigarettes.
Their activities are especially aimed at medically and socially underserved
families with young children. This is why First 5 Commissions are excellent
candidates to help meet tobacco control needs of Low SES families.
Whether you are new to tobacco control or a more “seasoned”
tobacco control advocate, here are some of the keys to building a strong
relationship with First 5 Commissions and their staff:
Know Their Goals and Objectives:
1. Systems integration is the overarching mandate of every
First 5 Commission. So, visit your county’s First 5 Commission website
and review their strategic plan and background information. Determine where
your interests and activities intersect with theirs.
2. Visit your First 5 Commission’s local office and
ask for a tour – most are happy to show their resources and share
information about successful projects.
3. Meet the staff and share your resources and interests
with them – take them promotional items for their staff and make sure
every staff gets one of your business cards.
4. Set up a meeting with the Executive Director and find
out which staff person would be the most appropriate liaison. With the Director’s
approval, make an appointment with that person to discuss how your two organizations
can collaborate.
5. Identify all commissioners noting where they work, who
they know, what their key interests are, and who they were appointed by.
This information will give you ideas about their interests and opportunities
for collaboration.
6. Attend their meetings regularly and provide input –
if they need data or suggestions provide it .
7. Speak to staff and commission members after meetings
and congratulate them on the work they are doing in the community when appropriate.
8. Send emails to key staff about resources they may not
be aware of in your community that may help accomplish their mission.
Offer Your Services:
1. Ask to make a presentation to the commission on your
tobacco control issues (social norm change, secondhand smoke & children,
smoke-free multi-family housing) and projects – many times they are
unaware of tobacco-related issues even though they know a tobacco tax is
the source of their funding. Briefly explain the relationship of tobacco
tax funding sources (the difference between Proposition 99 and Proposition
10). During presentations note the needs and/or services your organization
provides to young children and their parents.
2. Offer to place their information at your booth when
your organization attends a community event.
3. Make community presentations to other community-based
organizations that influence the commission. Offer to conduct an educational
segment on the legal issues of smoke-free units. They usually have a segment
on overall legal issues and may let you have a portion of this time to inform
landlords of their legal right to establish smoke-free units. These workshops
usually use lawyers to educate the landlords on discrimination issues involving
tenants. This is a good time to present that it is legal to have smoke-free
housing units.
4. Invite First 5 staff to attend your LLA and/or local
coalition meetings. Be sure they have time to share about First 5 on the
coalitions agenda.
Working Cooperatively:
1. Apply for grants for tobacco control projects impacting
families with young children. For example, Yolo County applied for and received
a $3,500 mini-grant to purchase 100 t-shirts for a smoke-free kids' day
at the fair and ran print advertising to encourage residents not to smoke
on Kid’s Day.
2. Educate the commission on the need for formal policies
such as a) prohibiting First 5 grantees from accepting tobacco industry
funds or in-kind support, b) promoting adoption of Smoke-free doorway policies
by First 5 grantees, etc; provide sample tobacco control policies and ask
First 5 Commissions to adopt them.
3. Ask to have your program’s brochures or material
included in the “Parent Kits” and in the “School Readiness”
envelopes distributed by First 5 in each county.
4. If your organization offers cessation programs, ask
First 5 to assist by providing child care for children 0-5 whose parents
wish to attend these classes.
5. Ask to have tobacco education articles relevant to parents
and families of young children placed in First 5 monthly newsletters. Invite
them to submit articles for your newsletter or website.
To access First 5 partnership
and funding opportunities go to www.CCFC.ca.gov/Prop10facts.htm
This site provides contact information for First 5 Commission in all
58 counties, including the names of all local Commissioners, meeting
dates and times, program initiatives for each county and funding opportunities. |
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