Chapter 15 — CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FIRST COMMISSION

The Board of Supervisors of the County of Siskiyou does find that:

The voters of the State of California passed the California Children and Families First Act of 1998. The Act recognizes that there is a compelling need in California to create and implement a comprehensive, collaborative, and integrated system of information and services to promote, support and optimize early childhood development from the prenatal stage to five (5) years of age.

The Act further recognizes that there is a compelling need in California to ensure that early childhood development programs and services are universally and continuously available for children until the beginning of kindergarten. Proper parenting, nurturing and health care during these early years will provide the means for California's children to enter school in good health, ready and able to learn, and emotionally well-developed.

It is the intent of this chapter to facilitate the creation and implementation of an integrated, comprehensive and collaborative system of information and services to enhance optimal early childhood development. This system should function as a network that promotes accessibility to all information and services from any entry point into the system. It is further the intent of this chapter to emphasize local decision making, to provide for greater local flexibility in designing delivery systems, and to eliminate duplicate administrative systems.

The California Children and Families First Act of 1998 provides for funding through an excise tax on tobacco products in order to implement the goals and objectives which are outlined in the Act itself. It is the further intent of this chapter to create Siskiyou County's Children and Families First Commission and Siskiyou County's Children and Families First Trust Fund in order to receive funding through the Act and to implement the goals and objectives outlined in the California Children and Families First Act of 1998.

(§ I, Ord. 98-32, eff. December 15, 1998)

A County Children and Families First Commission is established to be known as the Siskiyou County, California, Children and Families First Commission.

(§ I, Ord. 98-32, eff. December 15, 1998)

The Commission shall consist of seven (7) members who shall be appointed by the Board of Supervisors. One of the members of the Commission shall be a member of the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors. Two members shall be from among the County Health Officer and management representing County functions such as Children Services, Public Health Services, Behavioral Services, Social Services, and tobacco and other substance abuse prevention and treatment services. The remaining members shall be from categories such as local child care planning councils, local organizations for prevention of early intervention for families at risk, and community based organizations.

(§ I, Ord. 98-32, eff. December 15, 1998)

Once appointed, the members of the Commission shall serve at the will of the Board of Supervisors.

(§ I, Ord. 98-32, eff. December 15, 1998)

The Commission shall adopt a County strategic plan, to be submitted to the State Commission, which outlines plans for the support and improvement of early childhood development within the County. The plan shall include a description of the programs, services, and projects to be provided, sponsored or facilitated; a description of how the outcomes of these funded programs, services, or projects would be measured; and a description of how the programs would be integrated into a consumer oriented and easily accessible system. The County Commission shall conduct at least one public hearing on the proposed County strategic plan before the plan is adopted. The plan shall be periodically reviewed and the Commission shall conduct at least one public hearing before any revisions of the plan are adopted. The adopted County strategic plan and any revisions thereof shall be submitted to the State Commission.

The County Commission shall prepare and adopt an annual audit and report in accordance with the requirements of law and conduct at least one public hearing prior to adopting any annual audit and report.

(§ I, Ord. 98-32, eff. December 15, 1998)

There shall be created a Children and Families First Trust Fund which shall be administered by the County Commission. All moneys allocated and appropriated to the County Commission shall be deposited in the local Children and Families First Trust Fund. Such fund shall be expended only for the purposes authorized by law and in accordance with the County's strategic plan approved by each County Commissioner.

(§ I, Ord. 98-32, eff. December 15, 1998)

The members of the Commission shall serve without compensation but may receive actual necessary expenses as are incurred in carrying out their duties as may be provided by the Board of Supervisors.

(§ I, Ord. 98-32, eff. December 15, 1998)

The Commission shall use its best efforts to promote, support, and improve the early development of children from the prenatal stage to five (5) years of age. To assist in doing so, the Commission shall plan to use its funds to establish community based programs to provide parental education and family support services relevant to effective childhood development; educate the public on the importance and benefits of nurturing, health care, family support and child care; educate the public on a dangerous cause by smoking and other tobacco use by pregnant women and the dangers of secondhand smoke to all children; and assist pregnant women and parents of young children to quit smoking.

(§ I, Ord. 98-32, eff. December 15, 1998)

The Children and Families First Commission is charged with the following duties:

(a)

To implement the goals and objectives of the Act.

(b)

The adoption of an adequate and complete County strategic plan for the support and improvement of early childhood development within the County as outlined in the Act.

(c)

To conduct at least one public hearing on its proposed County strategic plan before the plan is adopted.

(d)

To conduct at least one public hearing on its periodic review of the County strategic plan before any revisions to the plan are adopted.

(e)

To submit its adopted County strategic plan, and any subsequent revisions thereto, to the State Commission and the Board of Supervisors.

(f)

To prepare and adopt an annual audit and report pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 130150. The Commission shall conduct at least one public hearing prior to adopting any annual audit and report.

(g)

To conduct at least one public hearing on each annual report by the State Commission prepared pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 130150, subdivision (b).

(h)

Make copies of its annual audits and reports available to members of the general public on request and at no cost.

(i)

Prepare and administer moneys in the Siskiyou County Children and Families First Trust Fund, subject to the approval of the Board of Supervisors.

(j)

To exercise all powers, duties, and functions as are prescribed by statute, the Board of Supervisors, and the Commission.

(§ I, Ord. 98-32, eff. December 15, 1998)