We've had a lot of excitement at First 5 this month. We moved our offices to Concord and welcomed two new key staff members: Deputy Director Cally Martin and Evaluation Manager Lyn Paleo.

But perhaps most exciting was the day we spent with Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, the nation's leading authority on pediatrics, child development and parent-child relationships, and his colleague, Dr. Joshua Sparrow. Dr. Brazelton has been an indispensable source of knowledge and support for parents over the last fifty years.  

Dr. Brazelton came by the office to talk about Touchpoints, the training and professional development program he and Dr. Sparrow developed to provide a foundation for everyone who works with young children and their parents. Obvious in their work is a profound respect for the relationship between parent and child and the need for professionals to support the bond between engaged parents and their infants. The Touchpoints approach has been used across the county and around the world; indeed, several First 5s in California have taken it on.

We enjoyed hearing Dr. Brazelton speak about how he developed Touchpoints, which he describes as periods in a child's development that can disrupt family relations. These bursts can disorganize children's feelings and actions and disrupt caregiving routines, like the toddler who has just learned to walk and now no longer wants to nap or sit for a meal. The Touchpoints curriculum helps parents and providers to prepare for and respond to these developmental phases in an appropriate, caring way.

I was struck by how many of the facets of Touchpoints we have already adopted in our own programs, particularly the emphasis on the parent-child relationship, working from families' strengths, and the need for providers to adapt their agency cultures to respond to family needs. It's just possible that Dr. Brazelton's work has so fundamentally changed attitudes about parents and families over the years that what was once considered groundbreaking is becoming standard practice.

I'm not sure how we might use Touchpoints in our programs. But I can say that welcoming Dr. Brazelton into our new office and hearing his spot-on take on child development was a great reminder of why we do this work. And I didn't mind one bit when he turned to our staff and said "I just think what you're doing here is so powerful."

- Sean Casey, Executive Director

• First 5 Contra Costa has moved! Our new address is
  1485 Enea Court, Suite 1200 in Concord, 94520.
  Our new phone number is (925) 771-7300 and new fax is (925) 771-6083. First 5 staff now have direct lines.

• Job Opening: First 5 Contra Costa is looking for a Hospital Outreach Coordinator to link mothers who deliver at Alta Bates with Contra Costa home visiting programs.

• The annual parent resource fair implemented by the Central County Regional Group is now accepting applications from nonprofit organizations interested in having an outreach booth. 

• Click here to find programs and services happening at the Antioch, Bay Point, Delta, Monument, and West County First 5 Centers.

First 5 Contra Costa has released a Request for Application for services supporting homeless families with young children living in shelters.

We will allocate up to $1,005,000 for these services over a three-year period, from 2008-2009 to 2010-2011. This funding allocation is the remainder of our short-term Special Reserve Fund established in response to state and county budget reductions back in 2003. Only organizations who currently provide shelter services for families with children age five and younger are eligible.
  
We recently convened a summit with over seventy stakeholders including homeless agencies, family and child-centered service providers, policymakers, faith-based community, law enforcement, and homeless families to collectively develop strategies for meeting the needs of homeless families with young children.

In addition to this three-year grant, we plan to continue convening summit participants in order to better coordinate services for homeless families and develop long-term funding solutions for these services. We will also work to link homeless families with our existing services, such as First 5 Centers and school readiness programs.

Contact Lisa R. Johnson for more information (925) 771-7314.  

First 5 Contra Costa recently honored over fifty child care professionals serving as advisors and mentors to their peers in the Professional Development Program (PDP) and Early Learning Demonstration Project (ELDP), two programs we fund to improve the quality of child care.  

“The advisors and mentors enable teachers to share their experiences, learn from the experiences of their peers, and develop new methods of teaching that fit their individual needs and the needs of the children in their care,” said Debi Silverman, First 5 Contra Costa’s Early Childhood Education Program Officer. “Their participation has helped us to reach even more providers and encourage them to advance their education and training.” 

The 36 PDP advisors provide group and one-on-one counseling to their peers and help them to set and achieve professional goals. The mentor program includes sixteen graduates of the ELDP, a program that helps child care sites to enhance program quality and achieve national accreditation standards. The ELDP mentors serve as demonstration sites and provide peer support and technical assistance to programs new to the ELDP process.

“The ELDP mentors are proud to have the opportunity to become familiar with a colleague’s program and, in the process, reflect upon their own work,” said Rossnina Ruggieri, Program Coordinator of the ELDP. “In this sense, a continuity of quality practices and professional growth for our graduates is maintained.”

Contact Debi Silverman for more information (925) 771-7333.

First 5 Contra Costa’s seventh annual “Week of the Young Child” Fair is April 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Small World Park in Pittsburg (2551 Harbor Street). The theme of the festival is “Healthy & Active Kids” and will feature information and local resources to help parents raise healthy children.

Local nonprofit organizations will distribute information on healthy nutrition habits, health and safety, school readiness, finding quality child care, and much more. Children will enjoy free activities including arts and crafts, a petting zoo, raffle and prizes, children’s entertainment, physical activities such as races, face painting and clowns, a jumpee structure, and music.

Free shuttle service will be provided to and from the event. Pick up & drop off sites at the Centromart in Brentwood (7820 Brentwood Blvd.) & O’Hara Park in Oakley every half hour, starting at 9:30 am.

Contact (925) 752-1916 for more information.

Hilda Mariscal, a parent mentor for the CARE Parent Network, received a “You Make a Difference Award” from the West Contra Costa Unified School District at their annual awards ceremony last month.

The mother of a seven-year-old son with autism, Ms. Mariscal became a trained CARE parent mentor in 2005. CARE's mentor program, funded by First 5 Contra Costa, connects parents to trained mentors who have “been there” and understand the complexities of parenting a child with special needs.

In addition, Ms. Mariscal is a founding member of CARE’s Spanish-speaking support group “Groupo de Autismo” and is on the planning committee of the annual “Congreso Familiar, Inc,” conference which provides tools to help Spanish-Speaking parents advocate for their children within the disability service system. Most recently Ms. Mariscal joined the Board of the Regional Center of the East Bay.

“CARE has been my stepping stone to the world of mentoring and advocacy in the area of disability,” says Hilda Mariscal. “My life changed the moment I walked into CARE's open arms. CARE has given examples of listening, supporting and understanding, which I use on daily basis. The ‘You Make a Difference Award’ really belongs to all of us so I gladly share it with CARE.”

For more information about CARE’s parent mentor program, contact (925) 313-0999.

The East Bay Center for Performing Arts is offering free interactive performing and visual art workshops for children ages 3-5 and their family members. Professional artists will offer one 45-minute dance and music classes followed by 45-minute visual arts classes. Additionally, early childhood learning specialists will provide optional on-site parenting workshops on the subject of nurturing creative development in young children.

The spring preschool arts program will be held on Thursdays from April 10 to May 29 from 10:00-12:00 PM. All classes will take place at the West County First 5 Center located at 2707 Dover Street in San Pablo.

Caregivers must be present on-site throughout the duration of the workshop. Registration required. Spaces are on a first come first serve basis. To register call Vanessa Woods at The East Bay Center for the Performing Arts 510.234.5624 x24, or vanessa@eastbaycenter.org. The program is sponsored by First 5 Contra Costa.

The annual Contra Costa Earn It! Keep It! Save It! (EKS) free tax preparation program is seeing a surge in clients thanks to the federal economic stimulus package.

To receive the new, one-time tax rebate (up to $600 for single taxpayers and $1,200 for joint filers) people must file a tax return. That’s good news for EKS, which has been trying to encourage more people to take advantage of its program that helps low- to moderate-income families and individuals claim tax refunds and credits owed them. The program runs through April 15 at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites throughout the Bay Area.

 “The federal economic stimulus package has caused more people to seek our assistance and that’s really to their benefit. Many people are unaware of our program and that we can help them get the other tax credits and refunds they qualify for. In these hard economic times, this extra money is even more important,” said EKS Campaign Manager Lloyd Madden.

To qualify for EKS, household incomes must have been less than $42,000 in 2007. Some VITA sites take appointments. Asset management information and language interpreters also are available at some sites. For locations call 1-800-358-8832 or visit www.cchealth.org.

EKS is sponsored by the Contra Costa Family Economic Security Partnership, a nonprofit, public and private collaboration whose partners include Contra Costa County Employment and Human Services, Contra Costa Health Services, United Way of the Bay Area, First 5 Contra Costa, the Community Housing Development Corporation of North Richmond, the IRS, AARP, Diablo Valley and Los Medanos community colleges, East Bay Works, the Workforce Investment Board and the East Bay Community Foundation.

Click here to read about the EKS Campaign featured in the Contra Costa Times.

First 5 Contra Costa is pleased to welcome our new Deputy Director, Cally Martin, who has worked in the field of behavioral and mental health care for over 17 years. She has worked in the fields of Domestic/Sexual Violence, HIV/AIDS, Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Treatment, and Welfare to Work.

Most recently she served as Deputy Director at Community Violence Solutions, an organization dedicated to partnering with the community to end sexual and family violence. Prior to that, she served as Deputy Director at New Connections. She earned her Master's degree in clinical psychology from John F. Kennedy University and was honored by their Graduate Psychology department as Alumna of the Year. She is a member of California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT). She has presented at the CAMFT and Rose Jenkins Conferences on the topic of Adolescent Substance Abuse with Post-Adjudicated Youth.

In addition to being an avid hiker, she achieved a purple belt in Karate. Her guilty pleasure is mystery novels.

What was your favorite book as a child?
I really liked James and the Giant Peach. As an adult I have really enjoyed the Harry Potter books and the opportunity to share them with my nieces and nephew.

What food did you refuse to eat when you were a child?
Zucchini, but I have since seen the light.

Who are your heroes?
I find heroic those who have found the courage to affect change or stand in resistance non-violently. That list includes many of the women suffragettes and civil rights leaders from across the globe. Closer to home would be my 4th grade teacher for her early lessons on the far reaching value of kindness and my Uncle John (Wright), a Supreme Court Justice for the State of Nebraska.

What would make Contra Costa a better place for kids?
Greater access to low fee music, arts and recreational activities.

What is your motto?
I am not sure I have a motto, but I am a big fan of the Golden Rule.

Richmond’s Janice Playlot just got a makeover, thanks to forty local parents, two donated Bobcat diggers, the City of Richmond, and a First 5 Contra Costa Family-Friendly Community Grant. The project’s coordinator, Courtney Coolidge, provides her “mom’s eye view” of how forty members of PRAM (Parents, Resources and More) descended on the park one weekend in March to replace old, dirty playground sand with brand new, soft wood chips.

Saturday

8am
I'm late leaving the house with tea and oatmeal in hand, get a flat tire, then return home for wheelbarrow and shovels.

9am
Four women and one Bobcat start digging. Man, this is HARD! Where are the dads?  

10:30
Giving Tree Developers brings in a second Bobcat, hooray! (now we have 4 women and 2 diggers!)

11am
Our first dad arrives!

12:30
Our 15 seconds of fame: the press has arrived! Check out the Contra Costa Times on 3/5 for our story! 

1pm
The first load of chips is dumped! A local woman walks by and returns with a shovel!

5pm
Kids arrive and start playing in the old sand and new wood chips! All in all, 20 PRAM members come to volunteer on Saturday! 

8pm
Taking a long hot bath! 
 
Sunday

9am
I arrive at the park to watch a cat relieving himself in the sand for the last time.

10am
Once again 15 PRAM members come from near and far to pitch in. 

11am
I go to get sandwiches and when I return, the chip piles are gone from the street!  

12pm
We are taking it all in, lingering in our new park. It's hard to go home! At the park, we accomplished something really monumental and special, but at home it's just time to feed the kids lunch! One husband jokes to his wife "No more grant writing!"

4pm
Another long hot bath! 

To date, First 5 Contra Costa has funded 26 playground improvement grants totaling over $220,000. Our Family-Family Friendly Community Grants, which support these and other community-driven projects benefiting young children, are now available. Click here for the application and more information.