Fall Fresh Starts

A bouquet of newly sharpened pencils, the periodic plunks of acorns dropping on the ground, and the gradual decrease in overnight temperatures. These are the sites, sounds, and feels of fall, and they all seem to set the stage for a fresh start. Fall signifies new beginnings for all of us – students, teachers, parents, and the community. And, in true seasonal fashion, First 5 Tehama is taking a moment to share some of its exciting fresh starts.

To ensure our collective impact supports a thriving community, First 5 Tehama has promised to work towards the following vision – Tehama County is a community where families and young children are hopeful, resilient, healthy, and thriving. We at First 5 know that this can only be accomplished through relationships and trusting the strengths that we currently possess. Thus, our mission focuses on achieving this vision through partnerships and innovative leadership. First 5 Tehama promotes, facilitates, and supports 0-5 systems that improve inclusive access to high-quality early education, health, and family support resources.

The strategic plan birthed a re-defined mission and vision and helped us gain a fresh look at measurable and achievable outcomes for the collective impact of the 0-5 work. As the local and statewide landscape of education, mental health, social services, and parenting has shifted, our outcomes must represent these new transitions. For example, First 5’s collective aim is to increase developmentally appropriate knowledge of ALL adults who teach young children. This umbrella encompasses family child care providers, preschool teachers, TK/K educators, and nannies (family members, friends, and neighbors). Therefore, our Outcome 2 (Knowledge – shown below) must reflect this wide variety of adults and not be narrow in language. We must remember that educators are not the only adults influencing children’s growth and development.

First 5 also aims to increase developmentally appropriate knowledge of mental health clinicians, social service providers, and health care professionals. A move to more inclusive changes can be seen through our plan representing a more “whole child-whole-family” approach.

Central to our strategic plan is a re-energized focus on leveraging resources and supporting resource navigation. Across each outcome area was a need to wrap more resources that helped “whole-child whole-family.” By nature, this means exploring and embracing multiple systems (i.e., education, health, mental health, and more). This awareness led to a re-focused investment in Help Me Grow Tehama and the partnership driving the program – First 5 Tehama, Tehama County Department of Education, 211 United Way Northern California, and the Tehama County Health Agency.

This monumental program was launched in 2020-2021 and has already seen tremendous success. And, while the true victory lies hidden within the people, the numbers also show fantastic promise. In year one (July 2020 – June 2021), there were 82 developmental screenings completed. In just the first half of this year (July 2021-March 2022), we sailed past this initial figure with 128 developmental screenings logged in the books. This increase speaks to the interest and engagement of the community, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results. Curious about what happens next? WE ARE TOO! Stay tuned for our annual evaluation showcase in January to learn more.

Are you a parent interested in learning more? Click the button below to complete our easy Early Childhood Services form to receive contact from a Help Me Grow Navigator.

Remember, Help Me Grow is not just for parents and the community. This valuable program is also designed to reinforce the various professionals who work tirelessly to support families. By connecting all the resources, we can serve the population more efficiently. If you are a professional interested in learning more about how to refer families or ways to connect to the Help Me Grow system, click the button below or reach out to Heidi Mendenhall (hmendenhall@first5tehama.com).

“First 5 has truly helped us become champions of Help Me Grow by coming to our children’s department meetings to discuss the many resources available for our most vulnerable population,” shared TCSS Director and First 5 Chair Laura Hawkins. “The organization’s commitment to our interagency leadership team has helped lift the voices of our 0-5 youth, ensuring their unique needs are identified, and referrals can be made to assist their well-being.”