Mission

We enrich the lives of children, prenatal through age five, and their families by strengthening connections and advancing quality within a whole system of care and support.

The Big Idea

First 5’s Big Idea is mental health services benefiting children and families, with the Early Childhood Equity Fund focused on the idea that relationships matter. The nonprofit host award-winning professionals to provide racially and culturally responsive training to a variety of providers (in sectors including legal/judicial, public health, social services and early childhood education) on ways to foster resilience and mitigate trauma. Provided in English and Spanish, the trainings include the following principles: healthy relationships are key; inclusion of providers from any discipline or system of care who work with children and their families makes a difference; and collaboration across teams and systems is essential. The trainings will be conducted virtually once a month on Saturdays over a six-month period. Completion of the requisite hours of training and support allows participants to be recognized by the state with official endorsements. Support for these services is crucial as First 5 dips into reserves to meet demand.

Good mental health is not the absence of trauma or the absence of hardship, but the capacity to make sense of it. That foundation being laid for those very young children and babies and families is critical.

- Relindis Diaz