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Fraser Hammersly | Digital Content Specialist |
February 29, 2024
First 5 LA’s Board of Commissioners convened in person on Feb. 8, 2024. The agenda included the election of chair and vice chair positions; presentations on First 5 LA’s building and capital improvement project (CIP); sustainable and reduction strategies within First 5 LA’s home visiting investment; and an overview of the 2024-25 proposed state budget.
As is customary at its first convening of the year, the Feb. 8 Board of Commissioners meeting kicked off with an election of the Board’s chair and vice chair positions. Following the nomination process, the Board elected L.A. County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell and Commissioner Summer McBride to serve as chair and vice chair, respectively.
Mitchell announced this year’s Committee assignments, with McBride selected to chair the Executive Committee alongside Commissioner Robert Byrd as vice chair. Additionally, she shared that the Program and Planning Committee would be led by Byrd as chair and Commissioner Astrid Haggard as vice chair. Assignments to the Budget and Finance Committee include Commissioner Maricela Ramirez as chair and Commissioner Barbara Ferrer as vice chair.
For the full list of committee positions, click here.
“I want to thank the Board for your nomination to serve as chair. I will continue to work hard, serve you and be held accountable by you,” Mitchell remarked. “Both Karla [Pleitéz Howell] and I were new to our roles last year, but I think we’ve gotten in our stride. We got through a productive, engaged strategic planning process, and I thank you for your patience with both of us … I think we have a great product as a result.”
Following Mitchell’s remarks, Executive Director Karla Pleitéz Howell welcomed First 5 LA’s newest commissioner, Abigail Marquez, to the Board. As the general manager of the Community Investment for Families Department of the City of Los Angeles, Marquez comes to the Board with over 20 years of experience advancing anti-poverty policies and programs.
Pleitéz Howell spoke next about Black History Month, sharing how her daughter recounted stories she learned in school about historic civil rights figure Ruby Bridges and the landmark Brown vs. the Board of Education decision.
“I love hearing these stories from my daughter at the dinner table because it reminds me of the Strategic Plan we all passed,” she said. “And it reminds me of any moment when we’re being really clear about our equity-driven direction, our direction of baking in equity and questioning structural racism in our country … I’m really glad we unanimously passed a strategic plan that has us looking at some of these issues.”
The meeting then turned to the consent agenda, which the Board unanimously approved. Notable items included authorizing First 5 LA to waive a governance guideline that requires a particular sequence of actions to amend strategic partnerships. The action was recommended by staff due to time constraints regarding a strategic partnership with the Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles (CCALA). With the guideline waived, First 5 LA was subsequently authorized to amend the strategic partnership, in the amount of $131,500, for its Dual Language Learner (DLL) initiative.
For more information, click here.
The first presentation on the Feb. 8 agenda, given by Chief Operating Officer JR Nino, focused on Phase II of First 5 LA’s Capital Improvement Project and actions taken to maximize the agency’s building in alignment with its Sustainability Framework.
Nino shared that the second phase of improving the building’s facilities would include renovations of the former child care center and playground located on the campus, as well as furniture and kitchen upgrades to support staff productivity. The full scope of Phase II is still under development, however, and Nino stated that periodic updates will be shared with the Board at future meetings. For more information, click here.
In November 2023, the Board of Commissioners approved a new 2024-29 Strategic Plan. The following presentation was focused on exploring how First 5 LA can align its long-standing home visiting investment to its new goals, as well as the agency’s Long-Term Financial Plan (LTFP) that accounts for diminishing Proposition 10 funds. To lead the discussion, Family Supports Director Diana Careaga joined the Board to present “Home Visiting: Sustainability and Strategic Reduction Approaches.”
Careaga kicked off the topic by sharing an overview of First 5 LA’s home visiting investment, stating that countywide home visiting services represented a $96 million investment across nine different funding streams in fiscal year 22-23. First 5 LA funding accounted for 33% of that total, illustrating how the agency, which was once the largest funder of home visiting in L.A. County, has successfully and sustainably scaled the program that provides voluntary, culturally responsive, and home-based family strengthening services to children under 5.
“Home visiting continues to serve as an important investment to First 5 LA and continues to support goals in the 2024-29 Strategic Plan,” Careaga explained. “You can see how home visiting plays a role in each of its [strategic plan] goals, from connecting families to necessary services and basic needs, to support nurturing relationships and a solid foundation to well-being and learning.”
However, even with the success of scaling home visiting programs through a variety of funding streams, the investment continues to be the largest in First 5 LA’s portfolio, representing 56% of the agency’s programmatic budget. The LTFP calls for reductions to align with the organization’s fiscal reality, underscoring a need to consider strategically additional sustainability and reduction approaches.
Careaga provided an overview of past and current strategies, such as leveraging external funding sources, reducing administrative costs in alignment with a decrease in birth rates, and alternative revenue streams through managed care partnerships and community health worker funds available through the state. Upcoming opportunities — including California’s Mental Health Services Act, participation in the federal Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) and continued partnership with managed care plans and Medi-Cal — were also highlighted.
Careaga also shared that First 5 LA staff is undertaking an assessment of potential short- and long-term sustainability opportunities and timing to support alignment to the LTFP; these include implementing a new capped contract approach for grantees, building upon existing sustainability opportunities available within different home visiting model, and examining the availability and scope of home visiting data to inform countywide efforts, as well as the geographic impact on current home visiting services.
During the post-presentation discussion, Commissioners had the opportunity to ask questions related to the LTFP and its connection to home visiting sustainability and reduction strategies. Several recommendations were made, such as looking more closely at the outcome data to guide decisions that make the most significant impact; identifying opportunities within workforce development and recruitment in community colleges; adapting the program to be more flexible and culturally responsive to target the highest family needs; securing additional funding through California’s doula programs and the California “Momnibus” Act; and continuing to serve as an innovative approach to family strengthening through pilot models that can be advocated for at state level.
For more information, click here.
The final presentation was on the proposed 2024-25 state budget. Senior Policy Strategist Ofelia Medina joined the meeting to provide an overview of the proposal, highlighting alignment and potential opportunities related to First 5 LA’s Policy Agenda.
“When it comes to the state budget, we look at it through the lens of the four areas highlighted,” Medina said, referring to the Policy Agenda’s priorities. “This is essentially our family support work, early intervention or health systems, early learning and communities.”
Medina also shared key dates and Board engagement touchpoints throughout the state’s legislative season. She noted that First 5 LA is planning an advocacy day in April that will present an opportunity for Board members and staff to meet with policymakers and advocate for First 5 LA’s early childhood priorities.
For more information on the 2024-25 state budget proposal, click here to read an analysis from Medina.
The next Board of Commissioners meeting is scheduled for March 14, 2024. For more information, please visit www.first5la.org/our-board/meeting-materials 72 hours in advance of the date.
