First 5 LA

First 5 LA
Name	First 5 LA
Formation	1998
Type	Nonprofit organization
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California
Region	Los Angeles County
Leader title	CEO
Leader name	Kim Belshé

First 5 LA First 5 LA is a Los Angeles County public organization created to implement early childhood initiatives following the passage of Proposition 10. It operates within the political and civic landscape of Los Angeles County, California, interacting with entities such as the California State Legislature, the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors, and philanthropic partners including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Annenberg Foundation. Its activities intersect with service systems administered by California Department of Public Health, Los Angeles Unified School District, and local nonprofits like United Way of Greater Los Angeles and Council for a Strong America.

History

First 5 LA was established after California voters approved Proposition 10 (1998), a statewide initiative championed by advocates such as Rob Reiner and organizations including Children's Defense Fund. Proposition 10 created county-level commissions to allocate new tobacco surtax revenue collected under state law, prompting formation of county commissions across jurisdictions including San Francisco, Orange County, California, and San Diego County. In Los Angeles County, the commission’s early governance drew on expertise from civic leaders connected to institutions like University of California, Los Angeles and USC, and engaged public officials such as members of the Los Angeles City Council and representatives from the California Budget and Policy Center. Over time, First 5 LA adapted to shifts in public funding debates similar to controversies surrounding the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and policy changes modeled after statewide programs like Help Me Grow.

Mission and Governance

First 5 LA’s mission centers on improving outcomes for children prenatal to age five and supporting families through partnerships with providers such as California Department of Social Services and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Its governance structure includes an appointed commission, with appointees from offices like the Governor of California and members aligned with county leaders including the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Executive leadership has included figures with experience in public administration, health policy, and nonprofit management tied to organizations such as Kaiser Permanente, California Endowment, and Children Now. Strategic planning processes reference frameworks used by entities like National Academy of Medicine and collaborate with academic partners at California State University, Northridge and University of Southern California.

Programs and Services

Programs emphasize early learning, family support, health access, and quality improvement. Initiatives connect to early childhood systems such as Head Start and Early Head Start, coordinate with First 5 California counterparts in counties like San Diego County and Alameda County, California, and deploy community-based services through providers like Community Coalition and St. John’s Well Child and Family Center. Health-oriented programs link families to services administered by WIC and local clinics partnering with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Workforce development and quality rating efforts draw on models from Quality Rating and Improvement System pilots and training partnerships with institutions such as Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and Pomona College’s community initiatives.

Funding and Budget

The organization’s revenue base historically derived from tobacco surtax proceeds authorized by Proposition 10 (1998), producing an allocation mechanism tracked alongside state budget items like the California Governor's Budget. Shifts in tobacco consumption, litigation trends involving Philip Morris USA and other tobacco companies, and state fiscal policy have influenced annual disbursements, prompting comparisons to funding changes seen in programs supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and federal funding streams like Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant. Budgetary oversight involves audits and reviews similar to those conducted by the California State Auditor and coordination with county fiscal offices.

Partnerships and Collaborations

First 5 LA maintains partnerships across public, nonprofit, philanthropic, and academic sectors. Collaborators include statewide counterparts such as First 5 California, local agencies like the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, health systems including Kaiser Permanente, and universities including University of California, Los Angeles and University of Southern California. Philanthropic partners have included the Weingart Foundation, Marguerite Casey Foundation, and national organizations such as Annie E. Casey Foundation. Service delivery often involves coalitions with entities like United Way of Greater Los Angeles, community clinics such as AltaMed Health Services, and advocacy groups like Children Now and CA Policy Center.

Impact and Evaluation

Evaluation strategies use metrics comparable to those employed by Child Trends, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and research centers at RAND Corporation and UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Impact assessments examine indicators including early literacy outcomes connected to programs like Reach Out and Read, health access metrics tied to Medi-Cal, and family support utilization similar to Home Visiting program evaluations. Findings have been disseminated via policy briefs and reports in forums including presentations to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and academic conferences hosted by institutions such as USC Sol Price School of Public Policy.

Controversies and Criticism

First 5 LA has faced critique over allocation priorities, administrative spending, and long-term sustainability amid declining tobacco tax revenues, echoing debates seen in other Proposition 10 commissions across counties like Orange County, California and San Diego County. Critics from advocacy groups such as Public Advocates and policy analysts from think tanks like Reason Foundation and California Budget & Policy Center have questioned evaluation methods and transparency. Legal and political scrutiny has involved coordination with actors in the state capitol and media coverage by outlets including the Los Angeles Times and KPCC.

Category:Organizations based in Los Angeles County, California