COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Human Services Agency

 

DATE:

March 18, 2002

BOARD MEETING DATE:

April 2, 2002

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Maureen D. Borland, Director, Human Services Agency
Stuart Oppenheim, Director, Children and Family Services

SUBJECT:

Agreement with Peninsula Community Foundation

 

Recommendation

Adopt a resolution authorizing the execution of an Agreement with the Peninsula Community Foundation, in the amount of $649,087, to oversee the implementation of the Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) Program for the period of October 1, 2001 through September 30, 2003.

 

Background

The Federal Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 provided funds for States to develop and implement a program for promoting safe and stable families. These programs were to provide primary community-based prevention activities and services for families at risk. The Board of Supervisors designated the Peninsula Partnership, a County-wide collaborative of public and private agencies, foundations, and community members, to oversee San Mateo County's Five-Year Implementation Plan.

The first phase of the plan was approved by the Board and accepted by the State in 1994. The plan was to develop a comprehensive, integrated and community-based system of services and informal supports to help families meet the health, education, emotional, social and economic needs of their young children. Since 1995, the Board has approved yearly agreements with the Peninsula Community Foundation for fiscal sponsorship of the project. Daly City, Pacifica, San Mateo, Redwood City, Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, Half Moon Bay, Pescadero and South San Francisco are the Peninsula Partnership collaborative sites. At all sites the City, School District, public and private agencies and private citizens are involved in coordinating and delivering services and collaborative system changes. The targeted population continues to be families with children 0 to 8 years.

 

Discussion

The San Mateo County Human Services Agency wishes to enter into an Agreement for the second phase of a Three-Year Plan with the Peninsula Community Foundation as the fiscal sponsor for the Peninsula Partnership for Fiscal Years 2001-03. With the support and oversight of the Peninsula Partnership Council and staff, the sites will use PSSF funds to improve outcomes at the client, community and system levels. In the long term, success will be measured by the extent to which existing resources are redirected to implement comprehensive, integrated and community-based programs, which support families to accomplish the outcomes of learning readiness in kindergarten and academic success by third grade.

The Human Services Agency will provide "bridge funds" with Temporary Assistance to Needy families (TANF) through the PCF to the current nine Peninsula Partnership sites for the second year of a three-year period that started October 1, 2000 and will end September 30, 2003.

Bridge funding for the second and third years is contingent upon each site developing a plan and strategy for integrating the coordination and delivery of the services provided under the partnership as an integral part of the governmental structure at each site and City. The funds are also contingent upon the Peninsula Partnership developing a financial sustainability plan.

 

Vision Alignment

The contract with the Peninsula Community Foundation keeps the commitment of Ensuring basic health and safety for all and goal number 6: Children grow up healthy in safe and supportive homes and neighborhoods. The contract contributes to this commitment and goal since the Peninsula Community Foundation will administer sustainability funding to Family Resource Centers and Community Collaboratives that will provide programs to ensure kindergarten readiness and academic success by the third grade.

 

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Each site has programs that support one or more of the following outcomes: kindergarten readiness and academic achievement by the third grade. The comprehensive, community-based prevention initiatives like the Peninsula Partnership expect the outcomes listed above will be achieved over the long term. Formal evaluation results are not yet available from all the sites. Those sites with evaluations in place such as Daly City, Redwood City and East Palo Alto will show success in various indicators, including improved academic scores, improved school attendance and school behavior in the children served. Children who attended Kindergarten Readiness programs overwhelmingly achieved success in kindergarten.

 

Performance Measures

Source of Data

Actual 2000-2001

Projected 2001-2002

Kindergarten Readiness

Teacher Reports

Lollipop Tests

Report Cards

Using a pre and post kindergarten readiness assessment tool given to 335 students and evaluated by an independent consultant "Children's competencies improved significantly across each of the 18 evaluated indicators, 5 outcome categories and overall."

Of the total number of students who participated in kindergarten readiness programs, 90% will successfully complete kindergarten.

Academic Achievement

Academic Performance Index (API) of the California Department of Education

10 out of 16 schools to administer the Academic Achievement test.

65%

12 out of 18 schools to administer the Academic Achievement test

69%**

** There are plans to increase the number of schools with FRC's by two. It is anticipated that the 69% of school serviced by FRC's will achieve the 5% API growth goal.

 

Fiscal Impact

The term of this Agreement is October 1, 2001 through September 30, 2003.

The total obligation is $649,087, of which $470,077 will be funded through the County's FY 2001-02 allocation for Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program. The remaining $179,010 will be funded through TANF Incentive Funds. There is no Net County Cost.