COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Health Department

DATE:

November 26, 2007

BOARD MEETING DATE:

December 4, 2007

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Charlene A. Silva, Director, Health Department

Scott Morrow, Health Officer, Health Department

David Alexander, Chief Executive Officer, Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health

SUBJECT:

Presentation and Acceptance of the San Mateo County Children’s Report 2007

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Board of Supervisors to accept the San Mateo County Children’s Report 2007.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all.

Goal: Children grow up healthy in safe and supportive homes and neighborhoods.

This report contributes to this commitment and goal by providing County agencies and other organizations with data in a number of policy priority areas that affect children in San Mateo County.

Performance Measure:

Measure

FY 2006-07
Actual

FY 2007-08
Projected

Number of community members engaged in addressing high priority health issues

450

450

BACKGROUND:

San Mateo County released Children’s Reports in 2000, 2002, and 2005. These reports have summarized the status of children’s health and well-being. The reports have been developed through a county-wide collaboration with different agencies contributing data and expertise, and consistent leadership from your Board. The creation of the 2007 report has been led by the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health.

Building on prior reports, the San Mateo County Children’s Report 2007 is a summary of trends related to children’s well-being and is organized into four outcome areas: Children are Healthy; Children are Nurtured in a Stable, Caring Environment; Children are Succeeding in School; and Children are Safe. The report does not prescribe specific policy actions but instead highlights critical issues that need additional attention.

DISCUSSION:

The purposes of the San Mateo County Children’s Report 2007 are to direct attention to changes in children’s health and well being, to galvanize the community to work together toward common outcomes, and to inform program and policy decisions that affect children’s lives. In 2000 a community-wide process established the four outcome areas and agreed to basic truths about child development: (1) child well-being is multifaceted, and healthy development requires that children do well physically, emotionally and behaviorally, as well as cognitively and academically; and (2) children can thrive only if parents, families, and communities provide them with support and guidance to help keep them safe and promote their growth.

The San Mateo County Children’s Data Team, a collaborative county-wide group including representation from the Health Department, Human Services Agency, and Probation Department, advised on this report and previous Children’s Reports.

The report notes that most of San Mateo County’s children are faring as well as, or better than, the average child in California, as measured by their status on indicators of health, development, school achievement, family, and community supports. However, on most measures substantial disparities in well-being exist between ethnic and racial groups. The data presented in the report primarily looks at one issue at a time, but notes that the children who are most vulnerable are those facing multiple risk factors.

The Resolution has been reviewed and approved by County Counsel.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no Net County Cost associated with acceptance of this report. Funding for the development of the Children’s Report 2007 was provided by the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, the San Mateo County Health Department, and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.