Child Welfare
‘Family Fun Day’ wellness fair returns to Tuba City
Hoop games and a bounce house for children, health and wellness information for parents — all could be found at the “Family Fun Day” wellness fair held June 19 at the Louise Yelloman Park in Tuba City.
Presented by the Coconino County Public Health Services District and AZ Health Zone, the celebration drew classes of school children, individual families and others to the park where health and community service organizations provided games for children and health information for parents including diabetes awareness, car safety seats and health food alternatives.
Family Involvement Center (FIC) Flagstaff conducting surveys in Northern Coconino County, Navajo Nation
FrameShift Group (FSG) in partnership with the Family Involvement Center (FIC) Flagstaff office will assist the Coconino Regional Partnership Council (Council) in fully understanding the need to and interest in expanding the Well-Child and Family Care Strategy in the northern portion of the region, including the communities of Page, Fredonia and unincorporated communities of northern Coconino County, which includes communities on the Navajo Nation in the county.
Children’s Action Alliance update — Great News on the Child Care Front
Great news for Arizona children and families! As a part of the state budget recently passed, the legislature finally granted the Department of Economic Security (DES) the authority to expend $56 million in new annual federal child care money.
DES moved at lightning speed to begin using these new dollars to increase scholarship rates and to serve more children. Thank you to all the parents, champions, and partners who called for investment of these funds in these three changes:
CCC&Y Contributes to ‘2019 Town Hall Strong Families Thriving Children’ Report
The Arizona Town Hall has created the comprehensive report “Strong Families Thriving Children,” that discusses various aspects of family life including the systems that exist to support them, ways families can have more positive experiences, and some of the struggles families face that compromise their life experiences.
Arizona Town Hall officials expect the report to be used a resource on this topic for years to come.
Virginia Watahomigie, M.ADM, executive director of the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth, contributed to the “Community Capacity” section that begins on page 84 of the report.
“Arizona nonprofit agencies play a crucial and cost-effective role in the state’s prevention strategies and response to child welfare issues. Generally, missions of nonprofit agencies are geared toward meeting the long-term needs of our children and families, making nonprofits a strong defense and response system for the needs of our communities,” Watahomigie reported.
Arizona Capitol Times Guest Opinion — State agency turns its back on kids who need support
One of the guiding principles listed on the Arizona Department of Child Safety website is: “All Arizona’s children are safe and protected from harm.” But DCS’s actions make clear that the agency has a funny definition of the word “all.”
This legislative session, DCS successfully lobbied for a law, a floor amendment to SB 1539 introduced by Sen. Nancy Barto, that encourages the agency to cherry pick which children they will protect. The law gives the agency the chance to argue in court why children who have had run-ins with the juvenile justice system should not have the opportunity to be cared for by a foster parent.
Children’s Action Alliance update for June 17 — Arizona Ranks #46 in Conditions for Kids
Arizona ranks in the bottom five states (46th) in conditions for children, according to the KIDS COUNT® Data Book, an annual report released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The report ranks the states on 16 indicators of children’s health, education and security.
First Things First update for June 17 — Newly elected FTF Board Chair plans to engage Arizona’s leaders on behalf of young kids
The First Things First state Board recently elected Gerald Szostak as its Chair through June 2021. Szostak has extensive experience in planning and implementing youth programs and creating and sustaining community partnerships. As Chair, he said his focus “will be to engage our state’s leaders – in government, in business, in faith and in philanthropy – to learning more about the needs of young children and to work together to build a state system that we can truly say supports a world-class education for Arizona’s children from cradle to career.”
First Things First honors Flagstaff Champion for Young Children Kathy Farretta
First Things First recognizes Kathy Farretta as a 2019 First Things First Champion for Young Children.
The award is given to local champions who actively volunteer their time to raise public awareness of the importance of early childhood development and health. Champions spend a significant amount of time volunteering with FTF and building public awareness about the importance of early childhood issues.
Vendors can now sign up to participate in CCC&Y’s 9th Annual Flagstaff Early Childhood Fair
Dear Fellow Early Childhood Community Member:
In celebration of young children and to support Flagstaff’s Festival of Science, we thank you for participating in CCC&Y’s 9thAnnual Early Childhood Fair in Flagstaff. Because of our wonderful sponsors and volunteers, there continues to be no charge to table at this event. More exciting, this year we will continue to be in the Flagstaff Festival of Science passport, in addition to other advertising, so we expect this to be a great event for all vendors.
June 18, 25 — Free Parenting Workshop to be held at Hopi Public Branch Library
The Arizona Children’s Association — Family Education & Support Services, will present a Free Parenting Workshop! — 1-2-3 Magic, from noon to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, June 18 and June 25 at the Hopi Public Branch Library — (928) 737-2799 Bookmobile Cell at (928) 205-8073.
