Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09191995 - D8 TO: *BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra FROM: Costa '*Mark DeSaulnier � s 0 4 County DATE: September 19, 1995 °srA�oUx Jv SUBJECT: Proposal for a Children's Accountability Act for Contra Costa County SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION($)3 BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: Consider proposal of a Children's Accountability Act for Contra Costa County. Refer issue to the Family and Human Services Committee, the Countywide Youth Commission, the Business Leaders Task Force, the Contra Costa Association of School Superintendents, and the Mayors' Conference for their input and recommendations on goals and procedures for implementation. BACKGROUND: Children Now, a nonpartisan policy and advocacy organization for children, recently released a report called "California: The State of Our Children 1995." The report begins with "Report Card 95," which rates the issues of family economics (bottom 35%), teen opportunity (bottom 5%), safety (bottom 20010), health (bottom 43%), and education (bottom 15%) against other states in America. As you can see, California did not fair well against other states. It is time for ail the people of California to take action. The findings in "Report Card 95" show that while California offers vast opportunities to many of its residents, it is not a child-friendly state. Millions of California children face too many obstacles and have too little financial and social support to be able to thrive. Yet as many dedicated individuals, businesses, agencies, and communities have proven, through many different innovative and effective programs, working together we can make a difference in the lives of our children. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: )LYES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S1: ACTION OF BOARD ON aeptember 19. 1995 _ APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE _X_UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ------------- —) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. CC: ATTESTED September 19, 1995 PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR gy DEPUTY M382 (10/88) ,A . Children's Accountability Act September 19, 1995 Page Two Making California a better place for children will not be accomplished through government policies and programs alone. Families, civic and religious organizations, businesses and local communities all have important responsibilities in roles in children's lives. However, .we can make a tremendous difference for youth through a government that considers children foremost and invests wisely in their future. With the Children's Accountability Act, Contra Costa County can be a leader in proposing a new, better .system of accountability for our local governments and a means of tracking public dollars serving children. Hopefully, Contra Costa's action will encourage other municipalities and businesses to do the same. To accomplish this, Contra Costa County would use a Children's Impact Statement (CIS), which would be an assessment based upon research by county staff and other respected sources for analysis. The CIS would assess the proposed ordinance, program, or budget action according to key considerations for all children. It would specify the impacts on different populations of children according to such characteristics as area of residence, socioeconomic level, ethnicity, and special abilities. A Children's Impact Statement would accurately measure and take into consideration the needs of children in public governance. As a society, we have agreed upon the importance of assessing the environmental impact.of our actions through Environmental .Impact Reports. Equally as important to our future is the quality of nurturance, support, and preparation we provide for our children. A proposed model for the CIS could include the following: 1 . A clear statement of the ordinance, program, or budget action's goals, measures of success, and a timeline; 2. A set of standards for the services designed to achieve those goals; these standards would guard against inequities or discrimination; 3. Appropriate funding to achieve desired results; 4. A set of indicators for measuring and assessing progress regarding children served, quality of services provided, and results achieved; 5. A system of frequent reviews and public reporting of results for children; 6. A system of rewards and consequences to the department or agency responsible. It would be determined by the Board of Supervisors which proposed measures require a CIS based upon those deemed likely to have a significant impact on children. Each CIS would be referred to the Family and Human Services Committee and be prepared by the appropriate staff or advisory body. Attached is an example. A focus on results has the potential to benefit children in a number of ways. First, results-based accountability can replace rigid bureaucratic rules and allow greater flexibility to tailor services at the local level, with the understanding that departments and agencies are accountable for certain basic service standards and for ultimate results for children. Second, the emphasis on evaluation of results promotes frequent, critical re-examination of current strategies and, therefore, provides a mechanism for ending ineffective practices. Finally, communicating to taxpayers the results of services for children will strengthen support for investments that improve children's well-being. �M As an example, a proposal outlining a state health program to serve low-income children previously served by the federal Medicaid program would be examined according to the estimated impact on children receiving preventive health care, their access to other health care services, and the quality of care they.would receive. The impact on various populations of children also would be presented. Children's Impact Statement All federal legislative and budget proposals deemed to have a significant impact on children must be analyzed according to their potential to help or harm children. The CIS would state the likelihood that a proposal would make progress toward at least one of the following: i • healthier children k • better educated children t • safer communities • greater work, educational and personal development opportunities for young people • greater economic security for families. The CIS would also specify relevant indicators (e.g., infant mortality rates, school test scores, youth employment figures) that should be monitored to gauge progress toward the proposal's intended outcomes. The CIS would also analyze: • whether the proposal would disproportionately impact children of a particular age, economic background, or region; • what proportion of the overall problem the proposal would address; • the likelihood that all children who need services actually would be served (in proposals concerning direct services to children) . This analysis would provide elected representatives the necessary information to make informed decisions on issues affecting children. The CIS and the votes of individual elected representatives would be made available to the public and to the media, who could then use this information to hold representatives accountable for their support of children.