About Us

First 5 Santa Cruz County invests in health, early learning and family support to promote the well-being of children.  A growing body of scientific evidence points to the economic and societal impacts of wise investments in the early years. The Harvard Center for the Developing Child states:

A vital and productive society with a prosperous and sustainable future is built on a foundation of healthy child development. Health in the earliest years lays the groundwork for a lifetime of vitality.

Experiences during the first few years of life – good and bad – literally shape the architecture of the developing brain. Stable, positive relationships with adults and growth-promoting experiences are keys to the development of the architecture that forms the foundation for all future learning, behavior, and health. When we invest wisely in children and families, the next generation will pay that back through a lifetime of productivity and responsible citizenship.

First 5 Santa Cruz County is dedicated to giving children the opportunities they need to reach their full potential.

First 5 Santa Cruz County was established by the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on December 8, 1998 by urgency ordinance to ensure that family-friendly services and education are available so that each child reaches the fifth year of life healthy, ready and able to learn, and emotionally well developed.  We are committed to involving community members as well as professionals working with young children and their families.