Agenda - 02-17-2015 - 7b - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORD- 2015 -003 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: February 17, 2015 Action Agenda Item No. 7 -b SUBJECT: Family Success Alliance Request for Social Justice Funding and Approval of Budget Amendment #6 -A DEPARTMENT: Health Department ATTACHMENT(S): Harlem Children's Zone Sample Agenda Harlem Children's Zone Description of Programs PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No INFORMATION CONTACT: Colleen Bridger, 919 - 245 -2412 Meredith Stewart, 919 - 245 -2070 PURPOSE: To approve Budget Amendment #6 -A transferring funds from the Social Justice fund for the Family Success Alliance (FSA) in order for 12 members to attend the Harlem Children's Zone Practitioner's Institute. BACKGROUND: The Family Success Alliance was created with support and approval from Board of Commissioners in June 2014 in response to Health Department reports about the growing issue of child poverty in Orange County. In May 2014 Health Department staff highlighted a large and multi - disciplinary body of research showing that a family's income shapes a child's educational, employment, and health outcomes throughout their life. In particular, children who have adverse childhood experiences that are more common among families experiencing poverty are at higher risk of health outcomes like obesity, depression, and substance abuse. The Health Department indicated that an approach being used with success across the United States is modeled after the Harlem Children's Zone (HCZ). This model brings together collaborative partners to define a common agenda and common progress measures, coupled with mutually- reinforcing activities targeted to specific high needs neighborhoods or zones. The HCZ model has proved so successful at overcoming the impact of poverty on educational and other life outcomes that it has been replicated throughout the country in a variety of forms including the federal Promise Neighborhoods. The FSA was modeled along the lines of the Harlem Children's Zone (HCZ) which provides wrap around supports for children and families struggling to make ends meet, forming a cradle to college pipeline of success. To learn more about how to implement the model here in Orange County, members of the Family Success Alliance will travel to the Harlem Children's Zone and participate in their 3 -day Practitioner's Institute. HCZ offers the Practitioner's Institute to provide training on their methodology and practices. A sample agenda for the Institute includes