Reducing the toxic stress of family violence, substance abuse and mental health problems is the goal of an innovative El Dorado County effort to take critical services to families, meeting those in need where they live.

Details of the effort, called the Community Hubs, will be the topic at this week’s Rotary luncheon meeting for Kathleen Guerrero, executive director of the First Five El Dorado Children and Families Commission. The project is a partnership between First 5, EDC Libraries, EDC Office of Education, and EDC Health and Human Services Agency.

 

Local assessment data is used to determine effective strategies to address  disparity of income, language and access to services for children and families. Hubs leverage $11,023,595 over four years to provide prevention and early intervention services for expectant parents and families with children from birth through 18 years.  

 

Community Hubs assist families with the everyday challenges of raising children and connect them to community resources.  Each Hub has a multi-disciplinary team that includes an Early Childhood Literacy Specialist, Family Engagement Specialist, Community Health Advocate and Public Health Nurse . Each Hub offers activities focused on early literacy and reading, child development and parenting, and preventative health activities and services. These services are provided at no cost to the families.

 

Community Hubs are located in El Dorado Hills, Cameron Park, Placerville, Georgetown, and South Lake Tahoe.

 

The First 5 El Dorado Commission was formed following the passage of California Proposition 10, a tobacco tax investing in strategies to support expectant parents and families.

 

Kathleen Guerrero has worked with First 5 El Dorado Commission for twelve years, the last six as the Executive Director. She has a Master’s Degree in Sociology from CSU Sacramento and over thirty years of experience with early childhood systems.