Sonoma County is home to about 120,000 children. We all want them to be healthy, safe, nurtured and well-educated. However, many children here struggle to get life's basic necessities. Others face challenges that cross economic lines, including child care availability, teen substance abuse and child abuse.
This Report Card is an effort to discover where our children are doing well and where they are wanting. Family Action of Sonoma County has graded six desired "outcomes" for children and
families, which together represent the major elements needed to assure children's well-being. Each of the outcomes is supported by measurable "indicators" that allow us to track data and judge whether our children are achieving the desired outcomes.
By using the Report Card, we can track our children's progress from year to year. With this knowledge we can begin to budget, set policy, and structure our service delivery and educational
systems in ways that will achieve positive outcomes-and improve the status of our children.
You can help improve the lives of children in Sonoma County.
- Take action! Fill out the enclosed card to join Family Action or to learn more about Report Card '99.
- Insist that all your elected representatives become strong and fair advocates for children. Tell them to put children's needs 1st. Write, call or email them about issues that matter to you.
- Urge your employer, congregation, civic groups and others to place a high priority on meeting children's physical and emotional needs.
- Ask employers to establish family-friendly policies such as flex time, job sharing and paid family leave.
- Encourage businesses to help with child care by supporting on-site child care centers, resource and referral programs, and funds to help families pay for care.
- Read to your child and supervise homework. Become actively involved in community schools, monitoring their performance and demanding accountability.
- Ask your church, synagogue or temple to open the building after school for children who need tutoring.
Report Card '99 is made available through the support of:
- The California Endowment
- The Petaluma Health Care District
- and the Petaluma Community Health Foundation
Family Action of Sonoma County
Children and Family Policy Project Advisory Committee
- Robin Bowen, California Parenting Institute (CPI)
- Lynn Camhi, League of Women Voters
- Marsha Vas Dupre, Santa Rosa City Council
- Andy Merrifield, Professor, Sonoma State University
- Andrea Michelsen, Sonoma County Medical Association
- Tina Paige, Community Child Care Council (4Cs)
- Ed Patterson, Social Advocates for Youth (SAY)
- The Honorable Arnold D. Rosenfield, Judge,
- Sonoma County Superior Court
Staff and Consultants
- Suzie Shupe, Director, Family Action of Sonoma County
- Terese Voge, Policy Project Coordinator
- Beth Berk, Consultant/Writer/Editor
- Ginny Helm, Consultant
- Leslie Williams, LMW DesignWorks, Graphic Design
Family Action of Sonoma County is a non-partisan coalition of
agencies and individuals who work to improve local public policy on children's issues. We are parents and grandparents, professionals from child-serving agencies, child care providers, elected officials, local business leaders, healthcare providers and more.
Take Action! Add your voice to the many trying to make Sonoma County a healthy, safe and supportive community for children and families.
