First Things First partners with families and communities to help our state’s youngest children prepare for kindergarten and beyond.
Many young children in Arizona face challenges that threaten their healthy development and learning. In the Cochise Region, there are 10,177 children (under age 6) with 28% living in poverty.
Here is how FTF is working to support young children and their families in this region.
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“Watching preschool children learn, play, interact and experience their new world makes us realize that everything they do is a critical part of their early education. First Things First helps to provide parents, families, caregivers and educators the resources and tools to make these early years the best they can be.” Peter Huisking |
Cochise Regional Key Impact Highlights
[Fiscal Year 2020]
518 Families of newborns received the Arizona Parent Kit, filled with tips and tools to help support their child’s healthy development.
106 Families with young children participated in voluntary home visiting programs proven to reduce parental stress levels, increase connections to community supports, and improve children’s cognitive, motor, behavioral and social-emotional development.
64 Parents and other caregivers participated in evidence-based trainings designed to improve knowledge of parenting practices and children’s development.
1,098 Children attended preschools and child care programs participating in Quality First.
229 Children birth to age 5 received a Quality First scholarship to attend high-quality preschools and child care programs.
255 Children monitored to receive appropriate screenings to detect vision, hearing and developmental issues to prevent learning challenges later on.
3,297,504 views of Google and Facebook ads of Sesame Street’s “Healthy Teeth, Healthy Me” campaign in the FTF Cochise Region to raise awareness about the importance of early childhood dental care and dental health benefits through Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS).
Cochise Family Story
Parent educator helps Bisbee mom bond with infant daughter after recovering from life-threatening illness
At age 35, after several miscarriages and heartbreak, Delfina Saenz delivered a healthy baby girl named Esperanza in 2017. Saenz’s joy of having a daughter felt bittersweet. During her pregnancy, Saenz developed a life-threatening disorder associated with preeclampsia, a serious complication of high blood pressure during pregnancy. The syndrome left Saenz physically weakened and unable to care for Esperanza after birth.
“Esperanza was induced for premature delivery because of the HELLP syndrome,” said Saenz. “I was in and out of the hospital after delivery, and I couldn’t walk or hold my daughter when I came back home. I was being treated with chemotherapy and steroids, so I couldn’t breastfeed her.”
Read moreFTF Cochise Regional Partnership Council
SFY20 Total Regional Program Expenditures
The FTF Cochise Regional Partnership Council is made up of volunteers who study the unique needs of the local community and decide how funds should be used to best support the healthy development and early learning of young children birth to age 5. FTF invests in proven programs and innovative strategies through grants to community organizations that provide services to children and families. Some of the programs in this region include Parents as Teachers, Quality First and Care Coordination Medical Home.
| Quality Child Care and Preschool | $1,659,103 | 66% |
| Strengthening Families | $387,580 | 15% |
| Preventive Health | $362,576 | 14% |
| Workforce Development and Training | $74,117 | 2% |
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Research and Evaluation |
$73,258 | 2% |
| Parent and Community Awareness | $27,771 | 1% |
| TOTAL |
$2,584,406 |
The FTF Cochise Region includes all of Cochise County and the northeastern corner of Pima County. The FTF Cochise Region includes Legislative District 14. (Legislative districts are not necessarily congruent with regional boundaries.)