An Association of County Children and Families Commissions
Investing in Nutrition and Physical Activity For Children Birth to 5
First 5 Santa Barbara has invested in the local breastfeeding coalition and provides primary support for breastfeeding through their Newborn Home Visiting Initiative’s Welcome Every Baby Program (WEB). The universal home visiting program is available to all parents of newborns in the county. Mothers receive breastfeeding support in the earliest days after their baby’s birth through home visits and phone consultations. The program has been successful at supporting mothers to initiate and continue breastfeeding. The WEB program also provides parents with information about infant nutrition. The Commission also funds Health Linkages that conducts health screenings and offers health education through preschools in the county. The program does BMI testing and provides the results to parents along with relevant nutrition information. First 5 Santa Barbara is currently working in coordination with a pilot program led by a local physician and the American Diabetes Association. The program is designed to support a continuum of education and support on nutrition and healthy living for parents of young children in one of the county's smaller cities. First 5 Santa Barbara has provided sponsorship funds to a tri-county (Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo) collaborative. They are also part of a Santa Barbara County collaborative called Partners for Fit Youth. The group promotes the health of children by advocating nutritious meals, promoting the use of fresh vegetables and fruits and encouraging children and families to be involved in active lifestyles.