First Five Sacramento Commission Meeting - June 1, 2026

[Introductory paragraph summarizing the overall meeting.]

The First Five Sacramento Commission met on June 1, 2026, to approve the April action summary, recognize Commissioner Dr. Olivia Kassiri's retirement, hear reports, approve contracts, and adopt the 2027-2030 implementation plan. The meeting featured extensive presentations from Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) graduates, public comment on budget reductions, and several unanimous votes.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of April 6, 2026 Draft Action Summary: Approved unanimously via roll call vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Off-agenda items: No speakers.
• Recognition of Commissioner Cassier (Item 3): Crystal (public health advocate) expressed support for Dr. Cassier's work with Black Infant Health and the community health improvement plan. Robin Blinks Guster also praised Dr. Cassier's guidance and humor.
• Implementation Plan (Item 13):
  • David Baker (CEO, Sacramento Children's Home) thanked the commission for ongoing support of the crisis nursery and the focus on reducing African American child deaths.
  • Kenya Fagbemi (Executive Director, Her Health First) thanked the commission for keeping attention on reducing African-American child death.
  • Leona Spivey (Black Mothers United) expressed appreciation for continued support and noted the difficulty of the work.
  • Janae (Birth and Beyond collaborative) acknowledged the 20% cut and additional DCFAS cuts, stating they will reduce access to services and increase wait times, but appreciated the trust-based flexibility.
  • Linnea Hathaway (Sacramento County Office of Education) requested increased investment in quality child care, noting post-pandemic challenges for early learning educators.

Discussion Items

• Recognition of Commissioner Dr. Olivia Kassiri (Item 3): Chair Cerna presented a proclamation honoring Dr. Kassiri's 14 years of service, her role in the pandemic, racial equity work, and oral health improvements. Commissioners and staff offered tributes. Dr. Kassiri expressed gratitude and introduced Dr. Feng Lu as her successor. A group photo was taken.
• Executive Director's Report (Item 4): Julie reported:
  • Potter the Otter exhibit at Sacramento Children's Museum: 42,000 kids and parents attended over five months.
  • First Five advocacy day: 90 representatives met with legislators; budget outcomes uncertain.
  • Family Resource Center tours completed.
  • New fatherhood project (F2): 23 dads at first session, 15 graduated.
  • State budget disappointment: breastfeeding support bill did not pass; HR1 ask not funded.
• Advisory Committee Update (Item 5): The committee met April 10, discussed PLTI alumni activities and implementation plan feedback. Appointments approved: Junior Gores to Children's Coalition seat, Cassidy Page to Behavioral Health Commission seat.
• Systems Optimization and Sustainability (SOS) Committee Update (Item 8): Committee met May 20, reviewed implementation plan, considered public and advisory feedback, and recommended:
  1. Funding methodology grounded in community input, data, and foundational projects.
  2. Advisory committee feedback supported the proposed spending plan.
  3. Commitment to maintaining allocations to preserve credibility.
  4. Flexibility for partners (Birth and Beyond, WIC) to maximize impact.
• Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) 2026 Graduates (Item 9):
  • Staff reported on parent partnerships: PLTI now has 100 alumni; 81% of surveyed alumni volunteered vs. 11% general public; 69% held positions vs. 8%.
  • Spanish cohort added. 40 graduates this year: 22 English, 18 Spanish, 8 male.
  • Alumni coordinators and graduates spoke about projects (e.g., Moai Intergenerational Gardens, Honrando Mis Raices, men's support groups).
  • Public Health partner Aureli Williams emphasized systems change. Group photo taken.
• Data Management System Contract (Item 10): Staff requested approval of $267,500 contract with AJW Inc. for four years. Discussion centered on data ownership, migration of three years of data, and reporting capabilities. Commissioner questions on data aggregation and retention were addressed. Approved.
• CalWorks Home Visiting Program Contract (Item 11): Staff requested approval of revenue agreement with DHA (up to $4.7 million) and expenditure agreement with CAPC (up to $4.45 million) for FY 2026-27. Budget uncertainty noted; approved.
• Equity in Action Grantee Capacity Building Consultant (Item 12): Staff requested $140,829 contract with Touchstone Leadership Group for two years to support grantees' sustainability. Approved.
• First Five Sacramento Implementation Plan 2027-2030 (Item 13):
  • Staff presented a 20% reduction plan developed over 15 months with community input (nearly 3,000 parent surveys).
  • Key changes: added a fourth strategy focusing on reducing African American child death disparity; allowed flexibility for Birth and Beyond and breastfeeding support.
  • Spending allocation: Health & Well-being 63%, Racial Equity 15% (up from 13%), Quality Child Care ~1% (down from 3%).
  • Public comment addressed concerns about cuts. Commissioners emphasized the deliberative, transparent process and trust-based grant making. Approved.

Key Outcomes

• Approved (unanimous roll call):
  • April 6, 2026 draft action summary.
  • Appointments of Junior Gores and Cassidy Page to advisory committees.
  • Data management system contract with AJW Inc. ($267,500).
  • Revenue agreement with DHA (up to $4.7 million) and expenditure agreement with CAPC (up to $4.45 million) for CalWorks Home Visiting.
  • Equity in Action capacity building contract with Touchstone Leadership Group ($140,829).
  • First Five Sacramento Implementation Plan for 2027-2030.
• Recognition: Dr. Olivia Kassiri honored for 14 years of service; Dr. Feng Lu introduced as successor.
• Next Steps: Staff will finalize contracts, launch data migration, and begin implementation plan procurement.