Best Start LA

The purpose of Best Start LA is to optimize the social, emotional, cognitive, language, physical and motor development of Los Angeles County's youngest children within the context of the multiple environments that affect their development:

• Pregnancy
• Nurturing Relationships
• Family
• Early Child Care and Education
• Early Intervention
• Neighborhoods and Communities

Best Start LA will have a focused impact at both the community and county level. The initial investment will support five Best Start LA demonstration communities and countywide capacity building strategies for the prenatal through three-year-old population and their families. Best Start LA is a long-term vision for the Commission.

Preparing Communities to Offer Families the Best Start

Capacity strengthening is the foundation for all aspects of Best Start LA, and must be addressed in order for First 5 LA and its Best Start LA partner communities to meet desired outcomes and results. Capacity strengthening strategies to include:

• Leadership Development
• Leveraging and Partnerships
• Building Public and Political Will
• Workforce Development
• Training and Technical Assistance
• Data Improvement
• Policy Change and Development

The Family Experience

Best Start LA reflects a paradigm shift from targeting families for direct services to engaging families in their role as the most critical developmental environment for young children, from the inutero stage through the toddler years. In addition to their role as the most significant environment for young children, families are key catalysts in molding and transforming the broader environments experienced by their children. Best Start LA will work in partnership with families, along with all other stakeholders, to prioritize and develop solutions for transforming communities into pregnancy-, baby- and toddler-friendly environments.

As a way of introducing families to the wide range of services within a Best Start LA community, a registered nurse or community health worker will conduct a series of prenatal, hospital, and home visits to all new parents in the area. These voluntary Welcome, Baby! visits will provide new parents with important information about their child's development as well as informing them about available community resources.

Additionally, Best Start LA demonstration communities will also include investments in activities for families within their communities such as:

• Play Environments for Children
• Family Education and Supportive Services
• Resource Center and an "Interactive" Baby Registry (allowing families to families to get personalized information about their child's development)

• Information and Guidance on Developmental Screenings
• Community Resource Connections and Linkages (to assist families with specific needs)
• Volunteer, Leadership and Organizational Development

In bringing families together in the demonstration communities, Best Start LA will also invest in activities that provide an opportunity for parents and stakeholders to build on the strengths of their communities and work together to positively affect the various environments that impact children, including improvements to built environments, local resources and policies.