First 5 Orange County

A dynamic, mission-driven public agency, First 5 Orange County has a more than 20-year tradition of investing in the future of Orange County’s children. Through partnerships and strategic resource allocation, we work to ensure all children reach their full potential. Our mission is to optimize the health and development of young children by promoting the importance of early childhood, encouraging innovation, and investing in systems of care. First 5 Orange County funds initiatives and quality programs preparing children to enter kindergarten, giving them and their families the foundation of health, learning, and resiliency we know is critical for success. A vanguard organization for data collection and analysis, First 5 Orange County has spearheaded the participation of all Orange County public schools in the Early Development Index. EDI is a measure of young children’s well-being and a validated predictor of health, education, and social outcomes. Orange County is the first region in the U.S. to achieve 100% participation in reporting and has the single largest early childhood data set nationwide. Through our sophisticated data analysis efforts, First 5 Orange County continues to reach conclusions about how to increase economic stability for Orange County families. We use these findings to direct investments and to inform the local and state-level early childhood policy agenda.