Mariposa Local Child Care Planning Council
History
In October 1991, the United States Congress established a federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). Through this grant, each state was allocated funds to assist low income families in obtaining child care services. In the same year, Assembly Bill 2141 was authored and passed. Bill 2141 mandated each county in California establish a Local Child Care Planning Council to identify county-wide priorities for CCDBG grant funds based on the child care needs and development services of all children and families living in its respective county. This was a historical turning point for child care. For the first time in California child care history, local communities were given a voice in the appropriation and allocation of child care dollars.
In 1994, the Child Care Planning Council functioned as a voluntary group of individuals coming together in the interest of Mariposa County children. In 1996, the advent of federal and state welfare reform legislation caused the next significant milestone in the Planning Council's history. The new welfare reform legislation had a strong emphasis on moving responsibility to each county to create and to administer welfare programs. This emphasis impacted the role of the Planning Council.
In 1997-1998, the California Department of Education Child Development Division significantly increased the dollar amount given to each county Planning Council.
In September 1998, the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors, in conjunction with the Mariposa County Superintendent of Schools, sanctioned the formation of the Mariposa County Child Care Planning Council. The Council's first task was to submit local child care priorities for appropriation and allocation of federal Child Care and Development Block funds.
Since this time, Mariposa County’s Local Child Care Planning Council has functioned as a formal organization to carry out the mandates of Bill 2141 and engage the community in the development of annual child care priorities for Mariposa County.
