CONTRA COSTA COUNTY: Forms Children’s Health Plan
Contra Costa County is drafting a plan to spend its $13 million share of California's 50-cent-per-pack tobacco tax on children's and family health initiatives, the Contra Costa Times reports. Some ideas suggested by the county's Children and Families Commission include smoking cessation and drug treatment for expectant mothers; child care and home visits for new mothers facing language barriers or low incomes; and a countywide phone and Internet database of professionals to help parents with needs such as child care, mental health and reading problems. Gabriela Castelan, spokesperson for the commission, said, "These are services we found lacking in our community." County officials predict that contracts will be awarded to vendors to carry out the initiatives by the end of the year (Sharpe, 7/30).
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