Arizona’s early childhood agency represents a commitment Arizonans made to our youngest children – that they would have the support they need to start school healthy and ready to succeed. Many young children in Arizona face significant barriers to their success, including poverty, trauma and lack of access to needed resources.
10,177
Population of young children (under age 6)
26%
Percentage of young children living in poverty
Priorities
The Cochise Regional Partnership Council makes strategic investments to support the healthy development and learning of young children in the region. The regional council’s priorities include:
- Strengthening families through evidence-based parenting classes
- Improving the quality of child care and preschool programs
- Scholarships for children to access high-quality early learning
Regional Key Impact Highlights
[State Fiscal Year 2024]
Quality Preschool and Child Care
- 231 children birth to age 5 received a Quality First scholarship to attend high-quality preschools and child care programs.
- 30 child care and preschool providers were committed to continuous quality improvement of their early learning programs through Quality First.
State Fiscal Year 2024 Total Regional Program Expenditures
Quality and Access | $1,695,157 |
Family Support | $312,164 |
Health | $142,515 |
Evaluation | $63,742 |
Community Awareness | $19,134 |
Total | $2,232,711 |
First Things First Staff
Lois Homewytewa
Administrative Specialist III - Central East Region
Kollean McMahon
Administrative Specialist II - Cochise
Regional Office
77 Calle Portal, A220Sierra Vista, AZ 85635