First 5 Ventura County reports on early‑childhood programs and budget; director Petra Puls to retire

Petra Puls, executive director of First 5 Ventura County, presented the agency''s 2024–25 budget and program update to the Board of Supervisors on May 20 and said the agency will continue to focus on prevention, parent‑child services and early developmental screening.

Puls described First 5 as "the local public agency that was established back in 1998 to administer tobacco tax revenues" and said the agency''s work centers on family‑focused prevention and neighborhood resource centers called "Neighborhoods for Learning." She told the board the commission has sought to stretch declining tobacco‑tax revenues by following a 10‑year financial plan and by combining multiple funding sources.

Program highlights and outcomes

Puls told the board First 5 used $3.5 million in county ARPA/COVID relief funds to expand services: the agency opened Neighborhoods for Learning (NFL) sites for two additional days each week, hired nine additional staff and piloted a "Welcome Every Baby" light‑touch home‑visiting program in a high‑need area. Early evaluation of the pilot, Puls said, shows improved well‑child visit adherence: "100 percent of our participants — the newborns — were up to date on their well child visits" compared with a 60 percent benchmark in a comparative medical population.

Puls also reported results from parent‑child together classes and a Help Me Grow screening program. In First 5''s internal evaluation parents reported increases in knowledge, confidence and daily practices such as reading with children. The agency distributed more than 1,200 bilingual books in its "Take 5 and Read to Kids" campaign and enrolled children and agencies in multiple early‑literacy events.

Budget and administration

Puls reviewed First 5 revenue and expenditure projections: combined revenues were presented at about $6.4 million, drawing on Prop 10 funds, county ARPA funds and interest; total governmental fund expenditures showed an approximately $7.2 million operational projection before applying reserve strategies. Puls said the commission follows a conservative 10‑year budget plan to sustain programs through uneven revenue cycles and cited a protected administrative rate of 4.5 percent.

Retirement and proclamation

The board recognized Puls for 25 years of service, including eight years as executive director. "Under her visionary leadership, First 5 has received state and national recognition," Supervisor LaVier read in a board proclamation praising her statewide work and community partnerships. Puls told the board she will retire at the end of the month and thanked staff and partners.

What supervisors said

Supervisors praised First 5''s outcomes and asked staff to continue seeking facilities and partnerships to sustain early‑childhood programs as tobacco‑tax revenues decline. The board voted to receive the agency''s presentation and noted the county''s past allocation of $3.5 million in ARPA funds to First 5.

Provenance

- Topic intro (agenda and presentation): "I'm pleased once again to invite, Petra Puls to the podium. Petra is the executive director of First 5 Ventura County..." (transcript timecode 2167.4602; excerpt: staff introduction and handoff to Petra Puls.) - Topic finish (proclamation and motion): Supervisor LaVier moved to receive on file item 32; motion seconded and "That passes unanimously." (transcript timecodes 3243.325–3251.7449; excerpt: "Motion to receive on file item 32. Move by supervisor LaVier, second by supervisor Long... That passes unanimously.")

Speakers (first reference timecodes)

- Petra Puls, Executive Director, First 5 Ventura County (first referenced 2187.695) - Supervisor Olivia LaVier, Ventura County Board of Supervisors (first referenced 2885.54) - Supervisor Janice Parvin, Chair (presenting proclamation, first referenced 3056.505)

Clarifying details

- First 5 said it used $3,500,000 in COVID relief (ARPA) funds to expand services and hire nine staff; the Welcome Every Baby pilot was cited as improving newborn well‑child visit rates. - First 5 reported distributing 1,200 bilingual books across programs and libraries as part of early‑literacy outreach. - First 5 presented combined revenues of about $6.4 million and a governmental fund expenditure plan near $7.2 million, describing a 10‑year plan to smooth spending from fund balance.

Why this matters

First 5 provides prevention and early‑childhood services that county leaders said improve long‑term outcomes for children and families. Supervisors encouraged continued partnerships, facility searches and grant pursuit to sustain expanded service days and evidence‑based home visiting in a period of declining dedicated tobacco tax revenues.

Sections

{"lede":"Petra Puls, executive director of First 5 Ventura County, updated the Board on programs and budget on May 20 and accepted a board proclamation recognizing 25 years of service as she announced her retirement.","nut_graf":"First 5 reported results from parent‑child classes, a Help Me Grow developmental screening expansion and a Welcome Every Baby home‑visiting pilot funded by $3.5 million in ARPA relief; Puls said the pilot shows higher well‑child visit rates for participants. The board received the report and presented a proclamation honoring Puls's service.","ending":"Supervisors asked staff to continue partnering on facilities and sustaining neighborhood‑based services as First 5 pursues grants and uses a 10‑year budgeting approach to manage declining tobacco‑tax revenues."}