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The Lane County Commission on Children and Families (CCF ) is an 18-member volunteer advisory group appointed by the Board of County Commissioners.  The Commission is charged by state statute to advise the Board of County Commissioners on local children, youth and family policies, issues, needs and solutions (HB 2004, ORS 417.760). The Commission provides a wealth and variety of expertise among its volunteer members.  They include professionals (working on behalf of children and families), lay people (those who do not get paid for their work involving children and families), and youth (ages 14-24).  They help focus discussions, raise issues and brainstorm solutions to promote the health and wellness of all Lane County’s children, youth and families.

CCF meets monthly at a variety of locations around Lane County.  During meetings local issues and needs of children and families are reviewed and discussed, and data and information are shared to help inform policy decisions.  The Commission provides direction to the Department of Children and Families including input on areas of need, action, focus and funding. 

Together the Commission and the Department of Children and Families promote, develop and fund local prevention efforts.  These include: building parent education and supports systems together with our schools, increasing the capacity and quality of child care, expanding youth development activities, enhancing collaborative activities and training opportunities among providers addressing family violence.  Prevention saves money, it also save lives: we need to be efficient and strategic in how we use our public resources.

The Commission also has the statutory responsibility to facilitate the creation of a comprehensive community plan for services to children and families in Lane County, which provides a guide to the local needs and gaps.  Other responsibilities include promoting community responsibility (why every person can make a difference), and leveraging public and private resources to invest in local prevention programs for children and families.  By maximizing partnerships between government, business, local private non-profits and community members, CCF seeks to build the vision set out in our community’s comprehensive plan, raising awareness and action for our children, youth and families. 

Together with the Commission, DCF promotes prevention as an efficient and effective way to build a healthy community: it saves money and lives.