Family-To-Family bill introduced in Assembly

Thursday, April 17, 1997 | 10:56 a.m.

The program, designed to help families from the time children are born until they reach age three, would help connect families to existing community resources.

Under AB378, introduced Thursday by the Assembly Commerce Committee, Family-To-Family staff would help families find child care, health and nutrition information, immunization and counseling services.

The program would also run centers where parents could get cribs, toys, books and other supplies.

Miller has said that the program is essential because children's early development can affect the rest of their lives. He has called Family-To-Family a logical continuation of the state's Baby-Your-Baby program, which aids expectant mothers.

But Family-To-Family has been criticized as flimsy because it lacks clear structure. Advocates of the program say that's because Family-To-Family must be flexible in order to fit the needs of different communities.

Although a specific appropriation wasn't included in AB378, the program is expected to cost $13.1 million.

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