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First 5 California Kicks Off Children’s Mental Health Month with Stronger Starts Statewide Day of Action
The event also marks the official rollout of Phase 3 of the Stronger Starts campaign, which focuses on helping families understand, recognize, and address toxic stress in children while strengthening safe, stable, and nurturing relationships.
The Statewide Day of Action serves as a call for communities across California to unite around a shared commitment: ensuring every child has the strongest possible start in life. The initiative builds on First 5 California’s ongoing public awareness efforts to highlight the lasting effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress response (TSR), while promoting the protective role of supportive caregiving environments.
A study from the California Surgeon General’s Office found that approximately 1 in 3 children in California has experienced at least one ACE, with significant implications for long-term health and development. Additionally, ACEs are associated with an estimated $1.5 trillion annual economic burden in California.
Since its launch in 2023, the Stronger Starts campaign has reached millions of Californians, equipping parents and caregivers with tools to better understand how early trauma can affect children and how consistent, nurturing relationships can help buffer those effects.
The Statewide Day of Action will kick off with a press conference at Fairytale Town in Sacramento, followed by a family-friendly community event where children and caregivers participated in a hands-on sunflower planting activity, symbolizing the importance of nurturing strong starts and fostering meaningful connections.
This year, 18 local First 5 County Commissions are participating in the Statewide Day of Action, amplifying the effort across communities throughout California.
EVENT DETAILS
What: Stronger Starts Statewide Day of Action & Phase 3 Campaign Launch
When: Wednesday, May 6, 2026 | 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. PT
Community activity to follow from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. PT
Where: Fairytale Town, 3901 Land Park Dr, Sacramento, CA
Who:
First 5 California leadership
State constitutional officers and local elected officials
Early childhood, health, and family advocates
Community partners, families, and caregivers
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES
Interviews with First 5 California representatives
Remarks from state and local leaders
Visuals of children and families participating in sunflower planting
Appearances by Sacramento Kings representatives
About First 5 California’s Stronger Starts Campaign
Stronger Starts is a statewide public awareness campaign from First 5 California designed to support parents and caregivers in helping children ages 0–5 grow up safe, supported, and resilient. Since its launch in 2023, the campaign has guided families through three phases—Educate, Assess, and now Address—building understanding of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress response (TSR), and equipping caregivers with practical tools to respond to children’s emotional needs. Now in Phase 3, the Address phase is focused on helping parents and caregivers reflect on their own experiences and apply simple, research-based strategies to create safe, stable, nurturing relationships that can buffer the effects of toxic stress response and promote healthy development.
About First 5 California
First 5 California was established in 1998 when voters passed Proposition 10, which taxes tobacco products to fund services for children ages 0 to 5 and their families. First 5 California programs and resources are designed to educate and support teachers, parents, and caregivers in the critical role they play during a child's first five years--to help California kids receive the best possible start in life and thrive. For more information, please visit www.ccfc.ca.gov.
Stacey Reardon
Change Craft
+1 9165023799
email us here
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