Commission Based Kaplan’s Selection on Strength, Merits of Plan

Your editorial, “Kaplan’s Return Needs 2nd Look” (Oct. 3), needs a response to set the record straight.

First, the Ventura County Children and Families First Commission is totally independent from the county of Ventura as established by voters under Proposition 10. This commission has nine appointed members representing schools, cities, the county, child-care advocates and health-care interests. The $11.7 million to be received from the tobacco tax will be allocated by this commission, not by the county or by the hired consultants. The services and programs for children prenatal to age 5 will be provided contingent upon the commission developing a strategic plan. The planning process will include nine town hall meetings, three public hearings and the collection of data on the status of children up to 5 years of age.

The commission must establish a governance structure for this process and the allocation process so those taxpayer funds go to enhance services and programs, not supplant existing dollars. The consultant team is to help get us organized, directed and moving ahead to expedite the funds out to the communities.

The commission selected Kaplan & Associates through an open and competitive process. Members of the Kaplan & Associates team include commission and retreat facilitators who will be providing training and technical assistance; leaders to conduct focus groups for stakeholders and families; specialists who are to conduct outcome evaluations measuring the program’s success and professionals who are to provide community outreach and media relations.

Mr. Kaplan’s team was selected on the strengths and merits of the plan and proposal they put forth; theirs was clearly the superior scope of services for our county. To do as your paper suggests and select an inferior organization based solely on rumor and innuendo would be a grievous disservice to the children of this county, as well as an injustice to the taxpayers.

The second inaccuracy in your editorial is to continue to spread the falsehood that the Mental Health Department merger and the $15.3-million settlement for inaccurate billings are connected. As your paper has been repeatedly informed, this $15.3-million settlement was triggered by a “whistle-blower” complaint regarding billings over an eight-year period, seven years of which preceded the merger. The merger in no way affected the billing practices that were the subject of the complaint and settlement. Since the early ‘90s, the billing processing has been the direct responsibility of the Health Care Agency.

The commission invites the media to join us in our efforts to ensure that Ventura County’s children live in supportive, nurturing and loving environments, enter school healthy and ready to learn and become productive, well-adjusted members of our community.