All children in Merced County will thrive in supportive, loving and nurturing environments, enter school healthy and ready to learn and become productive, well adjusted members of society.

All children in Merced County will live in an environment that:

• Is emotionally and physically safe.
• Has adequate food, clothing and shelter.
• Is intellectually stimulating and challenging.
• Provides adequate health care in sickness and in health.
• Promotes the development of productive, well-adjusted members of society.

To provide for the optimal physical, emotional, and intellectual growth of the young children of Merced County, the Commission will:

• Identify the issues and service needs relating to the early development of children from the parental stage, through age five.
• Develop a comprehensive plan of how those issues and needs can be addressed while acknowledging and supporting the strength of families and the cultural diversity of the community.
• Facilitate, through funding priorities and disbursement of Proposition 10 funds, the creation, implementation, or enhancement of integrated and collaborative preventive services and programs which will result, in measurable terms, in the optimal early development and future potential of our children.