SAN DIEGO — As more Californians quit smoking, child development programs are losing funding, impacting the families who use them.
Being a parent can be hard.
Ramiro Aguirre said being a father in his 70s, raising his 4-year-old son Julien, adds another layer of challenges.
Karla Villaseñor is a child and family therapist at Episcopal Community Services Para Las Familias. She is working with the father and son to strengthen their relationship.
“I’m helping Ramiro be able to play more with his son, to connect more through play,” Villaseñor said. “So helping them find those way that they can enjoy those times with each other.”
They are also teaching Julien how to process strong emotions and follow directions. Aguirre said they would be lost without the help.
“He is happy,” Aguirre said. “Karla’s help has been essential for Julien’s happiness.”
Programs like these are looking at losing millions of dollars as more Californians have quit smoking. Proposition 10 took tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products and turned them into funding for early childhood development programs in California.
Proposition 10 passed in 1998, when 1.7 billion packs were sold. By comparison, less than 500 million packs were sold last year.
Alethea Arguilez is the executive director at First 5 San Diego and says that the “sin tax” has steadily declined, and with the ban on flavored tobacco products, some of their programs are now in jeopardy.
She has been advocating with the state legislature to find a better way to fund their programs in the future. First 5 San Diego supports parents and others to help children during their early years, which are critical to a child’s development.
“We really need future sustainability funding so that we can continue to serve our families in the way that we have known and have been fortunate enough to do over the years,” Arguilez said.
First 5 California estimates they will experience a 20% decline in the tobacco tax revenue by June 2024. Arguilez says if they don’t find more money, they’ll have to make difficult decisions about what services to cut.
“Knowing how many children and families are able to draw down and receive these services at no cost to them, if it were to go away, there would be no other safety net program to really fulfill this need in our county,” Arguilez said.
Aguirre hopes other kids will get the help he and his son have had access to in the years to come.
“These programs are the lives of children and the future of the country,” he said.
“They really help families feel confident in the skills and know what to do and know where to go to get help for themselves and for their kids,” Villaseñor said.