Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, District 2
Madison Nguyen
My mission has always been to listen to our children and provide them with a healthy environment. My philosophy is that children are meant to thrive, and as adults, it is our responsibility to create opportunities to make that happen. It is also our responsibility to ensure that children get connected with the available resources to succeed.
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Over 80% of voters polled say they want elected officials to prioritize children and families. What are the top three issues affecting our children and families and how will you make our region a place where all families can thrive?
The top three issues that I see affecting our children are stable housing, education, and a healthy environment. We need to obtain more Federal, State, and local funds to build more affordable housing. Our children need more recreational programs, and mentoring and job skills training, especially for at-risk youth. We need to work with the State and other sources to make funding pre-school and quality, affordable childcare a top priority.
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High quality childcare improves school readiness and parents' workforce participation. What will you do to improve access to high quality childcare and preschool programs in our diverse communities?
We need high-quality childcare and pre-school for our children to help them now and to invest in their future, while focusing on quality training and safety for our children. I will work to find local funding sources to expand childcare. And, I will work with our high schools and universities to recruit new childcare workers, as well as making in-home childcare a more viable option. We also need childcare to be community-centric so that we can minimize travel distances for our families.
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Much of the student achievement gap has been linked to the opportunity gap that children in low-income families and children of color confront (e.g., lack of access to healthy food, preschool, tutors, and enrichment activities). If elected, what will you do to increase equity of opportunity?
Every child has a unique character and perceives the world differently based on their environment. I worked with the Franklin-McKinley School District and community partners to launch the Children’s Initiative, a “cradle to college” program that created a safe and fun environment where students could learn and thrive academically and socially. We need to create more paths to opportunity, like working with private industry to bring mentoring and tutoring to our communities. On healthy food, that is a must for our children and families. We should expand community gardens throughout the county and ensure that families have their own resources to access healthy food.
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What steps will you take to improve inclusion and outcomes for children with disabilities and their families in our community?
One of the big issues facing children with disabilities is navigating and accessing services. It can be needlessly overwhelming for families who are already struggling. I will focus on additional funding for services, while also working with the families to find ways to make it easier for them to access services.
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If elected, how will you use the resources of your new role to improve children's well-being and access to mental and behavioral health services?
We are seeing too many children who need access to mental health and well-being services, but are not getting the help they need. Expanding school-based wellness centers is one of the areas I would focus on -- we need quality counselors to be readily available for students. And I would work with local colleges to support new providers to work in our high-need areas. Also, it is important that our programs focus on removing the stigma associated with reaching out for help with mental health, drug and alcohol problems, and domestic violence.