Commission for Children and Families

Commission for Children & Families Board positions open.

The Polk County Commission for Children & Families (PCCCF) has two open positions on the Board. If you are interested in applying, please visit the Committee Vacancies webpage to  download an application (see Supporting Documents at the bottom of the website page). All applications are due on or before May 2, 2012 to the Polk County Board of Commissioners Office at 850 Main Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338 or the Polk County Commission for Children & Families Office at 182 SW Academy Street, Suite 220, Dallas, Oregon 97338.

All appointments to the PCCCF Board are made after the application and interview process with the Polk County Board of County Commissioners. For more information on the PCCCF Board and their role in our community please see below bio. 

Thank you Dallas Area Chamber of Commerce for awarding the Polk County Commission for Children & Families Board and Staff the 2011 Outstanding Organization Award! We are proud to serve the community.

What We Do

At the direction of the Board of Commissioners, and in conjunction with the guidelines set by the State Commission on Children and Families, the main purpose of the Polk County Commission for Children and Families (PCCCF) is to promote wellness for the children and families in Polk County, to mobilize communities and to develop policy and oversee the implementation of a local coordinated comprehensive plan.

When We Meet

Regular Commission meetings are held the fourth Tuesday of each month in a Dallas location (see calendar for site) from 5:00 - 7:00 pm. Times and locations may vary. Please email Brent DeMoe for up-to-date meeting information.

Commission for Children & Families Board Goals

At the August 2011 Polk County Commission for Children & Families (PCCCF) Board  Retreat members joined to brainstorm goals for the 2011-2012 year. That discussion led to three key issues the PCCCF Board chose to address:

• A Homeless Connect
• A Youth Mentoring Program
• A campaign to address, and hopefully reduce, Teen Pregnancy

The Homeless Connect-Polk Community Connect

A planning committee was led by Co-coordinators Herm Boes (PCCCF Board Member) and Michelle Bornfleth (PCCCF Reading for All Coordinator), to serve community members that were homeless, those at risk of becoming homeless or those in need.

On January 25, 2012 community partners, resource agencies, service providers, PCCCF/Service Integration Staff and Board Members, the faith community, community members and volunteers joined together at the Living Hope City Church in Dallas to realize one of the Board's goals. Approximately 500 people in Polk County were served a meal and provided with services such as hair cuts, flu shots, bicycle repair, dental care and veterinarian care for their pets. Additionally, guests were linked to resources available to them in the community. Please see Polk Community Connect (on home page menu) for more details about the event.

Youth Mentoring

The PCCCF Board determined that a pilot fifth-grade Mentoring Program was a priority. On November 2, 2011 all six school districts in Polk County were invited to submit a Letter of Interest by November 15, 2011, illustrating the logistics of a mentoring plan and how it would be implemented. Whitworth Elementary School was awarded the Pilot Mentoring Program grant from the PCCCF Board. In January 2012, approximately 24 fifth-graders began participating in the pilot mentoring program. The program will conclude June 2012 at the end of the school year and it is the hope of the PCCCF Board to continue to offer mentoring program opportunities in the future.

Teen Pregnancy-THE PLACE for Teen Health

Because of the increase rate of teen pregnancy in Polk County and the decrease in the number of teen visits to Polk County Public Health Clinic, the PCCCF Board decided the best way to approach the topic and increase awareness would be through a media print campaign. It was felt that posters, business cards and pocket directories could allow the youth of Polk County to understand the available options for health care services eventually aiding to increase awareness on the issue.

Partnering with Randi Phillips, Director of Polk County Public Health, PCCCF Youth Prevention Coordinator Nicole Walker Sundby compiled a team of community partners and members, PCCCF members, parents, the faith community and area schools to create and facilitate the Teen Pregnancy Awareness Campaign (TPAC). Input on artwork and language around the campaign was gathered from youth, parents, faith community, school administration, the PCCCF Board and the Polk County Board of Commissioners before launching the campaign as THE PLACE for Teen Health in April 2012. The committee took great measures to ensure that the message of the Teen Pregnancy Awareness Campaign was tasteful, pertinent, appropriate, informative and timely. See the results of the committee's hard work on THE PLACE website and look for our posters around your community.

If you would like more information about the PCCCF Board or are interested in participating in one of our events, please contact the Commission for Children & Families office at (503) 623-9664. Commission office hours are 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (closed from 12 pm - 1 pm), Monday through Friday. Closed most Holidays. 

Polk County Commission for Children & Families Board Members

 *Executive Committee

Supporting Documents

PCCCF Snapshot

Resource & Service Directory

Service Integration Teams Quick Facts

Polk County Youth Programming Survey 2011