Leon County Children’s Services Council

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

In 2020, Leon County facilitated the creation of a voter-approved Children’s Services Council (CSC), which is an independent special taxing district that allocates funding for programs that provide critical services to children and families in our community. The CSC is authorized to levy ad valorem taxes to generate funds for these services, up to a maximum millage rate of one-half mill. While CSCs are specifically authorized in Florida law, they are relatively uncommon; including Leon County’s CSC, there are only nine such entities among Florida’s 67 counties. Leon County’s CSC was created to address specific areas of need for children and family services in Leon County, including economic well-being, public health, and family and community well-being. While the CSC is an independent taxing authority, Leon County Government was closely involved in its establishment and continues to be actively involved in supporting and coordinating with the CSC to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of children’s services. In its first full year of operation, the Leon County CSC has allocated more than $1.5 million in funding to 30 separate programs in the community, supporting services to more than 34,000 children and families.