Healthy Children's Fund History

Improving the health and well-being of young children is a top priority in Whatcom County. Elected officials, health care providers, social service agencies and businesses have worked together to create thoughtful and effective long-term systems. Their work includes:

• March 2023: The Whatcom County Council approved the Healthy Children's Fund Implementation Plan.
• November 2022: Voters approve Prop 5, establishing the Healthy Children’s Fund. 
• March 2022: Healthy Whatcom published the 2022-2026 Community Health Improvement Plan. Healthy Whatcom identified early childhood and family well-being as a key focus.
• January 2022: Whatcom County Health and Community Services collected feedback from local groups. This feedback shaped the Healthy Children's Fund Implementation Plan.
• April 2021: Publication of Building a better future for Whatcom County Children: Survey of Family Needs
• January 2020: The Whatcom County Council passed the Child and Family Action Plan. They created the Child and Family Well-being Task Force to support its implementation.
• October 2017: Publication of Whatcom Working Toward Well-being: Select indicators of child, family and community well-being in Whatcom County
• October 2017: Generations Forward formed and committed to early childhood action areas.
• January 2017: Community-based Whatcom Perinatal Mental Health Task Force formed. The task force began as a work group of the First Steps Coalition. 
• November 2016: The Whatcom County Health Board makes young children's health and well-being a priority.
• September 2013: Early childhood identified as a focus of the first Community Health Improvement Plan.

The following groups provided feedback for the Healthy Children's Fund:

• Child & Family Wellbeing Task Force
• Healthy Whatcom
• Behavioral Health Advisory Committee
• Whatcom Child Care Coalition
• Proposition 5 Ordinance Writing Group
• Public Health Advisory Board
• County Council