Initiatives
We're an active Commission!
Most of our work happens in committee. From legislative advocacy to early learning, Children’s Commissioners have influenced the county’s response to the most significant issues affecting children and families in our community for the past 23 years.
The work of passionate and dedicated people – just like you – have made an important difference for kids in Snohomish County. Cocoon House’s Teen Advocate Program, so vital in meeting the needs of homeless and transient youth, grew out of the "Youth on Their Own Conference" held by the Children’s Commission in 1989. The Children’s Museum, voted "Best Museum for Kids 2005" by Seattle Magazine, came out of work done by the Commission’s Quality of Life Committee. Snohomish County ECEAP, Challenge Day, Dawson Place Child Advocacy Center, Systems 101 Training Days, Parent Fair, Video Game Violence Toolkit, We Value Kids Table, Youth Crisis Resource Card, Parent's Handbook on Gangs (and much more) all came about from work initiated by our Children's Commission.
Our goal is to be responsive to the needs of our community and to be proactive instead of reactive. Check out any of our current initiatives to learn what we're doing and how you can play a part!
40 Developmental Assets
The Children's Commission Assets sub-committee has been vital in promoting the use of Search Institute's 40 Developmental Assets in Snohomish County, the most widely used approach to positive youth development in the United States.
What are Assets?
Quite simply, Assets are building blocks for raising healthy children and youth. The Asset approach is grounded in extensive research in youth development, resiliency and prevention. Developmental Assets represent the relationships, opportunities and personal qualities young people need to avoid risks and to thrive.
(Hyperlinked picture of Assets Map: http://www.search-institute.org/content/what-are-developmental-assets)
Want to learn more?
Just watch the introductory video below to learn more about how you can start using the 40 Developmental Assets today! You can also click the picture above to go to Search Institute's website to explore Assets in more depth.
(Assets Video)
How you can become involved
The Assets sub-committee of the Children's Commission meets monthly and we'd be happy to meet you there!
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Community Juvenile Justice Coalition |
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What is the CJJC?
Contact |
Sidebar Text
The Youth Crisis Resource Card developed by the CJJC. Over 12,000 have been printed and distributed so far. Click on it to open the pdf.
(Link to sidebar and CJJC workplan)
Early Learning
Early Learning in Snohomish County
One of the very active committee’s of the Children’s Commission is the Early Learning Committee (ELC). During the past year, the Early Learning Committee has developed a strategic plan that is aligned with the state Kids Matter framework and the regional early learning strategic plan being implemented by NWESD #189.
Our vision is that all children have high quality early care and learning experiences that support optimal growth and development leading to success in school and life; all children are ready for school and all schools are ready for children.
It is the goal of the ELC to develop relationships with local champions and inspire community stakeholders and leaders to partner with the Snohomish County Children’s Commission to ensure children in our community are healthy and ready for success in school and life. We invite you to stand with us in our efforts to grow “ready children” in Snohomish County.
The Early Learning Committee meets quarterly, and has pledged to:
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Develop strategies and enhance the existing early learning infrastructure in our County
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Develop county-wide and region-wide system goals that align with the WA state’s Kids Matter framework
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Strengthen connections between the early learning community and school districts
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Begin to determine the activities we feel are necessary to assure that all children enter kindergarten ready to succeed in school and in life
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Identify future steps the group would like to take to support children, birth to eight, and their families in Snohomish County
What we are doing now
The ELC is currently working on developing a business plan for the group. A Foundation for Early Learning Grant has allowed us to hire Dovetailing Consulting to do this work. For the business plan/roadmap, we are looking at our three main strategies (school linkages to early learning; parent connections/support; and child social emotional wellness) and flushing out the various activities that our county would need to do to achieve our goals. In addition we are looking at our governance structure and how the group will conduct its work.
Meetings
Anyone who is interested can attend one of our five subcommittees that meet monthly:
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Steering
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Professional Development
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Family, Friends and Neighbors
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Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender
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Social Emotional Wellness
For all intents and purposes, these subcommittees are where the 'real work' of the ELC is being done.
Contact
If you'd like to visit us for any of our committee or subcommittee meetings, please don't hesitate to email the ELC Co-Chairs, Elaine Larson at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or CaterinaTassara-Vaubel at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Committee Members
American Federation of Teachers/Child Care Workforce Alliance • Child Care Providers • Community Service Agencies • Department of Early Learning • Edmonds Community College • Everett Community College • Family Support Centers of Snohomish County • Family, Friend and Neighbor Caregivers • Housing Hope • Little Red School House • Lutheran Community Services Northwest • North Sound 2-1-1 • Snohomish County Human Services Department • Providence Children’s Center • Public, Private, and Faith Based Preschools • School Districts • Sherwood Community Services • Snohomish County Association for the Education of Young Children • Snohomish County Child Care Resource & Referral, Volunteers of America Western Washington • Snohomish County Division of Developmental Disabilities • Snohomish County Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program • Snohomish County Early Head Start and Head Start Programs • Snohomish County Family Interagency Coordinating Council • Snohomish County Health District • Snohomish County Infant Toddler • Early Intervention Program, Department of Developmental Disabilities, Department of Social and Health Services • Sno-Isle Libraries • United Way of Snohomish County Success By 6® • Wonderland Developmental Center • YMCA of Snohomish County
Sidebar Text:
(Links to strategic plan, subcommittees, and logic model)
Legislative Advocacy
Advocating for Children in Snohomish County
By Ordinance, the Snohomish County Children's Commission is charged with assessing and advocating for the health and welfare of Snohomish County children ages 0-18 and with advising County government on matters relating to the needs and priorities of children.
Pursuant to this charge, the Snohomish County Children's Commission strongly encourages County and State decision makers to be both courageous and creative in identifying resources for essential human services; to mitigate the bureaucracy that reduces efficiency; and to promote cost effective, culturally and age-appropriate prevention programs and policies for children and youth.
Legislative Agenda
The Children's Commission has prioritized the following Legislative Agenda:
Family Preservation & Self-Sufficiency
Position - Support legislation that:
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Coordinates services for children and families.
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Strengthens the foster care system.
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Supports sound educational programs that consider the "whole child" and partner with families and communities to ensure children and youth are successful in all areas of their lives.
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Addresses the causes and promotes the elimination of poverty.
Specifically, support legislation that:
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Increases resources for adequate training, support and oversight for all foster parents.
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Provides adequate funding for domestic violence programs.
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Provides adequate funding for programs that increase early learning and schoolreadiness.
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Provides responsible funding, administration and resources for "No Child Left Behind", Title I, other federally funded entitlement programs, and other under-funded mandates.
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Supports the provision of resources at all stages of youth development that empowers them to reach their full potential as adults.
Child & Family Health and Wellness
Position - Support legislation that:
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Provides funding for programs to address the health and wellness of children, youth and families, including social and emotional development.
Specifically, support legislation that:
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Assures an adequately supported health system and mental health services.
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Invests wisely in parent and family support programs, including programs that provide youth with safe places to be.
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Alters categorical funding to allow blending of funding streams for dually-diagnosed (i.e. mental health and chemical dependency) children and youth.
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Ensures healthy nutrition and encourages physical activity for infants, children and their families.
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Invest in quality learning environments by increasing the technical skills, knowledge and compensation of professionals working with children and providing support and resource to programs for quality assessment and improvement.
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Enhances our collective understanding of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and their impacts on our citizens' health and wellness, and seeks to prevent or mitigate their effects.
Juvenile Justice & Prevention Programming
Position - Support legislation that:
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Considers the social, emotional and developmental stages of children and youth when formulating programs, policies and procedures.
Specifically, support legislation that:
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Ensures the protection of due process rights for youths and balances accountability with prevention and treatment.
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Provides adequate funding for research-based prevention programs and strategies.
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Allows for flexibility of response; ensures comprehensive medical services, as well as mental health and Drug and Alcohol prevention and treatment before, during, and after incarceration, ensuring supportive transitions and seamless access to services.
Housing & Homeless Prevention
Position - Support legislation that:
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Ensures safe, quality and affordable housing for all children, youth and their families.
Specifically, support legislation that:
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Provides funding and incentives for development and maintenance of housing for "hard to place" children and youth
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Provides funding for adequate transitional and permanent housing and services
Contact
To receive Legislative Updates or to attend Legislative Advocacy Committee meetings please email Committee Chair Katrina Ondracek at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Sidebar text:
(Link to legislative agenda document)
Healthy Communities
Members of the Children's Commission have been working with three cities in Snohomish County - Marysville, Lynnwood and Everett - on the Healthy Communities project.
The project supports an environment where residents of all ages choose healthy foods and physical activity. Each community involved is working to increase opportunities for our children to eat healthier and become more active in daily physical activity.
The Goal is to improve in our Counties Childhood obesity rates. The project took a bit of a step backward when Health District funds were lost to our current economic downfall but with the aid of project volunteers all three cities are continuing this important adventure.
Marysville has been very active in the project and leads the way in making improvements in the community and promoting an active and healthy life style for all ages.
Everett and Lynnwood are new to the project and have set goals and are currently doing inventories of their current programs and facilities.
Each community has pledged to:
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Promote healthful foods and Beverages
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Supports opportunities for fitness and recreational activities
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Increase and improve parks and recreational facilities
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Address childhood obesity rates
Contact
Would you like to learn more about the Healthy Communities project? Please email Children's Commission Chair, Chris Hoiby, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . You can also click on the Healthy Communities Logo above to be taken to the Snohomish Health District's Healthy Communities page!
Prostitution Prevention Network
In late 2007, public service professionals from the Everett Police Department, Snohomish County Human Services, and Providence Intervention Center for Assault and Abuse (PICAA), met to discuss some alarming trends in prostitution, including an increase in juvenile prostitution and use of the internet to solicit prostitution. With a desire to provide an intervention strategy for youth and young adults involved in prostitution, the core group expanded to include representatives from Cocoon House, law enforcement (including the FBI), Domestic Violence Services, Dawson Place Child Advocacy Center and the Snohomish County Health Department.
The Prostitution Prevention Network (PPN) of Snohomish County formed in 2008 and is currently co-chaired by Cocoon House and PICAA. The group meets on the third Thursday of the month from 10:00-12:00 at Cocoon House.
The PPN is a broad-based collaborative initiative striving to develop a program to assist young people victimized by sex trade activities. The eventual goal of the PPN is to transform their lifestyles by providing direct linkages to a comprehensive resource network of existing programs and services to include housing, treatment programs, counseling, education, individual case management, medical care, legal advocacy and other services.
Events
Bringing Awareness to Children's Issues
Although most of our work happens in committee, the Children's Commission has been active in sponsoring and hosting events that bring awareness to children's issues in Snohomish County.
Past Commission events include the Have a Heart for Kids Rally, Annual Dinner, the Parent Conference, Cross-systems 101 training days and more!
Also, stay tuned to this page for upcoming events and registration information.
We Value Kids Award
The Snohomish County Children’s Commission has the honor of recognizing individuals and agency’s within our community who advocate on behalf of children, and whose commitment to the Commission’s values enables our young people to develop towards their full potential.
Is there an adult in your community who….
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Sets reasonable BOUNDARIES and has high EXPECTATIONS
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SUPPORTS children with love, care and attention
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EMPOWERS kids to use their abilities to help others
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Helps youth to find CREATIVE and MEANINGFUL activities
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Nurtures in all youth their COMMITMENT to LEARNING
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Instills POSITIVE VALUES to guide them
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Helps children and youth develop LIFE SKILLS and SOCIAL COMPETENCIES
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Celebrates and affirms their POSITIVE IDENTITIES
If you know someone who is making a positive difference in the lives of young people in your community, why not nominate them for the "We Value Kids" Award?
All you have to do is download the We Value Kids Nomination Form on the left and follow the instructions to return it to us. The Commission will do the rest!
Sidebar text:
(Link to WVK Award Nomination Document)
Caught in the Act Award
The Snohomish County Children's Commission also recognizes youth who make a significant contribution to their community. Examples might be: a "good Samaritan" act, being a positive role model, showing random acts of kindness, helping an elderly neighbor without being asked, standing up for a friend who has made a healthy choice, taking the "high road" when others are not, picking up litter from public places, or any positive contribution to our community.
Like the We Value Kids award, nominations are accepted regularly throughout the year and award recipients are recognized at a public event.
Sidebar text:
(Link to Caught In the Act Award Nomination Document)
We Value Kids Table
At an Annual Retreat, Nancy Amedei, a nationally recognized social change expert, described how a Child Advocates’ Breakfast in Olympia came to be known as the “Good People’s Table.” The advocates’ regular breakfast gatherings grew to be recognized as the place to go to get information on issues and pending legislation affecting children, youth and families. The Children’s Commission embraced the idea and began the ‘We Value Kids Table,’ an informal open forum for local discussions.
On the first Tuesday of each month, anyone who wants to talk about children’s issues is invited to attend a no host breakfast, 8:30 – 9:30am at Kate’s Greek-American Deli on Colby Avenue in Everett. Previous discussion topics have included the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL); age of consent; mental health issues; video violence; and vocational funding.
When
Please join us the first Tuesday of each month to talk about children's issues and to enjoy a no-host breakfast between 8:30-9:30am.
Where
Kate's at 2512 Colby, Everett WA 98201. It's easy to get to!
What
Discussion topics have included the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL), age of consent, mental health issues, video violence, parent coaching and vocational funding.
Why
We want your input!
Contact
If you would like more information about joining us at the We Value Kids Table, or on becoming a champion for children, please email Children's Commission Chair Winnie Corral at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Annual Dinner
Celebrating Compassion in Action
The Children's Commission has held an Annual Dinner each year since 1986 to celebrate compassion in action and to honor the efforts and accomplishments of the Commission during the past year.
The Annual Dinner generally attracts a diverse cross-section of our community, including elected officials, child advocates and concerned citizens. Snohomish County leadership has traditionally welcomed our guests to the dinner with recent guest speakers including Pam Eakes and Cheryl Elsworth from the Seeds of Compassion Initiative, Paola Maranan from Children's Alliance and Bruce Agnew from the Discovery Institute. Recent musical guests have included the Big Blue Ball Marimba Ensemble from Sherwood Elementary School and the Avant Blues from the Mariner High School Select Jazz Choir.
Because of the significant impact our national and local economy has had on both the Commission and the community, Commissioners have postponed the Annual Dinner for the first time in more than 20 years.
Sidebar text:
(Links to most recent Annual Dinner Invite and Program)
Have a Heart for Kids Rally
Snohomish County residents interested in family issues have a chance to speak with local elected officials and network with child advocates each February in the Commission's rally for kids.
The Have a Heart for Kids Rally typically occurs at the Courtyard Plaza on the Snohomish County Campus at 3000 Rockefeller Avenue in Everett and has become a tradition for child advocates throughout the region. Following scheduled speakers rally participants form into a large "heart" and shout, "We Value Kids."
"The more than 180,000 children and youth in Snohomish County are the foundation of our community's future success," Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon said. "Our County grows stronger when all citizens become aware of the issues that impact children and their families."
For three years, County Executive Reardon and the Snohomish County Council declared February Have a Heart for Kids Month in Snohomish County. Each of the joint resolutions came in response to a recommendation made by the Snohomish County Children's Commission.
Unfortunately, the Kids Rally didn't occur in 2009 due to our region's flagging economy, but stay tuned for more advocacy opportunities on wevaluekids.org.
Hidden Voices
Giving Voice to Underrepresented Families
The Children's Commission and Snohomish County Human Services Department co-sponsored a two-part event to bring awareness to the multicultural and linguistic challenges facing many families in our diverse community.
Hidden Voices featured two panels of experts:
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Youth from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds shared about the experiences and inter-generational challenges their families face
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Community service providers described available resources and successful strategies to use when providing services to underrepresented and recently immigrated families
Moderated by Children's Commission Chair Winnie Corral, the event attracted more than 100 people who learned about the intergenerational dynamics that are part of the complexity of life for many recently immigrated families. Audience members were particularly riveted when many on the youth panel discussed being the only English speaker in their family and taking on the role of translator between their parents and school, doctor's offices and even government agencies like the police and juvenile courts.
The Hidden Voices panel presented a remarkable opportunity to learn about these issues from those directly involved.
Parent Fair
A Day to Ask the Experts
Hosted by the Children's Commission, the Parent Conference and Resource Fair was a totally FREE event dedicated to parents and guardians raising children in Snohomish County.
We know parents are doing their very best to grow happy and healthy kids and we wanted to lend a helping hand by offering them access to the very best information and experts available in our community.
So, we arranged a Saturday event with flexibility in mind. Parents were able to drop by whenever they could to stay for as long, or as little, as their schedule allowed!
With close to 50 experts on hand to answer questions at our "Ask the Expert" tables, parents were also to attend one of 12 30 minute "Flash Sessions" running throughout the day.
The Commission also gave away door prizes that include parenting and ADHD books, NetNanny software and more!
Perhaps the greatest unintended benefit of the conference was the unbridled enthusiasm for networking that all of our experts and partner agencies engaged in. One expert wrote to us, "Getting to interact with so many families was great, but I accomplished more networking than I'm normally able to do in six months!"
30 Minute Flash Sessions included:
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Internet Safety
Snohomish County Sheriff's Department
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Choosing Quality Child Care
Child Care Resource & Referral
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Infant/Toddler Development
Little Red School House
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Is My Teen Using Drugs
Evergreen Manor
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CollegeBound Scholarship Opportunities
Higher Education Coordination Board
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The Asset Approach to Raising Kids
Cocoon House
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Early Intervention 0-3 Years
Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program
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Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Resources
Snohomish County Long-term Care and Aging
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Alcohol Advertising and Underage Drinking
Office of Children's Affairs & Prevention
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English Language Learner Resources
Marysville School District
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Raising Resilient Children
United Way of Snohomish County
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Teen Stress, Depression and Suicide
Youth Suicide Prevention Program
Agencies with Experts at the Conference
Alateen / Alanon • Arc of Snohomish County • Attention Deficit Disorder Resources • Bethany Christian Services • Center for Human Services • Changes Parent Support Network • Children's Administration & Olive Crest (Fostering Together) • Cocoon House • Deaconess Children's Services • Denney Juvenile Justice Center • Department of Early Learning • Department of Social and Health Services/Children's Administration • Department of Social and Health Services • EDCC - Snohomish County Head Start & Early Head Start • Everett Housing Authority • Evergreen Manor • GLOBE • Grace Academy • Higher Education Coordination Board • Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program • Kaitlin's Mobility Foundation • Little Red Schoolhouse • Marysville School District #25 / English Language Learner Department • MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) at Snohomish Community Church • Naval Station Everett • Priceless Parenting • Providence Intervention Center for Assault and Abuse • Safe Kids Snohomish County • Snohomish County ECEAP • Snohomish County Human Services • Snohomish County Long Term Care & Aging • Snohomish County Sheriff's Office • Snohomish County VGAL (Volunteer Guardian ad Litem) Program • Snohomish Health District - Nutrition / Tobacco Prevention & Control • Sno-Isle Libraries • TeamChild • The HANDLE Institute International, LLC •Tourette Syndrome Association (WA/OR State Chapter) • United Way of Snohomish County • Volunteers of America Child Care Resource & Referral • Youth Suicide Prevention Program • Youthnet