For the Reporter

Kent School District Superintendent Calvin Watts is among 35 members who were appointed Friday to serve on the advisory board that will help implement Best Starts for Kids, a recently-approved initiative designed to improve the health and well being of children, youth, families and communities throughout King County.

“I’m grateful to have a talented, respected and diverse group of experts and community leaders helping guide our initiative to transform the way we invest in our children’s future,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine, who announced the appointments. “Together, we will deliver outcomes that put more children and youth in our region on a path toward lifelong success.”

Members of the Children and Youth Advisory Board reflect the cultural and geographic diversity of the county and have demonstrated a commitment to children and youth, Constantine said. They include content experts, community leaders, educators, researchers and representatives of service providers and nonprofit organizations.

The Metropolitan King County Council must confirm the appointments.

The board will advise the county on implementation and oversight of the children and youth programs to be funded by the six-year levy approved by voters last month. Board members will ensure that levy funds deliver the prevention and early intervention strategies needed to improve health and well-being outcomes in King County. They will also ensure that Best Starts for Kids aligns with existing county children and youth programs.

Best Starts for Kids has the potential to be a national model for expanding opportunities for children and youth,” said appointee Dr. Ben Danielson, medical director at Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic. “Executive Constantine is doing what other elected leaders across the country have talked about for years: Transitioning toward a more effective, prevention-oriented approach to services that deliver the best outcomes.”

The King County Youth Action Plan, which establishes the County’s priorities for serving infants through young adults, will guide the advisory board.

Most of the prevention and early intervention programs and services will be provided by community-based nonprofit organizations. Rigorous program evaluation will show how these programs and services help the county achieve the desired outcomes. If a program is ultimately not delivering positive results, the advisory board can recommend changing the funding to invest instead in a program that is helping the county achieve its goals.

Best Starts for Kids is the most comprehensive approach to childhood development in the nation, with a framework based on the latest neuroscience. It will focus investments on birth through age 5 when 92 percent of brain growth occurs. It will sustain the gain by providing intervention services as problems such as serious depression and addiction emerge during teenage years. It will also invest in healthier, safer communities that reinforce progress.

For more information and to see the full list of advisory board members, visit kingcountry.gov.