Snohomish County Children's Commission
Encyclopedia
The Snohomish County Children’s Commission is a local Children's Ombudsman
agency in the US state of Washington. It has 25 members, including two youth, appointed by Snohomish County Council
to serve as advisors on issues of health, safety, and welfare of children. Commissioners are mandated by County Code to act in an advocacy role on behalf of the children of Snohomish County. Research and development
work are conducted through forums, public hearings and a strong committee structure. Advocacy work is accomplished through publications, legislative efforts, active involvement in resolving local issues and monthly meeting
s held in public session. Members are appointed to a four-year term and represent a diversity of backgrounds, including: health and human services
, law and justice, education, business and labor, children and youth, parents, minorities and concerned citizens.
• All children have access to adequate health care
, and opportunities to reach their optimal health
• All children have opportunities to contribute meaningfully to their community
• All children receive a quality education, tailored to their individual needs and learning styles
• All children live in a permanent home, where they experience safety and stability, and where they are loved unconditionally
• All children are safe from abuse, bullying, and the harmful effects of alcohol and other drugs
• All children have access to adequate nutrition and exercise for a healthy mind and body
• All children experience positive bonding with a parental figure, and have exposure to appropriate adult role models
• Decision makers routinely make abundant resources available for the needs of children and families, and consider the best interests of children and families in all decisions
Additionally, each Commissioner appointed by the County Council has agreed to enhance children's lives by attending the regularly scheduled Children's Commission meetings; representing the Commission in the community; actively participating in children's legislation; and participating in forums, events, trainings, or projects sponsored by the Commission.
Commissioners have pledged to respect and support the children and families in Snohomish County by taking action to:
• Enrich their relationships with children
• Be a positive role model
for youth
• Make themselves available to youth
• Donate time or money to community organizations that enhance children's lives
• Be an active partner with organizations that support children and families
• Keep Snohomish County a safe, caring and exciting place for children and families
The Commission first met on January 8, 1986 with 15 members in attendance and was dedicated to taking on systemic and community level issues.
Within months of the Commission's formation, Snohomish County found itself at the center of national media attention when three-year-old City of Everett boy, Eli Creekmore, died after his small intestine
ruptured from being kicked in the stomach by his father.
County Executive
Willis Tucker called for the Children’s Commission to investigate the death, which ultimately led Governor Boothe Gardner to convene an independent committee to review the Creekmore incident with an eye toward what went wrong with the responsiveness of the state system to children in peril. Governor Gardner said, “[An] outside review by qualified experts can only help us. The death of any child is a tragedy, but particularly so if there are steps that could be taken to prevent that death. We want to be absolutely certain that we’re doing everything in our power to prevent this from happening again.”
Projects initiated by the Commission have had significant impact on Snohomish County. Discussions for a central child advocacy
center began in 1986 and finally came to fruition in the form of Dawson Place in 2005.
Cocoon House’s Teen Advocate Program, which serves homeless and transient youth, grew out of the Youth on Their Own Conference hosted by the Children’s Commission in 1989.
In 1990, Snohomish County established its Child Care
Resource and Referral Network because of the efforts of the Commission’s Task Force on Teen Pregnancy
. The Commission was staffed by future Washington State House Representative Ruth Kagi.
The Imagine Children’s Museum in downtown Everett, voted Best Museum for Kids, 2005" by Seattle Magazine, came from the work of the Commission’s Quality of Life Committee in 1991.
The annual Links and Alliances Conference, formed in 1998 to provide support to gay and lesbian youth seeking safer environments in school and the community, was also initially a project of the Children’s Commission.
Recently, the Children’s Commission played an integral role in mobilizing Snohomish County to engage in the five-day Seeds of Compassion gathering in Seattle, WA from April 11 to 15, 2008. Conceived by his holiness
the 14th Dalai Lama, Seeds of Compassion was an unprecedented gathering to engage the hearts and minds of the community by highlighting the vision, science and programs of early social, emotional and cognitive learning.
The Commission has also held fast to a tradition of integrating youth voice
, including immigrant and historically underrepresented youth, in all of their projects.
Currently, the Commission is engaged in the following initiatives:
40 Developmental Assets Committee - The Assets Committee promotes 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.
Community Juvenile Justice Committee (CJJC) - The CJJC has existed as a collaboration between Snohomish County's Juvenile Court
, Human Services Department and community stakeholders since 1991. The group works to identify local juvenile justice needs, advocate for system improvements, and facilitate the coordination of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention efforts in Snohomish County. The CJJC promotes evidence-based practices as identified by the Governor's Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee (GJJAC), the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP), and the Federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). Current efforts are focused on examining juvenile justice issues and reducing service gaps for youth, particularly gang prevention/intervention, mental health
issues, gender-focused detention services, juvenile crime
trends and disproportionate minority contact.
Early Learning Committee (ELC) - The ELC developed a strategic plan aligned with the Washington State Kids Matter framework and the regional early learning strategic plan being implemented by Northwest Educational Service District #189. It is currently developing a business plan
for the group with a Foundation for Early Learning Grant. The ELC has five sub-committees, including:
• Steering
• Professional Development
• Family, Friends and Neighbors
• Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender
• Social Emotional Wellness
Legislative Advocacy - 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 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.
Healthy Communities Committee – Members of the Healthy Communities Committee 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 their children to eat healthier and become more active in daily physical activity. The goal is to improve Snohomish County’s Childhood obesity rates.
Prostitution Prevention Network (PPN) - The PPN is a broad-based collaborative initiative striving to develop a program to assist young persons victimized by sex-trade activities. The goal of the PPN is to transform prostitution-centered lifestyles by providing direct linkages to a comprehensive resource network of existing programs and services that include housing, treatment programs, counseling, education, individual case management
, medical care, legal advocacy and other services.
and media violence.
Adverse Childhood Experiences Study - The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study is one of the largest investigations ever conducted on the links between childhood maltreatment and later-life health and well-being. The ACE Study findings suggest that these experiences are major risk factors
for the leading causes of illness and death as well as poor quality of life in the United States. Progress in preventing and recovering from the nation's worst health and social problems
is likely to benefit from the understanding that many of these problems arise as a consequence of adverse childhood experiences.
Gangs - During the past three years street gangs
have increased their presence and can now be found in nearly every community in Snohomish County. Gang violence - which includes robberies, rapes and homicides - has also increased during this time. Street gangs now have an established presence in many of our schools and parks across the county and altercations between gangs are becoming increasingly common. Members of the Children’s Commission have joined the Snohomish County Gang Community Response Team to develop a comprehensive response plan that includes outreach, intervention, prevention and suppression as a remedy for gang violence.
Video game Violence – The Children’s Commission offers free video game violence presentations to groups of any size in Snohomish County. The presentation chronicles the evolution of video game violence and offers participants and agencies suggestions on how to monitor the games their children play.
Children's Ombudsman
The Children's Ombudsman, Children's Commissioner, Child Advocate, Children's Commission or equivalent body is a public authority in various countries charged with the protection and promotion of the rights of children and young people, either in society at large, or in specific categories such as...
agency in the US state of Washington. It has 25 members, including two youth, appointed by Snohomish County Council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
to serve as advisors on issues of health, safety, and welfare of children. Commissioners are mandated by County Code to act in an advocacy role on behalf of the children of Snohomish County. Research and development
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
work are conducted through forums, public hearings and a strong committee structure. Advocacy work is accomplished through publications, legislative efforts, active involvement in resolving local issues and monthly meeting
Monthly meeting
Monthly Meetings are, traditionally, the basic unit of administration in the Religious Society of Friends .For some Friends a Monthly Meeting is a single Meeting , while for others it is a grouping of Meetings which come together for administrative purposes. Membership in the Religious Society of...
s held in public session. Members are appointed to a four-year term and represent a diversity of backgrounds, including: health and human services
United States Department of Health and Human Services
The United States Department of Health and Human Services is a Cabinet department of the United States government with the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is "Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America"...
, law and justice, education, business and labor, children and youth, parents, minorities and concerned citizens.
Mission and Vision
Commissioners envision a society in which:• All children have access to adequate health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
, and opportunities to reach their optimal health
• All children have opportunities to contribute meaningfully to their community
• All children receive a quality education, tailored to their individual needs and learning styles
• All children live in a permanent home, where they experience safety and stability, and where they are loved unconditionally
• All children are safe from abuse, bullying, and the harmful effects of alcohol and other drugs
• All children have access to adequate nutrition and exercise for a healthy mind and body
• All children experience positive bonding with a parental figure, and have exposure to appropriate adult role models
• Decision makers routinely make abundant resources available for the needs of children and families, and consider the best interests of children and families in all decisions
Additionally, each Commissioner appointed by the County Council has agreed to enhance children's lives by attending the regularly scheduled Children's Commission meetings; representing the Commission in the community; actively participating in children's legislation; and participating in forums, events, trainings, or projects sponsored by the Commission.
Commissioners have pledged to respect and support the children and families in Snohomish County by taking action to:
• Enrich their relationships with children
• Be a positive role model
Role model
The term role model generally means any "person who serves as an example, whose behaviour is emulated by others".The term first appeared in Robert K. Merton's socialization research of medical students...
for youth
• Make themselves available to youth
• Donate time or money to community organizations that enhance children's lives
• Be an active partner with organizations that support children and families
• Keep Snohomish County a safe, caring and exciting place for children and families
History
The Snohomish County Children’s Commission was created by County Ordinance in July, 1985 (Ordinance number 85-060). It was the first Children’s Commission formed in Washington State.The Commission first met on January 8, 1986 with 15 members in attendance and was dedicated to taking on systemic and community level issues.
Within months of the Commission's formation, Snohomish County found itself at the center of national media attention when three-year-old City of Everett boy, Eli Creekmore, died after his small intestine
Small intestine
The small intestine is the part of the gastrointestinal tract following the stomach and followed by the large intestine, and is where much of the digestion and absorption of food takes place. In invertebrates such as worms, the terms "gastrointestinal tract" and "large intestine" are often used to...
ruptured from being kicked in the stomach by his father.
County Executive
County executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
Willis Tucker called for the Children’s Commission to investigate the death, which ultimately led Governor Boothe Gardner to convene an independent committee to review the Creekmore incident with an eye toward what went wrong with the responsiveness of the state system to children in peril. Governor Gardner said, “[An] outside review by qualified experts can only help us. The death of any child is a tragedy, but particularly so if there are steps that could be taken to prevent that death. We want to be absolutely certain that we’re doing everything in our power to prevent this from happening again.”
Projects initiated by the Commission have had significant impact on Snohomish County. Discussions for a central child advocacy
Child advocacy
Child advocacy refers to a range of individuals, professionals and advocacy organizations who promote the optimal development of children. An individual or organization engaging in advocacy typically seeks to protect children's rights which may be abridged or abused in a number of areas.- Rights...
center began in 1986 and finally came to fruition in the form of Dawson Place in 2005.
Cocoon House’s Teen Advocate Program, which serves homeless and transient youth, grew out of the Youth on Their Own Conference hosted by the Children’s Commission in 1989.
In 1990, Snohomish County established its Child Care
Childcare
Child care means caring for and supervising child/children usually from 0–13 years of age. In the United States child care is increasingly referred to as early childhood education due to the understanding of the impact of early experiences of the developing child...
Resource and Referral Network because of the efforts of the Commission’s Task Force on Teen Pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy is a pregnancy of a female under the age of 20 when the pregnancy ends. It generally refers to a female who is unmarried and usually refers to an unplanned pregnancy...
. The Commission was staffed by future Washington State House Representative Ruth Kagi.
The Imagine Children’s Museum in downtown Everett, voted Best Museum for Kids, 2005" by Seattle Magazine, came from the work of the Commission’s Quality of Life Committee in 1991.
The annual Links and Alliances Conference, formed in 1998 to provide support to gay and lesbian youth seeking safer environments in school and the community, was also initially a project of the Children’s Commission.
Recently, the Children’s Commission played an integral role in mobilizing Snohomish County to engage in the five-day Seeds of Compassion gathering in Seattle, WA from April 11 to 15, 2008. Conceived by his holiness
His Holiness
His Holiness is the official style or manner of address in reference to the leaders of certain religious groups. In Christianity, specifically the Orthodox Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church, Armenian Orthodox Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and the Roman Catholic...
the 14th Dalai Lama, Seeds of Compassion was an unprecedented gathering to engage the hearts and minds of the community by highlighting the vision, science and programs of early social, emotional and cognitive learning.
The Commission has also held fast to a tradition of integrating youth voice
Youth voice
Youth voice refers to the distinct ideas, opinions, attitudes, knowledge, and actions of young people as a collective body. The term youth voice often groups together a diversity of perspectives and experiences, regardless of backgrounds, identities, and cultural differences...
, including immigrant and historically underrepresented youth, in all of their projects.
Initiatives and Subcommittees
From legislative advocacy to Early Learning, Children’s Commissioners have influenced the county’s response to the most significant issues affecting children and families for the past 23 years. Snohomish County ECEAP, Challenge Day, Dawson Place Child Advocacy Center, Systems 101 Training Days, the Parent Fair, Video Game Violence Toolkit, the We Value Kids Table, the Youth Crisis Resource Card (and much more) all came about from work initiated by the Snohomish County Children's Commission.Currently, the Commission is engaged in the following initiatives:
40 Developmental Assets Committee - The Assets Committee promotes the use of Search Institute's 40 Developmental Assets in Snohomish County, the most widely used approach to positive youth development
Positive youth development
Positive youth development, or PYD, refers to intentional efforts of other youth, adults, communities, government agencies, and schools to provide opportunities for youth to enhance their interests, skills, and abilities into their adulthoods...
in the United States.
Community Juvenile Justice Committee (CJJC) - The CJJC has existed as a collaboration between Snohomish County's Juvenile Court
Juvenile court
A juvenile court is a tribunal having special authority to try and pass judgments for crimes committed by children or adolescents who have not attained the age of majority...
, Human Services Department and community stakeholders since 1991. The group works to identify local juvenile justice needs, advocate for system improvements, and facilitate the coordination of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention efforts in Snohomish County. The CJJC promotes evidence-based practices as identified by the Governor's Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee (GJJAC), the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP), and the Federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). Current efforts are focused on examining juvenile justice issues and reducing service gaps for youth, particularly gang prevention/intervention, mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
issues, gender-focused detention services, juvenile crime
Juvenile delinquency
Juvenile delinquency is participation in illegal behavior by minors who fall under a statutory age limit. Most legal systems prescribe specific procedures for dealing with juveniles, such as juvenile detention centers. There are a multitude of different theories on the causes of crime, most if not...
trends and disproportionate minority contact.
Early Learning Committee (ELC) - The ELC developed a strategic plan aligned with the Washington State Kids Matter framework and the regional early learning strategic plan being implemented by Northwest Educational Service District #189. It is currently developing a business plan
Business plan
A business plan is a formal statement of a set of business goals, the reasons why they are believed attainable, and the plan for reaching those goals. It may also contain background information about the organization or team attempting to reach those goals....
for the group with a Foundation for Early Learning Grant. The ELC has five sub-committees, including:
• Steering
• Professional Development
Professional development
Professional development refers to skills and knowledge attained for both personal development and career advancement. Professional development encompasses all types of facilitated learning opportunities, ranging from college degrees to formal coursework, conferences and informal learning...
• Family, Friends and Neighbors
• Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender
• Social Emotional Wellness
Legislative Advocacy - 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 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
Cost-effectiveness
Cost-effectiveness analysis is a form of economic analysis that compares the relative costs and outcomes of two or more courses of action. Cost-effectiveness analysis is distinct from cost-benefit analysis, which assigns a monetary value to the measure of effect...
, culturally and age-appropriate prevention programs and policies for children and youth.
Healthy Communities Committee – Members of the Healthy Communities Committee 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
Physical exercise
Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons including strengthening muscles and the cardiovascular system, honing athletic skills, weight loss or maintenance, as well as for the purpose of...
. Each community involved is working to increase opportunities for their children to eat healthier and become more active in daily physical activity. The goal is to improve Snohomish County’s Childhood obesity rates.
Prostitution Prevention Network (PPN) - The PPN is a broad-based collaborative initiative striving to develop a program to assist young persons victimized by sex-trade activities. The goal of the PPN is to transform prostitution-centered lifestyles by providing direct linkages to a comprehensive resource network of existing programs and services that include housing, treatment programs, counseling, education, individual case management
Case management
Case management is a managed care technique within the health care coverage system of the United States.- Case management in health care :The Case Management Society of America, a non-profit association dedicated to the support and development of the profession of case management through...
, medical care, legal advocacy and other services.
Current Projects (not affiliated with any particular Committee)
The Children’s Commission identified several projects to promote that impact children in Snohomish County, including the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, the rise of gangs and gang culture in the county and the impact of video gameComputer and video games
A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The word video in video game traditionally referred to a raster display device, but following popularization of the term "video game", it now implies any type of...
and media violence.
Adverse Childhood Experiences Study - The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study is one of the largest investigations ever conducted on the links between childhood maltreatment and later-life health and well-being. The ACE Study findings suggest that these experiences are major risk factors
Risk factors
A risk factor is a concept in finance theory such as the CAPM, APT and other theories that use pricing kernels. In these models, the rate of return of an asset is a random variable whose realization in any time period is a linear combination of other random variables plus a disturbance term or...
for the leading causes of illness and death as well as poor quality of life in the United States. Progress in preventing and recovering from the nation's worst health and social problems
Social issues
Social issues are controversial issues which relate to people's personal lives and interactions. Social issues are distinguished from economic issues...
is likely to benefit from the understanding that many of these problems arise as a consequence of adverse childhood experiences.
Gangs - During the past three years street gangs
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
have increased their presence and can now be found in nearly every community in Snohomish County. Gang violence - which includes robberies, rapes and homicides - has also increased during this time. Street gangs now have an established presence in many of our schools and parks across the county and altercations between gangs are becoming increasingly common. Members of the Children’s Commission have joined the Snohomish County Gang Community Response Team to develop a comprehensive response plan that includes outreach, intervention, prevention and suppression as a remedy for gang violence.
Video game Violence – The Children’s Commission offers free video game violence presentations to groups of any size in Snohomish County. The presentation chronicles the evolution of video game violence and offers participants and agencies suggestions on how to monitor the games their children play.