This was originally posted on the DCHS Cultivating Connections blog.
The well-being of young people is vital to the success of our communities. The Youth Action Plan is King County’s commitment to youth happiness, health, and community leadership. First adopted by the King County Council in 2015, the Youth Action Plan sets the priorities for King County in how we create and invest in supports for children and young people.
“In 2015, the original Youth Action Plan set the foundation for the Best Starts for Kids Initiative and Children, Youth, and Young Adult Division (CYYAD). It defined King County’s role as an agency that should invest in young people’s well-being,” said CYYAD Acting Director Jennifer Tanaka. “Going forward, the updated Youth Action Plan builds off the work the work that has been accomplished while naming emerging priorities that the County can embrace in the future.”
In 2023, the King County Children and Youth Advisory Board asked for an update to the plan, recognizing that since the pandemic, there were new opportunities and challenges to face. Last year, former Executive Shannon Braddock responded by transmitting a proposed updated Youth Action Plan to the King County Council as one of her last actions as Executive before welcoming new Executive Girmay Zahilay.
The King County Council is anticipated to consider the proposed updated Youth Action Plan this spring.
About the Proposed Youth Action Plan
In developing the proposed updated plan, King County DCHS developed recommendations built from input from young people and community organizations. This included over 2,000 young people who contributed input via the Youth Bill of Rights that the King County Council adopted in January 2025.
Recommendations are based on progress made in the past several years, as well as the Department’s commitment to community leadership. One of the new recommendations that reflects this is “Strengthen the Community-Based Organization Ecosystem.”
The proposed Youth Action Plan was also updated with a new principle that informs the recommendations: “Strive for optimal well-being, healing, and joy.” According to the proposed plan, “this principle reflects the need for King County government to sustain aspirational goals for happiness and thriving lives for all young people, not limiting goals to prevent and address negative outcomes only.”
The plan functions to outline King County’s role in supporting young people. It sets expectations for the work the County does and guidance on how the work can be done. The plan’s recommendations are intended to be used to shape policy and investments we make that support young people
Youth Action Plan Recommendations:
- Lead with Equity, Racial and Social Justice
- Strengthen and Stabilize Families, Children, Youth, and Young Adults
- Stop the School-to-Prison Pipeline
- Strengthen Cross-Sector Collaboration and Collective Impact
- Be Data Informed and Data Inclusive
- Invest Early, Invest Often, Invest in Community-Informed Outcomes
- Implementation, Accountability, and Evaluation
- Youth Bill of Rights: Utilize the King County Youth Bill of Rights as a formal guide when considering policies and budgetary decisions that impact children and youth. Update the Youth Bill of Rights every five years.
- Strengthen the Community-Based Organization Ecosystem
Read the full details of each recommendation in the Youth Action Plan!
