Best Starts for Kids levy: Saving money and saving lives

We all know kids who have more than their share of obstacles to overcome – whether we know it or not. They’re the ones hiding the domestic violence or alcoholism in their homes, the ones who don’t always get enough to eat, the ones who have difficulty in school.

We also know what can help children and families facing obstacles like these. There are proven strategies like home visits for new moms and families to ensure babies are healthy, developmental screenings at the right times to intervene if needed, programs that help protect families from becoming homeless, and safe, walkable communities. We know the way, we just need the will.

That’s what the Best Starts for Kids levy is all about. On the November ballot, Best Starts would support the preventive programs we know work – for individuals and for the community. Passing the levy represents an investment in babies that are born healthy, a healthy and safe journey to adulthood for all of our kids, and communities that offer safe, welcoming environments for all children and families. It also means fewer children who are abused, neglected and homeless; fewer youth who suffer from chronic disease; fewer emergency room visits and fewer young people involved in the justice system.

"Best Starts for Kids is how we will transform the way we invest in our next generation, to finally provide the upstream solutions that prevent negative outcomes such as mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence, homelessness, and incarceration,” King County Executive Dow Constantine said in remarks to the King County Council earlier this year.

Nurses know from experience how important it is to invest in prevention. And, as members of one of the most trusted professions, nurses are uniquely qualified to help spread the word.

Amy Bellante is a public health nurse who provides maternity support services in South King County. “It’s a way to connect young moms or young families to resources for better outcomes,” she said.

Bellante received W.I.C. services herself when she was a young mom; seeing firsthand the power of the program moved her to become a lactation consultant and then a Registered Nurse herself. Now she is the one educating other moms about pregnancy, labor and delivery, and breastfeeding so that they can make informed decisions. “I think it matters,” Bellante said.

About a year ago she helped start a post-partum group that is still going strong. “There is such a need for that in languages other than English such as Spanish – like immediately, two years ago,” Bellante said.

Best Starts for Kids is a six-year levy at a rate of 14 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, or about $56 per year for the average King County homeowner. The focus is on investing in prevention for kids aged 5 and under, rather than spending more money on preventable chronic illness and the criminal justice system later on.

About half of the revenue would focus on children under age five and pregnant women, including a modest investment to support programs like the one Bellante works in. About 35 percent would go to children and youth aged five through 24, a time when the parts of the brain that govern emotion and self-regulation continue to develop. About 10 percent would go to creating more safe and healthy communities – things like access to healthy and affordable food, affordable housing and economic opportunity.

“As nurses, we know the difference prevention programs can make in supporting healthy child development and strong families,” said Judy Huntington, executive director of the Washington State Nurses Association. “We know it is better to support healthy pregnancies than to care for babies in the NICU. We would rather see children getting healthy food and exercise than help them manage Type 2 diabetes. And, we would much rather see teens get the help and support they need than see them in the emergency room. For us as nurses, prevention is the best kind of care.”

You can find detailed information on how levy funds would be used on the King County Executive’s website. Go to http://wsna.to/BestStarts.