### Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Council Public Works and Health Committee met on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, to receive two presentations from the Health and Community Services Department. The session focused on current community services programs and an update on Healthy Children's Fund projects and childcare initiatives. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Millage Funds:** Property tax-based funding that supports specific county programs like developmental disabilities and veteran services. Residents pay approximately $4 annually toward these services through their property taxes. **Nurse Family Partnership:** A program serving first-time mothers before 24 weeks of pregnancy, providing home visits and support through pregnancy and early childhood to promote healthy births and child development. **Drop-in Child Care:** A new innovative program providing temporary childcare for families during emergencies, medical appointments, or when regular childcare is unavailable, with 122 spaces available per month. **Document Recording Fees:** Revenue generated from real estate transactions that funds homeless housing programs, which has decreased due to reduced refinancing activity in the current market. **Opioid Settlement Funds:** Approximately $2 million in settlement money from pharmaceutical companies to address opioid-related issues, with strict guidelines on allowable expenses for prevention and remediation efforts. **Consolidated Homeless Grant:** State funding allocation for homeless housing programs, expected to be reduced in the coming fiscal year. **Five-Year Homeless Housing Plan:** Required strategic planning document for the state that guides how housing funds are allocated and used, currently being updated from the 2019 version. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Jon Scanlon | Committee Chair | | Mark Stremler | Committee Member | | Ben Elenbaas | Committee Member | | Ann Beck | Health and Community Services Division Manager | | Sarah Simpson | Child and Family Program Supervisor | | Amanda Burnett | Human Services Supervisor | | Kayla Schott-Bresler | Executive's Office Representative | ### Background Context Whatcom County's Health and Community Services Department manages a complex portfolio of programs addressing homelessness, housing, child welfare, and public health needs across the county. The department operates during challenging times with reduced federal funding, increased service costs, and higher demand for services. The Healthy Children's Fund, established to improve early childhood outcomes, has distributed over $7 million through 35+ active contracts. Meanwhile, housing programs face budget constraints due to reduced document recording fees and expected cuts to state funding. The department serves vulnerable populations including first-time mothers, veterans, people experiencing homelessness, individuals with developmental disabilities, and families needing childcare support. The presentations highlighted both successes and challenges. Capital projects have created hundreds of new housing units and childcare slots, while innovative programs like drop-in childcare address previously unmet community needs. However, staffing challenges, funding uncertainties, and increased service demand create ongoing pressures. The department's work spans from emergency shelter operations during severe weather to long-term housing development, from supporting new mothers to providing employment services for people with disabilities. ### What Happened — The Short Version Ann Beck provided a comprehensive overview of community services work, highlighting the five-year homeless housing plan update, successful capital projects creating 100+ new affordable rental units, and challenges with reduced funding from document recording fees and federal sources. She reported serving 300+ individuals through severe weather shelter operations and noted staffing challenges in the Nurse Family Partnership program. The department has over $2 million in opioid settlement funds with specific spending guidelines. Sarah Simpson updated the committee on Healthy Children's Fund progress, reporting 35+ active contracts totaling over $7 million. The new drop-in childcare program has enrolled three providers with 122 monthly spaces and 100% usage for qualifying families. She announced productive meetings on the Bellingham Technical College workforce development contract and ongoing work on childcare subsidy programs, though state budget constraints may affect original plans. Council members expressed strong interest in receiving regular updates on contract processing timelines, particularly after delays with the BTC contract. Discussion centered on improving transparency and early identification of potential bottlenecks in the contracting process. ### What to Watch Next - May 13th presentation to council on the five-year homeless housing plan update - Summer completion of the permanence for housing assessment - Release of RFP for emergency shelter operations to potentially find new providers - Final decisions on childcare subsidy program parameters given state budget constraints ---