News

We are excited to announce the launch of our 2023-28 Strategic Plan, designed to unleash the power of the Help Me Grow Washington Network to weave together state and community systems, providers, and resources to offer a full spectrum of supports to all families with young children in Washington state.

Created in partnership with key stakeholders, community leaders, tribal partners, policymakers, families and caregivers, and healthcare providers, this plan sets the course for Help Me Grow Washington’s future and lays out six focus areas and nine strategic initiatives that we’ll work to accomplish in the next five years.

Guided by this plan, our efforts will focus on:

1. Establishing a governance model. Build a structure to execute strategic priorities, hold the system and network accountable towards targets and goals, and conduct shared decision-making on key issues.
2. Defining goals & targets. Use an equity-based Targeted Universalism approach to define key target populations, increase access for specific groups, and set targets at the state-level. Support local systems in mirroring this process.
3. Establishing new partnerships. Define new partnership models to allow the HMG WA system to develop a broader network and more flexible structure.
4. Developing specialized referral pathways. Establish system-wide referral pathways and specialized pathways for key populations of focus.
5. Deploying strategic communications & conversations. Develop a two-way communication process with partners that has bi-directional information flow.
6. Building out technology, reporting and infrastructure. Develop a set of capabilities and/or resources that can be shared and leveraged by local communities. Develop a set of data system interoperability governance rules, processes to connect across systems, and technology build-out solutions. Create customized reporting and monitoring to track performance against goals and targets.
7. Conducting analysis & evaluation. Identify access/utilization gaps and service gaps across the state and at local levels.
8. Implementing Special Projects funding pool. Establish ways for sub-granting and project funding where local communities can apply for catalytic funding from the state affiliate.
9. Coordinating funding & advocacy efforts. Lift up specific local community needs, while also requesting from the legislature a comprehensive system-wide budget that supports future community buildouts.

Momentum and initial next steps are already underway. We are currently building capacity to support the establishment of the governance structure and strategic communications with the hire of a project position at Department of Children, Youth & Families. We are also grounding in Targeted Universalism, and with the support of external consultation this fall will be using this approach to set the state system’s target goals and develop technical assistance tools to support local Help Me Grow systems in setting their own targets.

At the heart of Help Me Grow Washington, we want to continue building a system that is stronger and more impactful than the sum of its individual parts. In other words, our belief is that we can achieve more when we collaborate, coordinate processes, pool funding, share power, and elevate gaps. So in order to move this plan ever forward, we will continue to need your help. A healthy Help Me Grow system requires deep partnerships with committed people from diverse backgrounds at the community, regional and state levels who share our vision of families having access to what they need when they need it.