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Work group seeks clearer criteria to link 2026 recommendations to Washington Thriving strategic plan
Summary
Members asked staff to create a standardized template so subgroups can demonstrate how each 2026 recommendation maps to Washington Thriving initiatives, foundational dimensions, affected populations and the care continuum; staff will draft a rubric and iterate with subgroup leads.
The Children Youth Behavioral Health Work Group spent a large portion of the session debating how subgroups should show that their 2026 recommendations align with the Washington Thriving strategic plan. Hannah Traphagen, Washington Thriving program manager, said the new statutory requirement that the annual report include an "alignment" discussion requires clearer, comparable information from subgroups so the work group can write a meaningful narrative for the report.
Members repeatedly urged more structure. "We need something that gets the subcommittees to identify how, where, and with what aspects or initiatives of the strategic plan it aligns," Laurie said, arguing the current open‑ended prompts would not produce comparable results. Taku supported a shared template and asked subgroups to explicitly name which initiative or dimension each recommendation addresses and whether it is regional or statewide in scope.
Several members proposed a two‑step approach: subgroups submit a standardized short form or checklist (with options such as "not applicable") and a concise narrative, and a separate vetting rubric would help prioritize among potentially many recommendations. Senator Wilson urged that each recommendation also identify where it fits on the prevention‑to‑intensive continuum so the group can see whether investments are balanced across prevention and higher‑intensity services.
Staff committed to draft a first version of standardized criteria and a template in consultation with the co‑chairs, circulate it for subgroup lead feedback, and set deadlines for draft and final recommendations ahead of the October voting meeting. The group emphasized feasibility — the form should not require a dissertation from subcommittees — and pledged to iterate the process in future cycles.
