2026 THRIVE | Youth Wellbeing & Mental Health
Greetings neighbors,
I’m here today to state the obvious: kids are only kids once — no do-overs. And too many of them are struggling to thrive. Being and doing our best as a community to help set children up for success means making their mental health a priority.
That priority got a purposeful boost in 2022, with encouraging results. And now that progress is at risk, even as promising prevention and treatment efforts get underway. More below about how we can work upstream without abandoning those already in troubled waters.
Mauri Ingram,
President & CEO
COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITY
Setting Kids Up to Take on the World.
Four years ago, we reported on the state of Youth Mental Health in Whatcom County: alarming, but with glimmers of hope. At the time, we knew that the pandemic accelerated a steep rise in the numbers of young people needing help, and more often at a younger age. In response, Whatcom County’s seven public school districts formed a coalition and got busy sharing information, best practices and collaborating to pursue grant funding.
Upon receiving a surge of local and federal funding in 2022, Whatcom County schools hired staff focused on mental health, social-emotional learning, and belonging – such a critical feeling, especially for young people. Nineteen employee and contractor positions were funded, providing a web of vital mental health support across the districts that takes advantage of formal alliances with community service providers.
These positions were embedded in schools, providing support to students when they needed it most. This simple strategy of making access to services easy is showing measurable success, as are outcomes of the various curriculum (e.g. BELONG, Be the One, Cheskwin) and teacher training programs being implemented in area elementary schools.
Much credit goes to the collaboration across districts and with community partners, a model that is unique in our state, and highlights a crucial point: while youth mental health challenges may show up at school, they are most effectively addressed as a community.
The funding ends next month, and with it the jobs of those 19 professionals dedicated to the mental health and wellbeing of 27,000+ kids across Whatcom County’s public schools. This leaves about 10 people to manage the work of 29.
“Eighty to ninety percent of what we built will go away”
—Chris Cochran, Director of Mental & Behavioral Health,
Ferndale School District.
The countywide coalition continues to meet quarterly and includes both school and community care leaders and providers. They are focused on finding a $1.6 million bridge to support their on-site mental health specialists at current or slightly reduced levels for the next school year, while seeking more sustainable revenue streams beyond June 2027.
WHAT WE’RE DOING:
Raising awareness and funds: $1.6 million through 236 grants since 2022 to support youth programs in the region that improve youth mental health, including:
- A recent grant to Whatcom Family & Community Network for their “Mad Hope” program
- Support for the implementation of the Icelandic Prevention Model in Ferndale
- A training initiative (Replenish) with Sendan Center designed to increase the capacity and confidence of current and new providers
Transitioned the basis of the Youth Philanthropy Project (YPP) grantmaking decisions to incorporate the principles of the Icelandic Prevention Model. Deep interest in “third places” for teens showed up in the feedback from the students that participated in YPP this year.
Investing in our county’s youngest residents with Child Savings Accounts (CSAs), which, among many proven benefits, result in improved social-emotional development.
Thought partnership: engaging at various jurisdictional levels to explore and develop long-term solutions at the appropriate scale, for example social impact bonds.
Advocating with state representatives to ensure that youth mental health is a priority for our community.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Help bridge the immediate gap through the Whatcom Youth Wellbeing Fund.
Help change the long-term trajectory of Whatcom County kids by donating to Child Savings Accounts.
Support a Whatcom County provider helping local young people.
DEEPER DIVE:
Explore the 2025 Healthy Youth Survey for Whatcom County
Mental Health in Whatcom County Schools: Sustaining the Momentum
Whatcom County Behavioral Health Funds: 2024 – 2025 School Services Report
Learn about Planet Youth’s Icelandic Prevention Model
Learn about Social Impact Bonds
WCF emailed this THRIVE on 06/02/2026. View it online HERE>
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