State work group outlines next steps to implement House Bill 2429 (Washington Thriving)

Representative Lisa Callan, co-chair of the Children Youth Behavioral Health Work Group, told members that House Bill 2429 directs state agencies to align with the Washington Thriving strategic plan and extends the work group’s statutory sunset from 2029 to 2031.

The bill also increases tribal representation and establishes an executive coordination role situated within the governor’s office, Rep. Callan said. The role is expected to be supported initially through a public–private funding arrangement while the governor’s office works on recruitment and the leadership council is formed to coordinate implementation across agencies.

“House Bill 2429…creates a directive to state agencies,” Rep. Lisa Callan said, describing the statute’s intent to make Washington Thriving the backbone of agency work on children’s behavioral health. Sarah Rafton, policy director for Washington Thriving at the Behavioral Health Catalyst, said the final budget secured several priorities the work group advocated for, including funding for two Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics and the restoration of a children’s referral-service line.

“We’re thrilled that cuts made to the partnership access line in Washington’s referral service for children and teens were restored,” Rafton said.

Speakers emphasized that passage is only the first step. Taku, a governor’s office representative, urged careful planning: “I do think it is a landmark legislation,” he said, “but passing the bill is one step; the work now is implementation.” Members and staff discussed steps to preserve lived- and living-experience engagement, refine tribal consultation, and stand up a small leadership council with senior agency decision-makers.

Staff said philanthropic partners have already raised seed funding to support the executive coordination post and that the governor’s office is planning recruitment. BloomWorks and other partners were named as contributors to perinatal and technical-assistance sprints tied to the plan’s first initiatives.

The work group did not take formal votes. Staff asked members to continue engagement through office hours and to plan to attend the first in-person work group meeting on May 28 in Olympia, which will further refine implementation deliverables and committee-to-leadership-council interactions.

Next steps: staff and partners will develop a job description and recruitment plan for the executive coordination role, convene listening sessions with tribal partners and lived-experience stakeholders, and begin fiscal mapping and capacity analyses to inform leadership-council priorities.