Over the weekend, Senators debated and advanced a massive spending and tax bill that could drastically cut funding for Medicaid and other vital federal programs that millions of Americans rely on for health care, food, housing, and economic stability.

This year we welcomed Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown as our featured speaker, announced the return of our signature advocacy training program, and celebrated the leadership of our Executive Director Dr. Stephan Blanford. 

Congress is currently considering a budget reconciliation bill that proposes $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid. We spoke to Ari from Spokane, a Medicaid enrollee worried that they may lose access to vital care if the program is cut.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2025 KIDS COUNT® Data Book show’s that Washington leaders must do more to provide the support and resources children need to thrive in school and life.

Advocacy training has been a cornerstone of Children’s Alliance’s work, most notably through our signature program, Advocacy Camp, which ran from 1995 to 2019. We are excited to announce our plan to reintroduce the program this summer.

Ahead of his departure this summer, Dr. Stephan Blanford recalls some of the highlights of his time at Children’s Alliance.

Despite a $16 billion budget shortfall, we were able to celebrate some victories for kids and families this year. Read our full legislative report to learn more about the progress we made.

Katrina, a Head Start parent, shares her experience and highlights the program’s full arc of support, from home visiting in pregnancy through pre-K graduation.

 The federal government is seeing unprecedented cuts to program funding and staff, and there are drastic cuts proposed that would make it harder for families access early learning, health care, and nutrition. 

Children’s Alliance urges the United States Department of Health and Human Services to immediately restore regional support for Head Start programs to Region 10, which serves four states including Washington.

Our bill aimed at protecting kids online (SB 5708) has missed cutoff, meaning it did not receive a committee hearing in time to move forward this session.

The executive order directing Secretary McMahon to dismantle the United States Department of Education will result in significant harm to children across the country, including in Washington state.

Our state faces an estimated $15 billion deficit over the next four years, and in response, our governor and legislators are proposing cuts to essential public programs to close the gap. But without a race equity lens, budget decisions risk deepening existing disparities. 

New legislation was introduced this week to help address the youth behavioral health crisis. HB 2038 would establish the Youth Behavioral Health Account and fund it with a 0.4% tax on the gross income of social media platforms.

Washington is facing a severe budget crisis this session, and funding for early learning programs is at risk. We are particularly concerned about proposed cuts that will impact kids who are furthest from opportunity. 

We are 43 days into the 2025 legislative session, with 62 days left.  A lot has happened so far, including some major successes that we are thrilled to share with all of you. 

Check out our photo gallery and recap of Have a Heart for Kids Day 2025.

Children’s Alliance collaborated with the State Attorney General’s Office and Representative Lisa Callan to introduce legislation which will hold digital media companies accountable for creating a safer online environment for kids.

The recent actions of the new Administration have already begun to have a negative impact on Washington’s kids. This is unacceptable and we must resist.