Inslee gathers group to improve children’s well-being

Gov. Jay Inslee wants students to eat healthy food, drink safe water and get an hour of physical activity every day they are at school.

On Thursday, the governor added an ally in his effort to make those goals a reality.

Inslee named a 50-member council to help mold his Healthiest Next Generation Initiative which, as the name implies, is a blueprint aimed at improving the well-being of children.

His strategies to reduce obesity and diabetes in children include promoting breastfeeding, getting nutritious food and drink into schools, and encouraging more time for recess.

“Gold standard research shows we can bend the curve of childhood obesity if we act early in the course of children’s lives, and by making health a focus in the places where children spend the most time,” Inslee said.

Inslee unveiled his initiative earlier this year and secured $350,000 for the state Department of Health to guide the effort.

That department, along with the state Department of Early Learning and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction have developed recommendations which the council prioritized Thursday.

“It is far-reaching,” Bette Hyde, director of the Department of Early Learning, said of the proposed actions. “It was clear to me today that all walks of life are really concerned about the health of the next generation.”

Members of the newly formed council, who hail from government, schools, private corporations and nonprofits, aren’t expected to meet again for months.

Attendees said their role now is to foment a better understanding across the state that creating a healthy community is good for economic vitality and prosperity.

“This is the opening of a broader conversation,” said Scott Forslund, director of the Snohomish County Health Leadership Coalition and a Premera Blue Cross executive. “Gov. Inslee has made wellness and well-being a personal priority and the Healthiest Next Generation Initiative is his signature take on that.”

Recommendations reviewed Thursday include:

Providing daily recess. In 2012, only an estimated 42 percent of 6th graders got the suggested 60 minutes of daily physical activity.

Installing water bottle filling stations in schools. This could cost between “$3.4 million and $6.8 million.

Eliminating the co-pay for school lunches in grades 4-12 and supporting the Summer Food Service Program.

Providing school breakfast programs.

Promoting breastfeeding programs and funding Medicaid to reimburse for breastfeeding education and lactation counseling.

Implementing Safe Routes to School programs.

Encouraging use of Walking School Bus to promote physical activity. A Walking School Bus is a group of children walking to school with one or more adults.

Staff of the three agencies will prepare a report and possibly draft legislation to be introduced in the 2015 session.

“Today is the first step to seeing that the children of Washington are healthy and happy,” said Kelly Stowe, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health.

Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com