Citing budgetary shortfalls, King County in 2014 had been on the verge of closing the Public Health Center in Auburn.

But in November of that year, King County Executive Dow Constantine and Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus announced that they had cobbled together public and private partnerships that would contribute in total between $550,000 and $700,000 to help maintain services at the clinic through the 2015-16 biennium.

And after that?

Two years in, the news is good for the 11,000 people every year from Auburn to Black Diamond who rely on the services the clinic in Auburn offers: the clinic will remain open for at least six years.

The passage of Best Starts for Kids in 2015 had some short-term funding for the clinics, and King County has identified money in its budget to keep current public health clinics open.

“There have been budget improvements, and we’ll continue to work with the state Legislature to make sure that the state funds public health, but right now we don’t have an issue with the clinic in Auburn being closed,” Backus said.

“It’s a good example when all parties come together with a common goal to save a worthwhile service,” said King County Councilman Pete von Reichbauer.

King County voters passed the six-year Best Starts for Kids initiative in November 2015 to improve the health and well being of King County by investing in prevention and early intervention for children, youth, families and communities. It generates about $65 million per year, costing the average King County property owner an estimated $56 per year, said James Apa, communications manager at Public Health -Seattle and King County.

“The … Best Starts for Kids (BSK) levy included funding to help support services we provide to kids and families at our Public Health Centers, including Auburn Public Health Center,” Apa said. “County budgets are approved every two years, so we can speak most definitively for 2017-18, but the Best Starts for Kids levy has money budgeted to supporting Public Health Center services, including Maternity Support Services and WIC, over the life of the levy. Note that BSK levy supplements clinic services; it’s not the only source,”

“We’re grateful for the community support to be able to continue these important services that give kids a better start,” Apa added.

The funding partners who helped keep the clinic alive over the last two years were:

City of Auburn: $220,000

Muckleshoot Indian Tribe: $150,000

Group Health: $100,000

Orion Industries: $40,000

City of Algona: $10,000

City of Pacific: $10,000

The Valley Regional Fire Authority: $10,000

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Below is a table that shows the percentage of revenue that supports the Auburn Public Health Center.