Agency News

Dear Director Dowd,

The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families has launched two newsletters, each focused on providing resources and information for families across the state.

The new Assessment Oversight Group web page, accessible from the Practice Improvement landing page on the DCYF website, helps explain the AOG’s creation, priorities, and membership. It also includes an inventory of all decision-making assessments used in Child Welfare and Juvenile Rehabilitation.

Jesse Sadler took all the steps necessary to transform his life and regain custody of his daughter; he engaged in therapy, secured housing, participated in parenting classes, and attended a Substance Use Disorder treatment.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families wants to recognize fathers who have had a successful outcome with their child welfare case for the Inaugural Engaging Father Celebration in June.

The recipient will receive two nights at Great Wolf Lodge Water Park-Grand Mound.

To be eligible, the father:

From expanding crisis family preservation services statewide to increasing the number of licensed kinship caregivers, the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is working tirelessly on various practice changes and increased supports to improve outcomes for families.

Child care subsidy helps families pay for quality child care.

Fentanyl overdoses are a leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. In Washington State, overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids (mostly fentanyl) have increased 10-fold over the past five years. In 2021, approximately 3 in 4 opioid overdose deaths involved synthetic opioids.

Families residing in Washington state may be eligible for Child Care Subsidy if their income is at or below 60% of the state Median Income (SMI) at application or 65% of SMI when reapplying.

A new legislative session began in January, and the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families is building upon our Fair Start for Kids Act momentum to create an increasingly integrated child care and early learning system from birth to age 8.