The Canine Connections program was established at Echo Glen Children’s Center more than 20 years ago. The program pairs rescue dogs with the young people in residence who train them in basic obedience over an eight-week session. At the end of the session, the dog goes home with its new adoptive family.
In November 2021, Naselle Youth Camp hosted its annual potlatch where community members, family, and DCYF staff gathered to share a meal and immerse themselves in the spirit of local potlatch tradition.
“The event is a chance to have our voices heard,” said Sage, a youth of the Cheyenne River Sioux and Lummi Tribes. “It brings us closer together.”
Echo Glen Children’s Center recently celebrated three significant high school graduations for youth in residence – the first it has seen since integrating with DCYF in 2019.
DCYF proposed a bill to the Legislature that would repeal RCW 13.40.220, Washington’s “Parent Pay” statute, which charges families for their child’s incarceration. The law currently requires parents to pay a percentage of their income to DCYF for the cost of their child’s support, treatment, and confinement in Juvenile Rehabilitation (JR).
Suicide prevention is a top priority in Juvenile Rehabilitation (JR).
New and ongoing research shows that solitary confinement and isolation are harmful and counterproductive to youth development and can be an ineffective intervention. Across the country, states are taking action to limit or end room confinement and isolation.
Connecting youth to as many resources as possible and finding mentoring supports with lived experiences is critical to maintaining engagement with the developing minds of our residents in Juvenile Rehabilitation (JR). It also aligns with DCYF’s Strategic and Racial Equity Plan to create successful transitions to adulthood.
President Biden recently proclaimed October as National Youth Justice Action Month – a time to raise awareness, seek justice for our youth, and modernize the juvenile justice system.
Residents of Juvenile Rehabilitation (JR) that identify as female represent a population with unique needs.