Trauma-Informed Care

Follow the steps below to submit a Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) Award application in MERIT Workforce Registry. This application is only used by providers to claim Trauma-Informed Care eligible training awards. Coaches do not need to apply.

Step 1: Review information in your MERIT Professional Record.

1. Log in to MERIT at merit.dcyf.wa.gov.
2. Click the subtab for “Professional Record.”
3. Confirm your eligible Trauma-Informed Care training is listed in the Annual Continuing Education Training section of your professional record. Training must have been completed within the past 12 months.
4. Confirm you have employment in an eligible role with a confirmed or verified status.

Step 2: Complete a Trauma-Informed Care Award application.

1. Log in to MERIT at merit.dcyf.wa.gov.
2. Click on the 'My Applications' tab.
3. Select 'Trauma-Informed Care Award."
4. Follow the steps to complete and submit the application.

Step 3: Verify an active Statewide Vendor (SWV) number is listed in your MERIT record.

• To apply for an SWV number, or to learn how to update information on file with the Office of Financial Management (OFM), please visit the Apply for a Statewide Vendor Number webpage.

TIP: The Trauma-Informed Care application will only be available to users if all eligibility is met and recorded in MERIT.

• DCYF training partners will continue to provide trauma-informed and healing-centered trainings.
  • Check MERIT for new trainings.
• Through June 30, 2024, Child Care Aware of Washington will distribute Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) Financial Awards to eligible providers.
• Individual providers who received notification that they qualified for an award prior to June 30, 2023, and did not claim their award will be contacted when payments resume.
  • The end date for providers to claim retroactive payments is June 30, 2024.
• Beginning May 1, 2024, DCYF will no longer recognize the Conscious Discipline training with a TIC Financial Award.

During the first year of Trauma-Informed Supports, DCYF:

• Established approved trauma-informed training and education. Early learning professionals may earn an award of up to $1,200 for their trauma-informed training and education.
• Authorized more than $3.05 million in awards. This equals 4,807 awards to people who took DCYF-recognized training and education.
• Delivered 423 trauma-informed care trainings between June 2022 and June 2024.
• Increased developmental screening in 51 early learning programs.
• Completed creation of the Trauma-Informed and Healing-Centered Foundations Training.
• Began working on trauma-informed practices and standards that can be used to expand training. 

In order to receive an award, eligible individuals must have:

• An active job role in MERIT. Active job role means the individual is currently employed and associated with a facility/site.
• The active job role in MERIT must be confirmed or verified.  A confirmed role in MERIT means employment information was confirmed by the employer or licensee. A verified role in MERIT means the employment information was verified by a DCYF licensor or MERIT administrator.

Qualifying roles include employees or owners of eligible program types. Eligible program types include:

• Licensed or certified child care center, family home provider, or outdoor nature-based care accepting state subsidy;
• ECEAP or Early ECEAP
• License-exempt family friend and neighbor

What Does it Mean to Accept State Subsidy?

At the time of the award, you must work in a program with children receiving subsidy, and the program has claimed payment in at least one month of the past 12 months prior to the award date.

For more information on how to claim a payment visit DCYF’s Social Service Payment System (SSPS). 

The following roles are eligible:

Licensed, license-exempt, certified, ECEAP/Early ECEAP, and Tribal ECEAP

• Owner
• Licensee
• Director
• Assistant director
• Program supervisor
• Lead teacher
• Assistant teacher
• Aid
• Site coordinator
• Lead staff or group leader
• License-exempt family friend and neighbor

ECEAP/Early ECEAP

• Assistant teacher
• Child development/education manager
• Family Support Manager
• Family Support Staff
• Health Advocate
• Lead teacher
• Site Contact Manager

Early Achievers Coach*

• Child Care Aware regional office Early Achievers coach.
• Birth-to-3 Quality Initiatives coach
• Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant (IECMH-C) (training awards only
• ECEAP coach

*Early Achievers Coaches must have their training and education recorded in MERIT unless other verification is approved from DCYF, but they do not need to have an active role. DCYF will work with certified and ECEAP programs who are license-exempt, school districts or school day programs to verify records for eligible awards.

While funds are available, DCYF will provide awards of up to $1,200 to individual eligible providers with trauma-informed knowledge and skills gained through recognized training and education.

• Education Awards: this type of award recognizes the educational achievements awarded by educational institutions, in the form of degrees or certificates. Once your education is verified in MERIT, you may be eligible to earn this award.
• Training Award: this type of award compensates providers for completing DCYF-recognized trainings.

Eligible individuals who have the approved education or training completed and recorded in MERIT will be contacted and do not need to apply for or request the award.

Education & Training Specific Awards and Award Amounts

Education Award(s)

Emerging Education Category

• Center for Early Relational Health (Formerly Washington Association for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health WA-AIMH) Infant Family Associate (IFA)

Award Amount: $800

Advanced Endorsement Category
(Only one endorsement from this category may receive a $1,200 financial award)

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in infant and early childhood mental health
• Center for Early Relational Health Infant Family Specialist (IFS)
• Center for Early Relational Health Infant Family Reflective Supervisor (IFRS)
• Center for Early Relational Health Infant Mental Health Specialist (IMHS)

Award Amount: $1200

Training Award(s)
Training is delivered by a DCYF contracted training organization or approved partner.

If a training approved by DCYF for trauma-informed care awards is not delivered in a language other than English that is requested by the participant, the training contractor will secure interpretation services.

Trainings recommended by tribes that are aligned with trauma-informed and healing-centered principles and practices will be offered on a case-by-case basis.

Award Amount: Varied

Emerging Training Category
(Only one training from this category may receive a financial award) 

• Mindful Me
• WAPM Implementing Inclusive + Equitable Pyramid Model Practices 2021 UPDATE (Modules 1 and 2) Available in English and Spanish
• At least two PREPARE for Care training sessions (6 hours each) Available in English, Spanish, and Somali
• Mobility Mentoring Foundation Course Online (For ECEAP and Early ECEAP providers only)
• Filming Interactions to Nurture Development (FIND) Offered in English and Spanish
• Helping Children Develop Social Emotional Skills – (12 hours) Provided in Somali and Spanish

Award Amount: $800

Advanced Training Category
(Only one training from this category may receive a financial award)

• DCYF-approved Trauma Informed Care Modules – Advanced Series (all four sessions) Available in English and Spanish
• At least four PREPARE for care training sessions (6 hours each) Available in English, Spanish, and Somali 
• DCYF-approved Prenatal and Infant Mental Health (20 hours) – Provided in Somali and Spanish
• Pyramid Model Prevent Teach Reinforce for Young Children (Prerequisite is the Pyramid Model module 1 and 2)
• Trauma-Informed Care in EDE (EDUC 260) North Seattle College

 Award Amount: $1200

Use the Find Training search tool in MERIT for approved options. Ensure that the training listed states it is eligible for a TIC award.

Search for trainings itemized below that include the following in the training title: "*May be eligible for a FSKA Trauma Informed Care Award"

• WAPM Implementing Inclusive + Equitable Pyramid Model Practices - UPDATE (Modules 1 and 2)
• Mobility Mentoring Foundation Course Online (For ECEAP and Early ECEAP providers only)
• Filming Interactions to Nurture Development (FIND)
• Helping Children Develop Social Emotional Skills – Provided in Somali and Spanish
• Trauma Informed Care Modules – Advanced Series
• Prenatal and Infant Mental Health – Provided in Somali and Spanish

DCYF will provide financial awards of up to $1,200 to individual eligible providers with trauma-informed knowledge and skills gained through recognized training and education

Eligible means:

• You have an eligible role listed above
• You have an account and active job role in MERIT*
• You have approved training recorded in your professional record

* Early Achievers Coaches must have their training and education recorded in MERIT, but they do not need to have an active role. DCYF will work with certified and ECEAP programs who are license-exempt, school districts or school day programs to verify records for eligible awards.

Eligible providers who have the approved education or training completed and recorded in MERIT will be contacted.