Happy Indigenous People’s Day!
On Monday, October 14, cities, towns, counties, community groups, universities, schools and other institutions will observe Indigenous People’s Day with activities that raise awareness of the rich history and culture of Indigenous People. In celebration of the wisdom and contributions of Indigenous People, here are some great resources:
Welcome Betsy Tulee to DCYF OTR
Betsy Tulee began her social work career in 1988 at United Indians of All Tribes Foundation as a case manager, foster home licensor and community advocate, serving the American Indian/Alaskan Native population in the Puget Sound area.
She began her work at DSHS in 1992 as a CPS Social Worker in the Native American Unit in Seattle. After working in CPS for five years, Betsy served in various capacities for DSHS including as a Children's Administration Academy Trainer, a Social Work Supervisor and as an Indian Child Welfare Program Manager.
Betsy began working for the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe in 2013 as a Project Manager and as a case manager for Muckleshoot children under the jurisdiction of state agencies. On October 1, Betsy began serving as the ICW Consultant/Tribal Liaison for DCYF, Region 3.
Contact her by email at betsy.tulee@dcyf.wa.gov or on her cell at 360-631-9735.
Partner Information
- Department of Health and Human Service Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee (STAC) currently has vacancies for membership. Nominations for the following vacancies are needed: Alaska Primary and Alternative; Albuquerque Primary and Alternative; Great Plains Primary and Alternative; Phoenix Primary and Alternative; Tucson Primary and Alternative; National At-Large Primary Delegate (1). All nominees must either be elected or appointed tribal officials acting in their official capacity as elected officials of their tribes, or be designated by an elected tribal official with the designee having authority to act on behalf of the tribal official. Nominations must be made by an elected official form a federally recognized tribe acting in his or her official capacity. Nomination letters are due by October 23. Click here for more information.
- NICWA Annual Conference Call for Presentations. A time where ICW professionals highlight important work they are doing in their communities to better the futures of Native youth and families. There will be 85 workshop spaces during the conference. Choose from four tracks: children’s mental health; child welfare, foster care and adoption services; judicial and legal affairs; and youth and family involvement. New this year, presenters are invited to decide between a 90-minute workshop or a 3-hour seminar for submission. Guidelines, instructions and FAQ’s can be found here.
NICWA Events
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Nov. 12-14: November Training Institute in Portland, Oregon. Choose between three engaging and informative trainings - Understanding ICWA, Positive Indian Parenting and Working with Substance-Abusing Families. Sign up now.
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March 29 - April 1, 2020: 38th Annual Protecting Our Children Conference in Denver, Colorado. Sign up now.
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April 1-3, 2020: April Training Institute in Denver, Colorado. Trainings offered are Positive Indian Parenting and Understanding ICWA. Sign up now.
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Champion for Native Children Award: Nominate someone for NICWA’s highest honor, the award which honors an individual’s or organization’s outstanding contributions to the well-being of Indigenous children, families and communities in the U.S. or Canada. Nominations are due January 7, 2020. Apply today.
Funding Opportunities
2019-21 Online Application for Early Learning Facilities (ELF) Grant Now Open
The 2019-21 Early Learning Facilities (ELF) grant online application is now open to eligible organizations. To apply, please click here to go to the ZoomGrants website. The grant program supports Washington’s commitment to developing additional high-quality early learning opportunities for children from low-income households.
The ELF program provides financial assistance to enable Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) contractors and Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) subsidy providers to expand, remodel, purchase or construct early learning facilities and classrooms. Applications are due to the Department of Commerce no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2.
The Department of Commerce is offering a series of webinars during the application window to help applicants preparing for the competitive process. The first two webinars in October will provide an overview of the application process and important tips to remember when completing the application. There will also be an opportunity for interested applicants to ask questions and get answers from program staff. The last webinar in November will be an hour of questions and answers.
- Monday, Oct. 14 from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, Oct. 29 from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
- Wednesday, Nov. 13 from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
For more information, visit the ELF webpage. Here you will also find helpful resources such as the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Document and ZoomGrants tutorials.
New ECEAP Opportunities
Coming Soon: Early ECEAP Application for the 2019-20 School Year! Are you interested in being an Early ECEAP (Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program) pilot site? Early ECEAP will provide an opportunity to serve more at-risk infants and toddlers with comprehensive early learning and family support services modeled after the successful Early Head Start center-based program funded at the federal level by the Office of Head Start.
The Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) anticipates releasing its first Request for Application (RFA) for Early ECEAP on October 18, 2019. You must currently be executing at least one of the following center-based models: Early Head Start, Head Start, ECEAP, tribally-funded early learning, child care centers or family home providers. All RFA applicants must meet minimum licensing standards and be enrolled in the Early Achievers program. For further information, please email Isidro Rodriguez, Early ECEAP Coordinator, at isidro.rodriguez@dcyf.wa.gov.
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