ESIT Weekly - July 30, 2021

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ESIT HEADER

Welcome to the ESIT Weekly

In This Issue:


Quote

Illustration of The Kiss statue by Rich Beyer of a couple kissing on the boardwalk of Percival Landing, in front of an orange and purple sunset.

The Kiss. Art by Jahla Brown, DCYF ESIT Partnership & Collaboration Specialist. Illustration of The Kiss statue by Rich Beyer of a couple kissing on the boardwalk of Percival Landing in Olympia, in front of an orange and purple sunset and epic sky.

“You are growing into consciousness, and my wish for you is that you feel no need to constrict yourself
to make other people comfortable.”
― Ta-Nehisi Coates, Between the World and Me

Networking Sessions

PT/OT Statewide
Networking Sessions
Second Wed. of each month 
August 11 | 8-9 a.m.
Click Here to Join


Statewide FRC
Networking Sessions 

Third Thursday of each month August 19 | 1-2 p.m.
Click Here to Join


Speech, Language, and Feeding
Networking Sessions
Fourth Thursday of each month
August 26 | 9-10 a.m.
Click Here to Join


Racial Equity Resource of the Week

We are One. Illustration of eight outstretched arms, of varying skin tones, uniting from the corners of the frame to clasp hands in solidarity.

July is Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Awareness Month

This month was originally designated by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008 to honor the legacy of prolific author, teacher, and advocate Bebe Moore Campbell.

BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month serves as an opportunity for us all to raise awareness of the unique mental health needs of people of color.

The past year has been incredibly difficult for so many, but we know that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth have also faced unique challenges. The Trevor Project’s 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health sheds light on many of these challenges by capturing the experiences of nearly 35,000 LGBTQ youth ages 13-24 across the U.S.


Tribal Topic of the Week

Brian Frisina, smiling, with a long braid, wears a shell necklace, a black t-shirt with artwork of the Holy Mother Mary printed on the front.

Each week, DCYF ESIT Tribal Program Consultant Brian Frisina will provide a key topic to help support us all in getting to know our Tribal Nations partners better.

This week’s term is: Decolonization

There are various definitions and ideas of what decolonization can mean for Indigenous peoples, so it is perhaps useful to situate our sense of what decolonization is in the context of Queen’s specifically. It can be seen as a restoration of Indigenous practices, languages and connection to ways of being. It can be giving voice to what happened and is still happening that reinforce colonial power, such as speaking about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), the child welfare system, prison system and residential schools, and many other events that have happened and continue to happen to this day.

Deconstructing and reflecting on the impacts of colonization help both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people begin to understand where we came from and where we are going. Beyond reflecting is understanding that Indigenous knowledge, culture, and traditions are based in wisdom, truth, and science.

Source: © 2021 Queen’s University, Decolonizing and Indigenizing.

Learn More

Check out this great Indigenous Terminology Guide to navigate what terms to use and/or avoid.


Circles of Engagement Survey

Two pairs of hands holding a wooden carved heart that is painted red.

On behalf of the ESIT State Leadership Office, we would like to thank all the volunteers who responded to the Call for Action: ESIT Circles of Engagement. 

We are excited to be working with the 30+ volunteer representatives throughout the state to help create an expanded, integrated, and effective state monitoring system. Our goal is to create a state monitoring system that directly enhances efforts and supports practitioners as they support families in improving outcomes for infants, toddlers, and their families.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about this initiative, please feel free to reach to Valerie Arnold, ESIT Strategic Innovations Administrator, at valerie.arnold@dcyf.wa.gov.


DCYF ESIT Recruiting for Two Technical Assistance Specialists

ESIT is looking for two region-specific Technical Assistance Specialists. These positions are responsible for supporting ESIT Provider Agencies in one of four regions statewide and provide specialized, expert-level technical assistance and coaching. 

The vision of DCYF is that "All Washington's children and youth grow up safe and healthy - thriving physically, emotionally, and educationally, nurtured by family and community." We believe our workforce should reflect the communities we serve and are actively searching for candidates that reflect that diversity.

Click Here to Apply for the Northwest Region Position

Click Here to Apply for the Southwest Region Position


Resources

Find Help with Rent and Utilities

If you’re looking for help with housing costs, you’re not alone.

State and local organizations are distributing federal rental assistance in their communities. The money can help landlords and renters who are struggling to keep up with rent and other bills.

Many programs take applications from both landlords and renters.

Search to find rental assistance programs. If you find more than one program, start with the closest one to you.

Local programs listed are funded by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) Program, as well as states, counties, cities, and nonprofit organizations.


Free Webinars: Social Emotional Development

Check out these free learning opportunities from the Military Families Learning Network. Click the links below to register:

Supporting the Social Emotional Development of Young Children: Ideas, Strategies, and Resources
September 23 | 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Using Children’s Books and Storytelling to Connect Literacy and Social Emotional Development
November 17 | 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Click here for more information


New DDA Eligibility and Services Guide

The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) has a new Eligibility and Services Guide. This guide provides an overview of DDA's eligibility process and describes the services available through the State Plan and Federal Waivers.

Copies of this guide are available at DDA Field Service Offices statewide as well as on the DDA website. Please see the Eligibility and Services Guide.


ZERO TO THREE Releases Resource on Relationship Between Disability and Critical Race Theory

An article “Dis/ability Critical Race Studies (DisCrit) for Inclusion in Early Childhood Education: Ethical Considerations of Implicit and Explicit Bias" explores the ethical obligation of those in the early care and education field to deconstruct ableism (and other–isms, such as racism, sexism, classism) and to reconstruct an understanding of social identity that is strengths-based and affirming. The authors describe the Dis/ability Studies and Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) framework of understanding ableism and provide examples of potential solutions for early childhood providers to explore the role of bias in inclusion practices and deconstruct dis/ability to enact systemic change for young children with dis/abilities and their families.

The article authored by Alissa Rausch, Jaclyn Joseph, and Elizabeth Steed can be found here.


National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) Releases Resources on the Child Tax Credit (CTC)

On July 15, advance payments on the CTC began going out to families. These advance payments will be going out every month through December 2021, and families who sign up for advance payments later in the year can still receive them. NWLC’s resources are compiled to assist systems and organizations to assist families in receiving these payments. These include:  

  • The White House information hub, ChildTaxCredit.gov, has information about CTC eligibility, calculating the credit amount, the advance payment process, and more. It also has a reader-friendly landing page for the IRS’s non-filer portal for families who did not file tax returns in 2019 or 2020 but still want to receive advance payments.
  • Code for America’s GetCTC.org provides a comprehensive FAQ about the expanded CTC and step-by-step directions to guide families through the process of claiming the credit and receiving advance payments.
  • NWLC’s fact sheet How to Access Your Benefits Under the American Rescue Plan helps families find the American Rescue Plan and COVID relief benefits available both this year and next year, including advance CTC payments, food assistance, health insurance coverage, child care assistance, unemployment benefits, and housing assistance. There is also a Spanish language version available at the same link.
  • NWLC’s blog 5 Things You Need to Know About the Child Tax Credit This Year includes the most important things families should know about the CTC advance payments, including common areas of confusion.
  • CLASP’s blog The Child Tax Credit and Mixed Immigration-Status Families provides valuable information about the CTC advance payments for mixed-status families who can claim their children for the credit.

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