July 8 – Strengthen Families Locally Weekly

Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families sent this bulletin at 07/08/2022 01:30 PM PDT

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strengthen families locally

In This Issue:

Updates From the Strengthen Families Locally (SFL) Team

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Dear Strengthen Families Locally Community,

Happy Independence Day this week, if you celebrate, I hope it was fun! I experienced Living on a Lake for our first 4th; our whole neighborhood was setting off fireworks!

Mental Health America celebrates “BIPOC Mental Health Month” in July. This month is a chance to elevate awareness for mental health and community resilience in Black, Indigenous, Latine, and other marginalized ethnic and racial communities. See MHA’s toolkit here.

A new resource for mental and behavioral health goes live in Washington on July 16: the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can dial 988 if you are having: thoughts of suicide; mental health crises; substance use crises; any other kind of emotional distress. You can also dial 988 if you are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. Find out more information on the DOH Website.

“If you (or someone you care about) cannot take on as much as someone else, that does not make you either weak or crazy. You just have to prepare differently and live your life unapologetically for you.” - Rheeda Walker, The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health

All the best,

Joy

SFL Resources

SFL Website

SFL Partner Onboarding Packet

SFL Newsletter Archive

Share a Story to Strengthen Families

Share Your Story Here

Community Planning Meetings

Email for meeting links.

Stevens and Ferry Counties
First Wednesday of each month
2-4 p.m.

Bremerton
Third Thursday of each month 
11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Spokane
Third Monday of each month
1-3 p.m.

Port Angeles and Sequim
Fourth Thursday of each month
11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Contact

Joy Lile, PhD
Strengthening Families Locally Coordinator
360-688-4956
joy.lile@dcyf.wa.gov

Strengthening Families WA
Family Support Programs Division

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Strengthen Families Locally Project News

New Flyers Available!

The Strengthen Families Locally Rack Card provides simple information about the SFL project and the contact information for local conveners, and the Share a Story Rack Card has simple information for parents and caregivers sharing family stories with DCYF. 

Contact joy.lile@dcyf.wa.gov with questions.

Order Here   

Share a Story to Strengthen Families Locally!

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Parents Explain what Early Learning Supports Mean for Their Kids

“We moved here in 2019 from Africa and wondered are other children here who are not born here and don’t speak English yet? We had plans to get a babysitter, but then we were approached by staff after they recognized we were having a baby and were told they take babies. Our son is now learning so much that we didn’t even teach him. We were worried when we heard the center might close and we were so happy to hear the good news that it wasn’t. It is more than help that any family can offer. I can work. My wife goes to school and our son is getting smarter than all my kids.” – Father who works full time while the mother attends Everett College. They have one child in ECEAP. Read more stories from parents here.

Share a story today about how to strengthen and preserve families in Washington State!

http://ourtomorro.ws/WADCYF

Flyer   |   FAQ for collecting stories

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Highlights From Around DCYF

Fair Start for Kids Act: Investing in Child Care and Early Learning

The Fair Start for Kids Act (FSKA) is a $1.1 billion investment of the Washington State Legislature to expand access to affordable, high-quality early learning for Washington families by increasing eligibility limits, capping co-pays, and providing resources to support early learning providers. Check out the FSKA website here to read about resources like the Child Care Stabilization Dashboard and Early Childhood Equity Grants. Sign up to the newsletter for regular updates.

Caregiver Survey Report

The DCYF 2021 Caregiver Survey Report found an increase in satisfaction for Kinship Foster Caregivers. Read more here.

Local Corner

Check here for news and opportunities specific to our Strengthen Families Locally communities. Send opportunities to joy.lile@dcyf.wa.gov

  • Bremerton and Port Angeles/Sequim: Olympic Communities of Health presents Coffee Break Video Series: Taking action to address SUD stigma. This video features the perspective and experience of Molly Martin (Executive Director, Jamestown Healing Clinic) and Kaela Moontree (Healthy Communities Specialist, Kitsap Public Health District). Watch the episode here.
  • Spokane: Partners with Families & Children presents: Guiding Good Choices. Fridays 3pm-5pm; July 15, 22, 29, August 5, 12. Questions and registration Angelique Rusk 509-473-4816 or arusk@partnerswithfamilies.org.
  • Spokane: Families Speak Out event sponsored by Empire Health Foundation. This family event is to provide resources to families while allowing each individual a platform to provide feedback on how they would like programs to be tailored to their needs. We will have several organizations there from Mental Health, Housing, household suppliers, education, career, legal help and many more. August 12 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Franklin Park - 302 W. Queen. Free tickets here. 

Other Community Resources

Connect (Events)

  • Mental Health Assessment for Young Children: Community Presentation. The Health Care Authority Infant-Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) team will be hosting a community presentation to discuss the past year of implementation of Mental Health Assessment for Young Children or “MHAYC.” Join us in sharing progress, reflecting on lessons learned, and providing details on what is coming up next. July 21, 2022, 12 to 1:30 p.m. See the bulletin here.
  • STOMP: Specialized Training of Military Parents presents a Brunch & Learn on “Most requested Topics” including IEP SMART goals (July 15) and 504 Plans/Accommodation (July 22). Register here.
  • Strategies for Helping Unmarried Parents Establish Co-Parenting Agreements. Co-parenting agreements are complicated, and there is no "cookie-cutter" method. For unmarried parents, the process is even more problematic. This session will focus on strategies and techniques to help parents establish functional co-parenting agreements through the use NPCL's Enhancing Parenting Skills Through Effective Co-parenting Relationships Curriculum. July 28, 11:30-1. Register here
  • Most Dads Are Not Violent. What If They Are? A provider learning series from Washington Fatherhood Council. This is a chance to view Dr. Juan Carlos Areán’s insightful presentation from the 2022 Fatherhood Summit and have question and answer session with him. In the session he identifies approaches that fatherhood programs can take to help prevent and address intimate partner violence among fathers. September 22, 11:30 am. Register here.

Learn (Educational Resources)

  • Five Challenges Child Welfare Agencies Face in Meeting Children’s Mental Health Needs and How to Solve Them from Harvard Government Performance Lab. Read the full report here.
  • The Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network is a national technical assistance center for those who serve kinship and grandfamilies. The Network exists, free of charge, to support state and tribal government agencies and nonprofit organizations to collaborate and work across jurisdictional and systemic boundaries – all to improve supports and services for grandfamilies and kinship families. Sign up to receive resources and news. 
  • Participants will have the opportunity to access virtual learning collaboratives and information.

Innovate (News and New Insights)

  • “Washington is a Sanctuary State for Abortions” Inslee issues directive prohibiting state law enforcement cooperation with abortion-related investigations. Read more on the Governor’s Media page.
  • Prevention Services Clearinghouse: New Ratings Available on mental health, substance abuse, in-home parent skill-based, and kinship navigator programs. More information on the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse website.
  • Three lessons Washington can learn from how Arizona helps people in mental health crisis: “Arizona is renowned for its red, desert terrain, the striking beauty of the Grand Canyon and — perhaps less well known — one of the best mental health crisis response systems in the country.” Read the article from Seattle Times here.

Grow (Funding and Resources)

  • Strengthening Families Washington opportunity: Family Resource Center Funding Opportunity: Strengthening Families Washington at the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is pleased to announce that funding is available to support Family Resource Centers and similar organizations that provide community-based, family strengthening and support services in Washington State. To be considered for this opportunity you must submit a letter of intent by 5 p.m. on July 11, 2022. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on July 25, 2022. The Request for Applications (RFA) form is available online here. This webpage will be updated with FAQs on Friday afternoons. The final day to submit questions is July 15.
  • See several open Housing Trust Fund opportunities on the Washington Department of Commerce website, including the Rapid Capitol Housing Acquisition Funding, round 1 due August 11.

If you have suggestions for what to include in this newsletter, email Joy Lile.