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Disability is a part of the rich tapestry of human diversity, and something that nearly all of us will experience at some point in our lives. It’s also a significant identity that defines how we experience the world. Yet people with disabilities have been marginalized and misunderstood for generations. All disabilities and their intersecting identities should be acknowledged, valued, and respected, and one way to do that is during Disability Pride Month.
Disability Pride Month is celebrated every July and is an opportunity to honor the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of the disability community.
Why July? It marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, landmark legislation that broke down barriers to inclusion in society. But barriers still exist, which is why we need to honor every kind of disability, the people who identify with them, and the wide range of supports they need to thrive. Here’s more about the history of Disability Pride Month and the story behind the flag.
Learn the History of Disability Rights in the United States
*This article was originally published in the ARC blog.
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Effective July 23, 2023, RCW 74.13.031 requires the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) to broaden the eligibility criteria for the Guardianship Assistance Program (GAP) subsidies to include all children and youth regardless of Title IV-E eligibility or proof of citizenship.
Additional Information:
- The Relative Guardianship Assistance Program (R-GAP) has been renamed the Guardianship Assistance Program (GAP).
- Children and youth who are not IV-E eligible are no longer disqualified from receiving a GAP subsidy as long as all other eligibility criteria is met.
- There are now two funding sources, e.g., state or federal, but there is still only one GAP program.
- FamLink will still reflect “R-GAP”, due to constraints on updating FamLink timely.
Please review this memo in its entirely for the new policy and procedures requirements. The Relative Guardianship Assistance Program (R-GAP) policy will be updated to reflect the changes in the memo.
Child Welfare Voluntary Placement Agreement Memo Effective July 23, 2023
Effective July 23, 2023, RCW 74.13.031 will now allow suitable persons to be a placement option for Voluntary Placement Agreements (VPAs). Also, the Voluntary Placement Agreement DCYF 09-004B form has been updated.
Please review this memo in its entirely for the new policy and procedures requirements. The Voluntary Placement Agreement policy will be updated to reflect the changes in the memo.
For memo questions, please contact the DCYF Policy Team.
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The first distribution of vaccination incentive payments is scheduled for the July 25, 2023 pay check. Thereafter, distribution of payments will occur monthly on the 25th pay check through January 25, 2024.
As a reminder, to qualify for the $1,000 incentive payment, you have received the most current COVID vaccine and provide proof of your up-to-date vaccination to Human Resources no later than December 31, 2023.
New Important Information:
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For July 25th payment: to receive an incentive payment on your July 25 pay check, employees must have submitted proof of their up-to-date vaccination to Human Resources by July 11.
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For August 25 through January 25 payment: to receive an incentive payment on the 25 of the month through the end of the program, employees must have submitted proof of their up-to-date vaccination to Human Resources by close of business on the 9th of each month. Submissions received after the 9th will be processed for payment the following month.
Questions:
- Learn more details by visiting COVID and the DCYF Workplace and select the Vaccine Booster Incentive tab.
- For questions about required documentation or approvals, please contact your HR consultant.
- For questions about payments, please contact Payroll.
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ADA Coordinator Karin Morris and Adults with Disabilities Program Manager Melissa Wood, will host a training series for engaging with parents with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD). This training will be presented by The Association for Successful Parenting in conjunction with DCYF Partnership, Prevention, and Services Division and Administrative Services Division.
The training curriculum has been customized specifically to meet the needs of child welfare caseworkers in working with parents who may have an I/DD. Trainings will be approximately 2.5 hours and will cover:
- ADA fundamentals
- Case management considerations
- Much more
The first training will be held on Friday, August 25, 2023 starting at 9 a.m. and will occur monthly. Registration is limited and required for attendance. Please join us in learning more about how to support parents with I/DD.
- Friday, Aug. 25 | Association for Successful Parenting Training series | 9 – 11:30 a.m. | Register
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You are invited to attend the Caregiver Supports Webinar on Tuesday, July 18 at 10:30 a.m. The webinar will provide a refresher on the project vision and goals and review changes that can be expected in Phase 1 of the project.
The vision of the Caregiver Supports Project is to implement a continuum of placement resources that enable safe, stable, and supported placements for children in the care of DCYF. The continuum will increase access to caregiver supports and align supports to the diverse needs of youth and children in out-of-home placement.
Tuesday, July 18 | Caregiver Supports Webinar | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. | Join Webinar
Zoom Link: https://dcyf.zoom.us/j/81447281753?pwd=a2UrVk5tV3NZK0J2ZmxLeFp2L2JrQT09
Zoom ID: 814 4728 1753 |Password: 032933
To learn more, visit the Thriving Families webpage.
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The Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC) invites parents and early learning providers to complete a survey regarding the spending goals and strategies called out in the Fair Start for Kids Act (FSKA).
The purpose of this survey is to inform recommendations to the legislature regarding the FSKA spending goals and strategies. The survey should take no more than 10 minutes and also asks if respondents would be willing to meet with a member of the Community Engagement team to discuss their experiences further.
The survey is available in English, Somali, Spanish, Mandarin and Russian. The survey will close Monday, July 24. Please share with your networks to help spread the word.
The Office of Communications is excited to share a recent set of updates we made to the DCYF Intranet Communications content. Most notable, we renamed the landing page to Communications Toolkit. Additional highlights include:
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Consulting Services identifies what communication functions the communication consultants and the Creative Services Team cover and what tasks are meant to be done at the team or program level.
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Find Your Consultant page identifies what communication consultant covers each divisions and programs throughout DCYF. And at the bottom of the page, there are short biographical information on every member of the Office of Communications.
Check out these updates by visiting the Communications Toolkit. If you have communication questions and don’t know who to contact, please email dcyf.commsupport@dcyf.wa.gov.
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All Washington state employees are invited to join the Combined Fund Drive Charity Fair next Wednesday, July 19, from 3-5 p.m. This in-person celebration of our volunteers and charities will take place in Olympia on the Capitol Campus, in the lawn area above the Plaza Garage on the east side of Capitol Way.
The CFD supports more than 4,000 charities working tirelessly to strengthen our communities. Employees and volunteers will have an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of their peers, learn about potential non-profits, benefits, and programs they provide their clients. There will be cotton candy, popcorn, vendor booths, and music for everyone to enjoy.
Visit https://give.wa.gov/cfd/2023-charity-fair- for more details on how to participate.
Wednesday, July 19 | CFD Charity Fair | 3 – 5 p.m. | Capitol Campus – East Lawn
Are You Interested in Serving as the CFD Campaign Leader for DCYF?
The CFD Charity Fair is the kick-off to the 2023 CFD Annual Charitable Giving Campaign. As the CFD begins the 2023 campaign, we need a volunteer from DCYF to serve as a campaign leader who will administer the campaign within our agency and act as a liaison with the Washington State CFD Committee.
If you are interested in volunteering for the CFD campaign leader position for DCYF, send an email to dcyf.commsupport@dcyf.wa.gov.
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The link provided in the July 10 Digest article on the 2023 Seniority list was not working properly. The following link now works properly. We apologize for the error.
The DCYF seniority list for 2023 has been posted to the DCYF intranet. The list contains:
- Employee name
- Job classification
- Seniority date
Employees who find discrepancies with their listed dates have 14 calendar days to appeal their seniority date. To request an appeal, employees must contact their Regional HR staff.
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Currently, there are 107 positions open at DCYF, listed here. Some of these positions are highlighted below. The following positions are open to all, so please share with anyone who may be interested:
If you have any questions or want the Recruitment Team to highlight your job posting, please contact dcyf.jobs@dcyf.wa.gov.
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Tuesday, July 18
- Caregiver Supports Webinar | 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. | Join Webinar
- CPS/Intake/FVS/FRS (field staff) Peer Support Session | 3 - 5 p.m. | Register
Wednesday, July 19
Thursday, July 20 | Support Staff Peer Support Session | 9 - 11 a.m. | Register
Friday, July 21 | CFWS & Adoptions (field staff) Peer Support Session | 8:30 - 10 a.m. | Register
Thursday, July 27 | Asian Pacific Islander Native Hawaiian (APINH) Affinity Group | 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Join Meeting
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