Caregiver Application Portal Goes Live for CPAs
Olympia, WA – Foster parents interested in getting licensed through Child Placing Agencies (CPAs) will find it more accessible with a new application portal launched by the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).
DCYF launched the Washington Caregiver Application Portal (WA CAP) for CPAs on Sept. 12 in an effort to increase and diversify the population of kinship caregivers and foster parents. DCYF launched the portal for caregivers licensed through DCYF earlier this year.
Prospective foster parents can become licensed through DCYF’s licensing division or a CPA.
“There is no right or wrong path to licensure,” explained Interim Assistant Secretary of Licensing Ruben Reeves. “WA CAP will provide a single application source to prospective and existing caregivers and will require CPAs and DCYF to use the same home study, resulting in greater consistency and equity.”
To become a foster parent, applicants must be 21 years or older. People from all racial, ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds, renters and homeowners, LGBTQ+, and any education level are welcome to apply.
The home study will assess a family’s ability to provide a safe and healthy environment for young people experiencing foster care.
Since the original launch date of WA CAP, DCYF has had an average of 1,104 unique family logins to WA CAP. That means slightly over 1,100 families per month are going online and using WA CAP.
WA CAP was created by Binti, a child welfare software provider that has helped modernize data systems nationwide for government and private agencies. The portal allows:
- Applicants to complete applications and documents quickly and timely
- Applicants to apply with their smartphones and tablets and sign electronically
- The Home Study Process to be streamlined and accessible to DCYF and CPAs
- A single application source for prospective and existing caregivers
- Applicants and existing caregivers to upload required documentation, including training certificates, and to self-manage their expiring documents
To learn more about becoming a foster parent, visit Licensing Process | Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
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Contacts:
Jason Wettstein, Director of Communications | jason.wettstein@dcyf.wa.gov | 360-464-0294
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