 One of our favorite times of the year is approaching - - PARENT RECOGNITION MONTH - - in February!
With 2024 just around the corner, there is only a few more weeks left to nominate your Unsung Hero.
Since 2011, with your help, we have honored 337 parents and caregivers in Washington for the roles they have taken with their families, schools and communities. They have been recognized because they have shown strength, courage and empathy in their communities. Parents and caregivers around Washington State are supporting their children, families, and communities in exceptional ways and we want to show our appreciation. Please help us in honoring 29 more in February 2024 by nominating a parent/primary caregiver/guardian for the Unsung Hero award. The nomination form is available in three languages (English, Spanish and Somali). A parent panel will select one honoree for each day in February and then all honorees (including their family or supporters) and their nominators will be invited to an in-person celebratory dinner event in Olympia.
All nominations must be submitted by January 5, 2024. The nominations can be emailed to strengtheningfamilies@dcyf.wa.gov.
Winter DCYF Contracts Updates
As we transition into the winter season with the winter solstice, we encourage you and your teams to take a moment to pause and reflect on all of the amazing work you have accomplished as agencies, teams, and individuals in this last calendar – to really appreciate all that you have done in service to your communities and the families you serve.
Thank you to every single one of you for traversing this calendar year with the HVSA – it’s been full of big changes and you have been graciously coming alongside us as these have rolled out.
With that said, here are a couple of updates/clarifications on budget adjustments, concrete goods, and workforce incentive:
- Concrete Goods orientation slide deck can be found here.
- There are changes in allowable expenses for these funds – please review all the materials and contact your program specialist with any questions.
- Budget/concrete goods/ workforce incentive templates must be completed and submitted to your program specialist and the HV inbox on or before 1/3/2024. If the template is not received by this date, DCYF HV assumes you are opting out of these funding opportunities.
- Concrete Goods FAQs can be found here.
- The 7% budget adjustment: applies to all purchases in SFY24 July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024.
- Concrete Goods and Workforce Incentive: can be spent/distributed between January 1 – June 30, 2024.
- Contract amendments timeline: DCYF HV expects routing of contract amendments to start in mid January – this is dependent on calculation of the workforce incentive numbers. Your program specialist will keep you updated on this.
Thank you for all your hard work!
Our next office hours will be January 18, 2024 3 p.m. Join here.
DCYF is hiring!
Come join the Strengthening Families Washington team at DCYF. We are currently hiring a Home Visiting Program & Policy Analyst (Management Analyst 5). You can read the full posting here.
In addition, the Prevention, Partnership and Services Division, within the Family & Community Supports Section, is hiring a Help Me Grow specialist. You can find more about that here.
All survivors deserve access to health care regardless of immigration status!
Expanded healthcare options for undocumented survivors in Washington. Access to healthcare helps keep survivors and their families safer.
There are two important opportunities for undocumented individuals, regardless of immigration status, to sign up for healthcare coverage in WA.
First, from Nov 1, 2023 – Jan 15, 2024, undocumented individuals can buy low cost healthcare plans (Cascade Care and Cascade Savings plans) on the Washington Healthplan finder.
Second, starting July 1, 2024, the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) will offer limited enrollment into Apple Health (Medicaid) at no cost for undocumented adults.
Learn more about these critical Health Care options in this FAQ which is also available in several languages. If you want more information, start here to connect with a navigator or broker in your community.
En Español
¡Todas las personas sobrevivientes merecen tener acceso a la atención médica independientemente de su situación migratoria!
Ampliación de las opciones de atención de salud para las personas indocumentadas sobrevivientes en Washington. El acceso a la atención médica ayuda a mantener más seguras a las personas sobrevivientes y a sus familias.
Hay dos oportunidades importantes para que las personas indocumentadas, independientemente de su situación migratoria, se inscriban en la cobertura de atención médica en WA.
En primer lugar, del 1 de noviembre de 2023 al 15 de enero de 2024, las personas indocumentadas pueden adquirir planes de asistencia médica de bajo coste (planes Cascade Care y Cascade Savings) en el buscador de planes de salud de Washington (Washington Healthplan finder).
En segundo lugar, a partir del 1 de julio de 2024, la Autoridad de Asistencia de Salud del Estado de Washington (HCA) ofrecerá una inscripción limitada en Apple Health (Medicaid) sin coste alguno para las personas adultas indocumentadas.
Obtenga más información sobre estas opciones críticas de Atención Médica en esta sección de preguntas frecuentes: que también está disponible en varios idiomas. Si desea más información, comience aquí para conectarse con un navegador o intermediario en su comunidad.
Please join us for the Virtual Home Visitor Training Series with presenters from a wonderful team of experienced and wise home visitors and WSCADV staff!
The Domestic Violence Assessment and Response training is followed by the Safety Planning with Families training.
Please register for each event you wish to attend.
DV Assessment and Response
Jan. 30, 2024
Jan. 31, 2024
10:00 - 11:30 am both days
Register here!
Safety Planning with Families
Feb. 9, 2024
9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
(break from 12-1 p.m.)
Additional trainings will continue throughout the fiscal year and we will continue to post registration links as we get closer to events.
Training Material Updates End of Year Overview
In 2023, the Department of Health Home Visiting Unit (HVU) has seen a few changes. With the introduction of three new staff and a former staff member choosing a new career path, it has been heartening to see the work we accomplished through the transition.
The HVU team created eleven new training documents and recently added two Visit Tracker training sessions to the DCYF Data Collection and Reporting page. For a brief look at what’s new and what to expect in the near future, take a look at the information below.
Posted
How to Update Demographic Information in Visit Tracker
Documenting Well Child Visits for NFP programs
Early Language and Literacy NFP Instructions
Documenting Intimate Partner Violence Screening and Referrals in Visit Tracker
Documenting Intimate Partner Violence Screening and Referrals for NFP Programs
Documenting Postpartum Care for NFP programs
Documenting Tobacco Cessation Referrals Measure Overview
Documenting Tobacco Cessation Referrals in Visit Tracker
Documenting Tobacco Cessation Referrals for NFP programs
Documenting Safe Sleep for NFP programs
Documenting Child Injury for NFP programs
Visit Tracker 101 Training for PAT programs
Visit Tracker Q/A Session for PAT programs
Also Added
Relationship Assessment Tool (English/Spanish) for IPV Screenings and Referrals
In Process
Documenting Well Child Visits in Visit Tracker
Documenting Early Language and Literacy Activities in Visit Tracker
Documenting Preterm Births for NFP programs
Documenting Postpartum Care in Visit Tracker
Documenting Safe Sleep in Visit Tracker
Documenting Child Injury in Visit Tracker
Documenting Behavioral Concerns in Visit Tracker
Documenting Behavioral Concerns in NFP instructions
Launch of new DOH WIC Interest Form and WIC Clinic Locator
The Office of Nutrition Services WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) Nutrition Program is excited to announce the launch of the new online WIC Interest Form and Washington WIC Clinic Locator! A huge thank you to our state WIC staff, local WIC agency partners, PCH Web team and OIT for the success of this launch. During our soft launch in November, we received more than 700 referrals via the interest form!
The WIC Interest Form is a simple online form that allows individuals, health care providers, and community-based organizations to refer to Washington WIC. Referrals are sent automatically to our local WIC agency partners for follow up. The WIC Clinic Locator allows people to easily search for and connect with a local WIC Clinic.
WIC is for people who are pregnant, recently delivered a baby, breastfeeding/chestfeeding, and infants and children under age five. Dads, grandparents, foster parents, or other guardians may apply for WIC for their children. WIC helps improve the health of adults and children through:
- Monthly benefits to buy healthy food
- Nutrition education
- Breastfeeding/chestfeeding support
- Health screenings and referrals
- And more
We want to ensure people are connected to WIC when they need it. In Washington state, about 50% of people on Medicaid who are also eligible for WIC, are not enrolled in the program. These new tools are a part of a larger effort to modernize the WIC program to better meet the needs of Washingtonians.
We hope you share these new tools with the individuals, families, and communities that you work with.
Questions? Contact Monica Escareño, DOH Office of Nutrition Services, Outreach Coordinator, Monica.Escareno@doh.wa.gov
Webinar Structure
 Resources (found on Basecamp – CQI Project Folders)
Looking Ahead - January 24, 2024 from (1:30-2:30 p.m.)
For questions or support or to be added to CQI listservs:
Camille Carlson: ccarlson@startearly.org
We wanted to share that Start Early Washington is hiring for a Community Partnerships Manager.
Below is a brief overview of the core responsibilities held within the position.
The Community Partnerships Manager will:
- Lead community engagement efforts for Start Early Washington
- Work with communities in preparation for program expansion and coordination of services
- Staff Start Early Washington’s Community Advisory Committee
- Support advocacy efforts with family and provider voice
If you are interested in finding out more about the position and/or applying – you can learn more here.
Each month, 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 month’s topic is:
Indian Ritual Marks Deaths at Wounded Knee
WOUNDED KNEE, S.D. — Amid a howling winter storm, more than 400 people held an Indian spiritual ceremony Saturday at a mass grave where Sioux Indians were killed by federal troops a century ago.
“We are here to wipe away the tears, to mourn the dead . . . something that should have been done 100 years ago,” said Indian leader Birgil Kills Straight. “It was our intent to, at some point, accomplish the ceremony of wiping the tears. Today we do that.”
Read full article from L.A. Times Archives, Dec. 30, 1990:
More information about federal Indian boarding schools out in January 2024
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Second volume of Interior Department investigation will detail Indigenous children who attended the schools, burial sites, and schools’ affiliations with religious organizations.
Read full article by Austin Fisher, Dec. 1, 2023:
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News
Congress divided on how to address looming child care provider closures, KIRO7.com
Indian Affairs Awards ICWA Grants to Off-Reservation Child and Family Service Programs, Indian Gaming Magazine
Holiday Magic makes a difference for children in need, MyNorthwest
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