Welcome Tessa Velasco, Culturally Responsive Services Program Specialist
The Office of Tribal Relations would like to welcome Tessa Velasco, our new Culturally Responsive Services Program Specialist under DCYF’s Service Continuum. Prior to moving into her role with DCYF, Tessa worked closely with tribal nations in the design and implementation of culturally responsive and specific parent education and in-home service interventions, as well as in the creation of rural accessibility to tribal-based youth mental health services.
In her new role with DCYF, Tessa has drawn on her experience working with tribal communities to help in the statewide development of culturally responsive in-home and prevention service expansion so that services are culturally responsive, equitable and accessible to children, youth, and families of color as well as those with limited English proficiency.
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Tribal Early Learning Fund - Now Accepting Applications
The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families Office of Tribal Relations is excited to share a funding opportunity to support Tribal children prenatal to five in early learning programs around Washington State. The Tribal Early Learning Fund (TELF) is designed to provide resources to ensure early learning programs can best serve Tribal children in an inclusive and culturally appropriate manner.
Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 1, 2024.
The following early learning programs are eligible to apply:
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Category 1: Tribal Nations, or Tribal Child Care Center
- Tribal Head Start and/or Early Head Start
- Tribal Early Childhood Education & Assistance Program (ECEAP) and/or Tribal Early ECEAP
- Tribal Childcare Centers
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Category 2: Tribal Nations, Recognized American Indian Organizations (RAIO’s), Tribal/Native Serving Organization, or Tribal Child Care Providers
- Recognized American Indian Organizations (RAIOs) with an early learning program
- Tribal/Native Serving Organization with an early learning program
- Tribal Home Visiting
- Tribally Licensed Childcare providers
- Certified/Certified for Payment only Tribal Child Care providers
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Category 3: Community Organization, State or Certified Child Care providers that serve tribal children
- Home Visiting programs serving Tribal children
- ECEAP and/or Early ECEAP Contractors & Subcontractors serving Tribal children
- State Licensed Childcare providers serving tribal children
- Certified Childcare providers serving Tribal children
For questions, please contact Rayna Espinosa, Tribal Early Learning Fund Specialist, at rayna.espinosa@dcyf.wa.gov or (564) 546-0436.
Community-led Firearm Violence Prevention
The Washington State Department of Commerce, Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention (OFSVP) issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) soliciting applications from Tribal governments, Tribal-led community-based organizations and entities that meet the “by and for organization” definition.
The RFP is designed to support community-led firearm violence prevention, planning, and intervention programs to serve people at highest risk of community firearm violence in Washington. Total funding for this RFP is $8 million for this state fiscal biennium (July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2025).
Proposals are due by 11:59 p.m. (Pacific) March 4, 2024. The funding period is from April 26, 2024-June 30, 2025.
The RFP No. S24-35301-001 is available online.
Small, Rural, and Tribal Body-Worn Camera Program
The purpose of this initiative is to provide funds and technical support to small, rural, and tribal agencies to implement a Body-Worn Camera (BWC) program. This program provides funds to:
- Any law enforcement department with 50 or fewer full-time sworn personnel.
- Rural agencies (those agencies with non-urban or non-metro counties).
- Federally-recognized tribal agencies.
Application Deadline: March 4, 2024.
Apply online at Bureau of Justice Assistance (ojp.gov).
Community Accelerator Grant
ArtsFund has announced its second round of funding for the Community Accelerator Grant, a $10 million investment in Washington State’s arts and culture sector. The program will provide unrestricted grants for cultural nonprofit organizations across Washington State in amounts of $2,500 to $25,000. Funding provides essential capital to Washington’s cultural organizations, including fiscally sponsored and tribal organizations, whose primary mission is to produce or support arts and cultural activities.
The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on March 5, 2024.
Visit ArtsFund for information and to apply.
Native American Language Program (NAL@ED) FY2024 Grant
NAL@ED supports the Nation’s First Peoples’ efforts to use, practice, maintain, and revitalize their languages, and to improve educational opportunities and student outcomes in Native American and Alaska Native communities by providing grants to support schools that use Native American and Alaska Native languages as the primary language of instruction. Awards are expected to range from $300,000 - $400,000/year over a three-year period.
Deadline to apply: March 7, 2024
For information and to apply: Native American Language Program (NAL@ED) FY24 Grant Competition Resource (constantcontact.com)
Funding Available for 2023-24 Student Projects
The Northwest Center for Public Health Practice is still accepting applications to support student projects in Washington, Alaska, Idaho, and Oregon during the 2023-24 school year.
Eligible students will be awarded up to $3,500 each to help them with living expenses during their hands-on learning experience. Applications are evaluated based on the project’s public health practice focus, attention to underserved areas and populations, and feasibility.
Learn more about application deadlines and procedures and read about funded projects from past years. Applications close March 15, 2024.
Kinship and Foster Licensing Track | In-Person Training
Tribal Child Placing Agency partners are invited to register for an upcoming in-person 4-day training offered by DCYF's Licensing Division Workforce Development Team regarding the kinship and foster licensing track.
March 12 - 15, 2024
1000 Oakesdale Ave SW #110
Renton, WA 98057
Attendees will learn about the Home Study process and how to complete it in WA CAP. The training will also address implicit bias, the importance of equitable assessments, and the strength-based approach to licensing. The training will also discuss the government-to-government relationship with tribal partners regarding the licensing process.
If you are interested attending this training, please email best4kids@dcyf.wa.gov.
For questions, please contact Mandy.Morlin@dcyf.wa.gov.
Peer Learning Court Program
The Center for Children and Family Futures, with support from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, invites tribal family healing to wellness courts (FHWC) and family treatment court (FTC) collaboratives to apply for status as a nationally recognized peer learning court (PLC).
Application Deadline: March 25, 2024
The PLC Program highlights best practices while sharing innovations that advance the FHWC/FTC mission. Eligible collaboratives are multidisciplinary teams serving families in child welfare and affected by parental substance use.
For more information, visit: www.cffutures.org/plc.
ICW Active Efforts Social Service Specialist 3 (SSS3) - Aberdeen/DCYF
Position closes: Feb. 29, 2024, 11:59 p.m.
Apply online: ICW Active Efforts Social Service Specialist 3 (governmentjobs.com)
Racial Equity and Social Justice (RESJ) Administrator (WMS2) – Statewide/DCYF
Position closes: March 5, 2024, 11:59 p.m.
Apply online: RESJ Administrator (governmentjobs.com)
Birth-5 ECEAP Senior Administrator (WMS03) Olympia/DCYF
Position closes: March 10, 2024, 11:59 p.m.
Apply online: Birth-5 ECEAP Senior Administrator (governmentjobs.com)
Administrative Assistant 3 - Office of Native Education - Applicant Pool/Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)
Position closes: March 1, 2024, 11:59 p.m.
Apply online: Administrative Assistant 3 (governmentjobs.com)
Tribal Policy Manager, Policy Unit/WA State Office of the Attorney General
Apply online: Tribal Policy Manager (governmentjobs.com)
Program Coordinator/NM Early Childhood Education & Care
Apply online: careers.share.state.nm.us
We Want to Make Working with Washington State Government Easier!
In this survey, we will ask anonymous questions about you and about your experience with Washington State government services to uncover statewide trends so that we can represent and serve everyone better.
Please take this 15-minute survey for a chance to win a $200 gift card!
All responses are anonymous. The survey shouldn't take longer than about 15 minutes and will be open until at least March 11, 2024.
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Call for Submissions | 2024 Trauma Informed Care Conference
Yakama Nation Behavioral Health Services has put out an invitation for presenters to submit proposals for review and an opportunity to present your work at the 2024 Trauma Informed Care Conference on May 21 - 23, 2024, at the Legend’s Casino-Hotel in Toppenish, WA. Proposal Submissions will be considered for 90-minute breakout sessions.
Deadline for Submission: March 1, 2024
For information, contact (509) 831-7653 or email ynsystemofcare@gmail.com.
Region 6| Tribal Events & Resources
- Indigenous Virtual Book club for ages 7-11 years old via Zoom. Please email andreamvlandry@gmail.com for registration and information.
- Virtual Re-Entry Talking Circle every Thursday from 6-7 p.m. Please call (253) 237-7413 for more information. https://www.nativereentry.org/
- Carving as Medicine hosted by Tahoma Indian Center every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please contact Tahoma Indian Center for more information at (253) 212-3350.
- Free admission to the Suquamish Museum every second Saturday of every month! Visit https://suquamish.nsn.us/suquamish_museum for more information.
National Call to Action on Equity | Admin. for Children and Families
In August 2021, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced its Equity in Action initiative, igniting a robust approach to advance equity across its programs and processes—engaging parents, youth, and families to inform its strategy along the way—to ensure everyone has equitable access to ACF’s supportive services.
On March 21, from 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (ET), ACF will host a National Call to Action on Equity to share and include our critical partners and stakeholders in the outcomes of ACF’s Equity in Action work.
To register: Webinar Registration - Zoom (zoomgov.com)
Proposed Rule Regarding Demographic Data Collection for AI/AN Youth | U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), proposed a rule to increase data collection on American Indian/Alaska Native children's status and experiences. This proposed rule aims to augment information submitted by states to ACF’s Children’s Bureau for inclusion in the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis Reporting System (AFCARS) report.
For more information: Public Inspection: Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System
Cultural Humility Can Support ICWA Implementation at State Child Welfare Agencies
Written by the Capacity Building Center for States
December/January 2024 | Vol. 24, No. 10 (hhs.gov)
What maternal health care can do to prevent family separations
"This article focuses on a prenatal health intervention program getting off the ground in a northeast Montana county where the rate of children in foster care far exceeds state and national figures."
How a maternal health program aims to prevent family separations in Montana (montanafreepress.org)
How the case of a missing Indigenous teen fell through the cracks
"No one was looking for Kit Nelson-Mora, despite warning signs, until a friend contacted police over a year after their disappearance in Omak."
How the case of a missing Indigenous teen fell through the cracks | Crosscut
Offered by the Center for the Study of Social Policy, in this webinar, community providers discuss the challenges they face in providing responsive services, including building evidence and operating in the context of restrictive “evidence-based” standards, as well as recommendations for state and federal policymakers. Culture is Healing: Removing the Barriers from Culturally Responsive Services (youtube.com)
Center for Native Child and Family Resilience staff describe the Txin Kaangux̂ (TK) Initiative on St. Paul Island and the program's incorporation of cultural values and traditions into policies, procedures, and practices, as well as its innovative approaches, such as mind mapping and creating engaging resources from standard policies. Facilitators provide an overview of the TK Initiative and its role in promoting health, wellness, and cultural resilience throughout the Aleut Community on St. Paul Island. This webinar is designed for tribal child welfare leaders, caseworkers, technical assistance providers, and trainers.
Incorporating Cultural Values and Traditions into Policy, Procedure, and Practice Webinar (youtube.com)
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