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What’s working in family support and strengthening around Washington state? See what parents and providers have to say.
 Findings from the Strengthen Families Locally Project: Facing a frustrating system, families still persevere and thrive despite the odds. Parents push through daunting challenges to better support their children. Their strength spans years as they fight to find a better future. Amid many barriers, they are resilient in finding new paths upward, be it via work, education, housing, healthcare, or some other avenue. Supporting kids starts with supporting their parents.
“Just a Boy - It took me over a year and 7 doctors to get my oldest son diagnosed with autism. I kept persisting and insisting his behaviors were not because he was ‘just a boy’ etc. Finally, I found a doctor that truly heard me and he was diagnosed.” - Multi-racial respondent from the Port Angeles/Sequim SFL Community
Information and Resources Related to Recent Immigration Enforcement Action: The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is and has always been committed to keeping children and families safe and reducing unnecessary family separations. This commitment is only heightened in light of recent immigration enforcement threats and actions that have the potential of impacting families across Washington state. Read the full bulletin in English, Spanish, and Somali here.
DCYF to Lead Task Force to Support Children, Youth Impacted by Recent Immigration Enforcement: Gov. Bob Ferguson signed an Executive Order on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, creating a task force within the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) that will support children and youth who face the risk of family separation due to recent immigration enforcement actions. Gov. Ferguson signed Executive Order 25-04 – which created the task force – in January at El Centro de la Raza in Seattle alongside dozens of families and immigration activists who cheered on as they witnessed the state’s commitment to reduce the trauma associated with unnecessary family separations. Read the full story in English, Spanish, and Somali here.
2025 Child Care Complex Needs Fund: The 2025 Child Care Complex Needs Fund application is now available. Eligible licensed, certified, and certified-for-payment-only child care providers and eligible license-exempt Family, Friend and Neighbor (FFN) providers can apply for the Child Care Complex Needs Fund in the WA Compass Provider Portal. The deadline to apply has been extended to 5 p.m. PST on March 19, 2025. Visit DCYF's Child Care Complex Needs Fund webpage for more information.
Updated Mandatory Reporter Training: The Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) has launched its updated mandatory reporter training with an emphasis on supporting families. Mandatory reporters are professionals and volunteers who work with children, youth, and families and are legally required to report child abuse and/or neglect.
Updated training topics: Distinctions between poverty and neglect, and available resources that mandatory reporters can use to help families; videos highlighting the impact of child abuse and neglect reports; knowledge checks that allow mandatory reporters to practice complex, real-life scenarios in a no-risk environment. View the e-learning modules here.
Voices of Success: Certified Comeback. Since its inception in 2020, the Certificate of Parental Improvement has been issued to more than 980 people. Historically, background checks were vulnerable to biases and subjective decision-making. Watch how this certification process re-evaluates background findings to remove barriers for people, leading to positive impacts on families, employment, and overall life trajectories. View Voices of Success: Certified Comeback here.
Positive Indian Parenting | Train-the-Trainer
DCYF offers Positive Indian Parenting (PIP) Train-the-Trainer trainings at no cost. Trainings are designed to prepare facilitators to educate and support Native parents using a culturally specific approach.
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March 3-6, 2025 | 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Virtual Training
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May 20-22, 2025 | 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | In-Person Training
Visit OTR's Training webpage for training details and to register or download our Training Flyer.
If you have questions, or require an alternate format for this information, need language interpretation services, or need another accommodation or modification to participate in this event, please contact Shannel.Squally-Janzen@dcyf.wa.gov.
Black Emerging Adults Identify Protective Community Resources That Promote Their Well-being from Child Trends. For young Black people, systemic racism can make it even more difficult to navigate emerging adulthood, a transitional period generally taking place from the ages of 18 to 25. Protective community resources (PCRs) can help Black emerging adults mitigate the effects of racial inequities and provide them with needed support. This brief describes both the PCRs that Black emerging adults identified (in discussions and focus groups) as beneficial to them and the PCRs that they desire but find inaccessible. Read the article here.
Co-Parenting 201: Collaborative Divorce as a Peaceful Path to Uncouple. Collaborative divorce offers a refreshing alternative to traditional, adversarial divorce and encourages families to create an amicable agreement outside of court that includes other supports like a financial coach and parenting coach. This workshop will introduce the core principles and benefits of collaborative divorce. 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 20. Register here.
Drop-in for Parents and Caregivers: A Time of Mindfulness, Self-Compassion & Common Humanity. Join us for our monthly Community Drop-In with Shayla Collins. This is for our beloved parents & caregivers! We invite you to join us for a time of mindfulness, self-compassion & common humanity. You spend so much of your time caring for others, please join us for a very informal hour (or whatever you can commit to) of practice for yourself. Our goal is to reinforce the skills you have & to support your well-being so you can continue to give enough to everyone else, both personally & professionally. We welcome all parents & caregivers to participate, and look forward to an impactful time of engagement, community & learning. Third Thursday monthly, 7-8 p.m., via Zoom. Register here.
Youth Friendly Care Certification: Strengthening Providers in their Care Delivery for Teens and Young Adults. Young people want high quality, inclusive, age appropriate and culturally relevant health care that centers their needs and experiences and to engage with health systems that are: Trustworthy, safe, and inclusive; Non-judgmental and compassionate; Responsive to young people’s needs; Transparent about health concerns and confidentiality; Supportive of ongoing youth engagement in improving healthcare services. To do this work, the Department of Health (DOH) is working closely with teens and young adults, state agencies, and community partners to plan a new Youth Friendly Care certification. This program is designed for medical and behavioral health clinics and practices that serve youth. Attend a webinar to learn more – multiple offerings Feb. 19 or March 5. Register here.
Gatekeeping or Gate Opening? Exploring the Protective Urges that Influence Our Decisions About Father Involvement from Best Starts for Kids. Our decisions as professionals around who to involve in services for young children are influenced by our personal experiences. This workshop will use a reflective and experiential approach to help us connect with our own experiences and the impact they have on our decisions as professionals. Building awareness can help us move from gatekeepers to gateopeners regarding father involvement. In this talk participants will explore cultural perspectives on caregiving and systematic expectations from caregivers. The intersectionality of these perspectives will be discussed for the purpose of bringing awareness on how this may perpetuate negative points of view regarding a father’s ability to nurture and care for their infants. Feb. 21, 1-4 p.m. Register here.
“Understanding..." Series Training: Provided by the Washington State Healthcare Authority, this training is designed to provide an overview of key topics relevant to the children and youth behavioral health community, all explained in family-friendly language. This is a 6-week series on understanding different topics relevant to the children and youth behavioral health community. Participants can attend any or all of the weekly trainings. Understanding the Zone of Usefulness; Understanding WISe and Wraparound; Understanding Family Initiated Treatment (FIT) and Rickey’s Law; Understanding the Trauma Informed Approach; Understanding the System of Care; Understanding Sexual Orientations, Gender Identity, and Expression. Series will be held every other week starting March 7. Register for Friday 11:30 a.m. trainings | Register for Tuesday 5:30 p.m. trainings
Moving from Trauma Informed to Healing Centered Practices from Community Resilience Initiative.. When stress becomes prolonged or intense (trauma), the body and brain enter a stress-based state. This can lead to ongoing stress symptoms like trouble sleeping, anxiety, depression, digestive issues, chronic tension, stress-related ailments, or learning challenges. These effects can have a cascading impact across the lifespan. Healing-centered practices help the body and brain return to a balanced, restorative, or high-performance state. Central to this process is the care of the brain, nervous system, and stress-related patterns held in the muscle memory. Advances in neuroscience and epigenetics inspire powerful habits to relieve stress and improve well-being. Trainer: Teresa Posakony. Cost $175. March 5, 12, 19 and 26, noon– 1:30 p.m. Register here.
Supporting Individuals with Neurodiversity & Mental Health Conditions. From Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports team in partnership with Rutgers School of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professionals is presenting the March Cultural Responsiveness Learning Session. Over the past decade, the community of neurodiverse individuals has seen significant growth and greater visibility. Additionally, The Neurodiversity Pride movement has gained momentum alongside broader awareness and community inclusion. The March webinar will focus on effective strategies for supporting neurodiverse individuals with co-occurring mental health conditions (MHCs) through evidence-based-practices. Participants will explore practical approaches for fostering inclusive environments and best practices for affirming neurodiversity. March 18, 3 -4:30 pm. Register here.
State Opioid and Overdose Response learning community meetings in 2025: The State Opioid and Overdose Response (SOOR) learning community meetings are a publicly held space to share and learn about different work related to opioids and overdoses. This meeting seeks to bring together state government leaders, Tribes, academic researchers, health care providers, individuals with lived experience, members of the community, and anyone else with an interest in attending. March 20, May 15, July 17, Sept. 18, Nov. 20. Sign up here.
Innovia Foundation Launch NW present the EngageIRL Luncheon: Mentoring the Smartphone Generation at the Spokane Convention Center. Gen Z adolescents are the first generation to spend their entire adolescence with smartphones. Many struggle with underdeveloped social skills and take longer to engage in independent activities. Gen Z spends more time communicating electronically and less time with their friends in person, as well as less time sleeping. Perhaps as a result, they are more likely to struggle with unhappiness, anxiety and depression. We’ll discuss how our collective actions as a community can help youth find a better balance with technology and enjoy healthier and happier lives. March 26, 11:30 – 1 p.m. Cost: $55. Register here.
Family Success Parenting Conference. Family Success NW proudly presents their inaugural conference—a gathering of parents, caregivers, and allies dedicated to supporting trauma-impacted children. Pre-register for the conference and receive early access to discounted lodging. Visit Family Success Northwest for more information. May 2 - 4, 2025, Great Wolf Lodge, Grand Mound, WA. Pre-register here or visit Family Success Northwest for more information.
Community Risk Profiles: Risk and Protection Profiles for Substance Abuse Prevention for Washington State and its Communities. A comprehensive time-series collection of data related to substance use and abuse, and the risk factors that predict substance use among youth. Data are organized and presented within a risk and protective factor framework used across the state by substance abuse prevention planners. Data are available at the school district, locale, county and state level. Access data here.
Advising People on Using 988 Versus 911: Practical Approaches for Healthcare Providers: The guide addresses confusion about when to use 988 or 911. It helps healthcare providers integrate crisis care discussions into routine practice, fostering better crisis management and respecting individual needs. Read here.
The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) launched a new birth doula benefit for Apple Health (Medicaid) on Jan. 1, 2025. Eligible birth doulas in Washington can now be reimbursed for services provided to Apple Health clients. The benefit launch follows a joint statewide recommendation for doula services from HCA and the Department of Health (DOH). Read the full memo regarding new Doula services here.
Now Accepting Conference Proposals: Share Your Insights at CRI's 2025 Conference. CRI is examining the ripple effect of building resilience in communities. How has this work spread out from our origins in the Pacific Northwest? Who still needs to hear the message of resilience? This year, we are offering two tracks for our breakout sessions: 1. Trauma-Informed or Resilience-Building Strategies for Educators. 2. Trauma-Informed or Resilience-Building Strategies for Communities and Community Organizations. Submit proposals here. Conference: Oct. 16-18 in Spokane, WA. Submit proposals here.
Robert Woods Johnson Foundation Local Data for Equitable Communities: Call for Proposals. This call for proposals (CFP) invites eligible nonprofit organizations in the U.S. to apply for a grant to collect, analyze, and use data to address inequities in the physical, economic, and social conditions of a place. Improving these conditions is key to achieving health equity where health is no longer a privilege, but a right. Structural racism is one of the leading barriers that results in inequities in conditions within and across communities. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) expects to award up to 30 grants of $50,000 each, with a period of performance of nine months. The Urban Institute, as the national coordinating center for this program, is collaborating with RWJF on program design, grantee support, and communications. Proposals due at noon on March 18. Read the full request here.
New Grant Opportunity to Advance Workforce Strategies: Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) is pleased to announce a new grant opportunity from National Alliance to End Homelessness to advance workforce strategies. The Alliance (National Alliance to End Homelessness) is requesting proposals for a new opportunity that will award a one time grant of up to $50,000. With a workforce under constant strain, this opportunity aims to encourage small-scale innovations in the homeless services workforce. The grant will be used to start or continue initiatives that support the recruitment, promotion/advancement and retention of high-quality homeless services staff. Application submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on March 28, 2025. Submissions must be sent to hri@naeh.org. Read the full call for proposals here.
HCA's substance use prevention and mental health promotion services FOA is now open! The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) released a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for organizations interested in implementing programming to address substance-use disorder (SUD) prevention related to opioids and cannabis, mental health promotion, suicide prevention, and disordered-eating prevention services in Washington. The purpose of this project is to increase the availability of direct-prevention service programs to communities experiencing the highest need and risk. Proposals are due April 1, 2025. Read the full FOA here.
To suggest content, please contact: Joy Lile, strengtheningfamilies@dcyf.wa.gov.
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