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: Emphasizing connection DOES build coordination and collaboration. SFL’s community-focused approach marked the beginnings of a sea change. Community organizations and system representatives were encouraged (and incentivized) to build relationships with each other. And that worked – SFL community partners could see a marked before and after.
“In the aftermath of Covid, this was perfect timing. The value came in not monetizing humans and looking at them as a number. Not: how much can we make off supporting this person. But looking at the core reason of understanding the roots of a family’s trauma, and moving them to a place of thriving rather than just surviving. The orgs that have been connected to SFL, there is that shared value of investing in our community. The people ARE US! Seen a lot of growth there.” - Spokane priority project partner
Have a story to share? Email it to Joy Lile at strengtheningfamilies@dcyf.wa.gov.
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Washington Caregivers Recognized During Parent Recognition Month. DCYF honored 28 Unsung Hero Award recipients in February – one for each day of the month – as part of Parent Recognition month. Read the full message (Spanish).
Pinwheels for Prevention: Each April, people across the U.S. join together during National Child Abuse Prevention Month to raise awareness and promote ways we all can help strengthen families in our communities. DCYF invites the public to participate in Pinwheels for Prevention. Your participation could make a world of difference in the life of a child, family, or community. For rates and how to order, Read the full message here.
Information and Resources Related to Recent Immigration Enforcement Actions. In early February, DCYF Secretary Tana Senn communicated the agency’s ongoing position on protecting sensitive information in light of recent immigration enforcement threats and actions potentially impacting Washington state families. Read the full message (Spanish | Somali).
DCYF Convenes First Meeting of Family Separation Task Force. On Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, the governor-appointed Family Separation Response Task Force, led by DCYF, held its first meeting. Read the full message (Spanish | Somali).
Child Care Complex Needs Fund Deadline Extended: The 2025 Child Care Complex Needs Fund application deadline has been extended. The application is now open and will close at 5p.m. PT on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. Read the full message (Spanish | Somali).
Keeping Families Together Act: What DCYF Has Learned. In 2021, the Washington State Legislature passed House Bill 1227 — the Keeping Families Together Act. The intent of the act was to safely reduce the number of children placed into foster care, reduce racial disproportionality in the child welfare system, and support relatives to take care of children when they must be placed out of home in order to protect their safety. Read the full article.
Service Expansion: The Public Consulting Group (PCG) will present recommendations for how DCYF can better arrange contracted services to support families involved with the child welfare system and youth transitioning out of Juvenile Rehabilitation. DCYF Staff: Register here for the presentation from noon to 1 p.m. on March 13. External Partners: Register here for the presentation from 11 a.m. to noon on March 26.
Webinar Series Supporting Black Parents. Join Brazelton Touchpoint Center for Parenting While Black: Nurturing Legacy, Love, and Liberation, a FREE four-part webinar (each 1-hour in length) series by, for, and among Black parents. The webinar series runs through April 7, 2025. Each webinar includes live Spanish language translation and closed captioning. Can't attend the live webinars? Register now to receive the recordings. For more information and to register, visit Brazelton Touchpoint Center webinar.
Moving from Trauma Informed Care to Healing Centered Practices. Discover how to reduce stress and activate your body’s natural capacity for growth and healing. This four-week series offers ways to enhance your daily life. When: Noon to 1:30 p.m., PT, March 5, 12, 19, and 26. Register here.
Breaking Barriers: Strengthening Economic Supports for Prenatal-To-Three. Part two of the Whole Child, Whole Family, Whole Systems Webinar Series. 11 a.m. to Noon, PT. March 6. Save the date and learn more at Build Initiative.
The Role of Work in Recovery: Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) Foundational Community Supports team in partnership with Rutgers School for Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions. 9 to 10 a.m. March 13. Learn more and Register here.
Neuro-Nurturing: Advancing Powerful Strategies for the Decade of the Child. Compelling research indicates that improvements in infant neurodevelopment and Early Relational Health could reduce the need for massive amounts of future spending on healthcare, mental health services, and programs related to poverty or crime. Noon to 1 p.m. PT. March 14. Read more and register here.
Strong From the Start: Empowering Dads’ Mental Health in the Perinatal Journey. Becoming a father can be an exciting and life-changing experience, but it can also bring unexpected emotional challenges. 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 20. Register here.
Supporting Recovery with Pregnant, Birthing and Parenting People Living with Substance Use Disorder: Free resources from Brazelton Touchpoints Center. A free series of resources for supporting recovery with pregnant, birthing and parenting people living with substance use disorder (SUD). Explore the videos here.
It Takes a Whole System to Support Whole Families and Whole Children. Webinar series kickoff resources, powered by The BUILD Initiative. View the slides here.
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Family Education and Curriculum: This training, developed in partnership with the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA), family members of an individual(s) experiencing a substance use disorder, and individuals currently in recovery, supports family members, caregivers, or other supportive adults who are concerned about a young person's substance use. Register for the learning modules here.
Preventing Youth Homelessness: The Office of Homeless Youth at the Washington State Department of Commerce has a Prevention Newsletter that digs deep into what it means to prevent youth homelessness. This month’s newsletter covers prevention strategies in-depth, revolving around the State Strategy on Youth Homelessness Prevention. Take a look if you are interested!
Do you want to receive updates from the Office of Community Voice and Empowerment? The Office of Community Voice and Empowerment (OCVE) is getting a new distribution list. The new list will make it easy to receive information that is specific to individuals with lived and living experience. Email Dakota Steel to get involved: dakota.steel@hca.wa.gov.
Research Study: Down Syndrome Mobility Aids. University of Washington is currently seeking children with Down syndrome (12 - 36 months old) to participate in its research study. Eligible children must be independently sitting, but not yet independently walking. For more details, please see DS Mobility Aids flyer. If you have any questions, or know families who might be interested, please contact Mia Hoffman, NSF GRFP PhD Candidate, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, at miahoff@uw.edu or (614) 561-7793 (text messages preferred). Steele Lab | IMPACT Collaboratory.
Show your stripes for Rare Disease Day! The Zebra is the official animal of Rare Disease Day, a global initiative to raise awareness and generate support for those who are on a rare medical journey. This year the day falls on Feb. 28. Read more here to learn how to "Show Your Stripes" in support of those with a rare disease.
New round of grants for community-led projects to increase child care slots: The Washington State Department of Commerce is offering one-year grants to help local communities assess child care needs and develop actionable plans to increase child care availability statewide. Proposals Due: April 17, 2025. Grant Period: July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026. Maximum Award: $70,000. Eligibility: Federally recognized tribe in Washington; Local government entity; Nonprofit organization; Public agency; School district; or Educational Service District (ESD). Learn more here.
Applications open now for 2025-2027 Diversion Program Grant: The Washington State Department of Commerce seeks applications for state fiscal years 2025-2027 from organizations interested in providing diversion services to people at risk of homelessness or recently homeless in their communities. Responses are due April 10, 2025. Learn more about the Washington State Homelessness Diversion Program on its website.
$8.4 million available to prevent closure of behavioral health facilities: The Washington State Department of Commerce is accepting applications for capital projects that will prevent the closure of behavioral health facilities. To learn more about eligibility and to apply, visit DOC's Behavioral Health Facilities Program and select the "Closure Prevention" drop-down menu under "Funding Availability."
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