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: Nurturing families’ networks yields new relational resources. Several SFL communities invested in new opportunities for families to grow their relationships with each other. Creating containers for connection reduced isolation, made positive memories, and sparked organic mutual aid.
“Some of these social events we put on are so impactful. While the kids are having a good time, and moms can have more conversations organically.” – SFL Priority Project Implementor
Have a story to share? Email it to Joy Lile at strengtheningfamilies@dcyf.wa.gov.
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Statewide Active Efforts Virtual Resource Fair: DCYF’s Office of Tribal Relations (OTR) invites you to the Statewide Active Efforts Virtual Resource Fair from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Learn about services and supports from around Washington state that are available to tribal children, youth, and families. Presenters will include tribal programs, tribal-serving organizations, and many more. Register here. | For questions, please email betsy.tulee@dcyf.wa.gov.
Updates from the Family Separation Response Task Force: The Family Separation Response Task Force continued to make progress throughout the month of March. Dozens of state partners met on March 4 and 25 to discuss the goals of the Task Force and to further explore the impacts on families and children affected by separation due to deportation and immigration-related detention. Read the full message.
DCYF Updated Data Reports: Staff at the Office of Innovation, Alignment, and Accountability have posted updates to inform decisions during the Legislative session, including the Child Welfare Overview 2024, and the Extreme Child Care Access Deserts and Uptake Estimates dashboard. Read the full message.
Nominate a Father Who Has Reunited with their Child. This award is meant to recognize fathers who have had a successful outcome with their child welfare case. The virtual ceremony will be hosted on June 12, and the recipient will receive a prize for him and his family. Nominations due April 30 – Read the full message.
April 11-17 is Black Maternal Mental Health Week 2025. The 2025 Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW25) theme, "Healing Legacies: Strengthening Black Maternal Health Through Collective Action and Advocacy," emphasizes the power of Black-led perinatal, maternal, and reproductive health organizations to drive systemic change and foster community healing.
Returning from the Stars: A Birthworker Conference. The Center for Indigenous Midwifery is hosting Returning from the Stars, a birthworker conference focused on Indigenous healing traditions, family wellness, and postpartum care. April 25-26, Olympia, WA. There is no cost to attend. Visit Indigenous Midwifery for information and to register.
Turtle Talk: Collectively Raising Indige-Babies from Brazelton Touchpoints: This season, we will have episodes on Indigenous birthing practices, Native language immersion efforts, Indigenous Visiting with families, and Indigenous music in the Native early childhood education setting. May 2, June 6, Oct. 10 and Nov. 7, Noon-1 p.m. PST.
The Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Summit, happening May 16 - 18, will be offering a few Breakout Sessions in Spanish, Arabic, and Mandarin.
Upcoming Fatherhood Community Cafes: The goal of these events is to lift up the voices of fathers, engage community providers, and gather around the council's Father-Friendly Principles. Upcoming Dates: Benton and Franklin County Dads - Saturday, April 12, 9 a.m. to Noon | Yakima County Dads - Saturday, April 26, 9 a.m. to Noon | For Dads on the Peninsula - Saturday, May 3, 9 a.m. to Noon. Register at Washington Fatherhood Council.
Supporting Individuals within Washington State Tribal Communities. This new webinar will provide a high level overview of the current status of healthcare delivery systems in relation to the tribal governments and their citizens. Date: April 15, Time: 3-4:30 p.m.
The ROI of FRCs: A Strategic Approach to Preventing Child Welfare Involvement. This session will explore the return on investment (ROI) of Family Resource Centers, sharing key research findings on their outcomes, cost savings, and funding opportunities. April 16, 2025, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. PST.
Harnessing the Power of Community Voices and Partnerships to Enhance Maternal Health. Join us on Wednesday, April 16 at 3:30 pm ET to learn about community-informed research and policymaking to support Black maternal health in Michigan.
Zooming Out with Gaelin Elmore: Power of Belonging. Gaelin’s presentation will elevate the importance of “creating environments of belonging where everyone can thrive” and underscores our Child Abuse Prevention Month theme: Powered by Hope, Strengthened by Prevention. Thursday, April 17 at 11:30 a.m. PST.
Parent Voices Matter: Cultivating Resilient Parent Advisory Committees. Grounded in the nationally adopted Standards of Quality for Family Strengthening & Support and the Principles of Family Support Practice, this training equips participants with proven strategies and tools to launch a new PAC or enhance an existing one. April 22 and 23, $330, register by April 15.
Coach Approach to Adaptive Leadership Workshop from Health Care Authority and Washington State Community Connectors. A highly interactive virtual 16-hour workshop designed to enhance your critical thinking skills, empower you to better support others, improve the clarity and effectiveness of your communication, and equip you to build stronger collaborations. Trainings are held over 4 days, 4 hours each day, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. Trainings starting on April 22, May 20, July 22, Aug. 13, and Sept. 16. View the flyer here.
Opportunities to inform the prenatal through age 25 (P-25) Behavioral Health Strategic Plan. Discussion group sessions provide opportunities for anyone across the state to engage in the process by learning about project updates, providing feedback on project materials and outputs, and sharing unique perspectives to support the development of the P-25 Behavioral Health Strategic Plan. Youth and young adults: Monday, April 21, 4 to 5:30 p.m. | System partners: Thursday, April 24, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Parents and caregivers: Thursday, April 24, 2 to 3:30 p.m. View the full announcement here.
Substance Use Disorder family navigator training: This training is for parents, family members, and caregivers who are interested in learning how to support their loved ones with SUD. Provided in 4-day sessions, April – June. Please visit WSCC for more information.
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. May 2 - 4, 2025; Great Wolf Lodge, Grand Mound, WA. Visit Family Success Northwest for more information.
Strengths-based Family Engagement Workshop Series from Brazelton Touchpoints. Research shows that using a strengths-based approach to family engagement supports the well-being of the family. Five-part series begins on Tuesday, May 6, 11 a.m. PT.
Integrated Care Conference: The 4th annual Integrated Care Conference is being held on June 5 and 6 in Seattle at the Seattle Airport DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. The theme is integrated care across the lifespan: serving the behavioral health needs of all ages. View the agenda and register here.
Breaking the Cycle: How Economic Supports Strengthen Families and Break Down Barriers-Webinar Resources.
Child Abuse Prevention Starts With Strengthening Families from Social Current.
Updated State-level Data for Understanding Child Welfare in the United States from Child Trends.
Building Cross-Sector Collaboration Between Health Care and Homeless Services from the Center for Health Care Strategies.
Washington WIC chosen for online ordering pilot program with Walmart: Washington WIC recipients can now use benefits for delivery, shipping, or pickup from 67 Walmart stores across the state. Read the full message here.
Every Kid Healthy Week, organized by Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) and celebrated annually during the last week of April, is a special initiative designed to highlight the importance of health and wellness in children's lives. Mindful Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Wellness Wednesday, Thoughtful Thursday, Family Friday.
Online scheduling now available for the Perinatal Psychiatry Consultation Line (Perinatal PCL): The Perinatal PCL offers free provider-to-provider consultations to health care providers in Washington State. Scheduling portal.
Apply to serve on the Washington State Advisory Council on Homelessness. SACH advises the Governor’s Office and the Affordable Housing Advisory Board on the state’s response to homelessness per Executive Order 15-01. Learn more here.
HCA funding opportunity for 23-hour crisis relief centers: HCA is releasing establishment grants for organizations who are interested in starting up a 23-hour crisis relief center (CRC). Closes April 16. View the opportunity here.
Child Care Partnership Grants: 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. Closes April 17. View the opportunity here.
The OCVA Tribal Government Initiative grant: The OCVA Tribal Government Initiative grant funds support programs that address the emotional, psychological and physical needs of crime victims, help them regain stability, assist in navigating the civil and criminal justice systems, and restore a sense of security and safety. Closes May 1. View the materials here.
Crime Victim Service Center: This Request for Proposal (RFP) invites eligible applicants to apply for funding that supports people who have been hurt or harmed by crime other than sexual assault and domestic violence. Closes May 5. View the materials here.
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