 Child-Specific License Plan (SB 5151) Implementation
Kinship care and suitable persons are at the heart of keeping children and youth connected to their families and community. The passage of Senate Bill 5151: Child-Specific Licensing has created an opportunity to keep children and youth with their own families and in their own culture.
Generally, the bill allows the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) to issue a child-specific license to a relative or suitable person. That relative or person becomes licensed for placement of a specific child and that child’s siblings in DCYF’s care, custody, and control. Family members and suitable persons must meet minimum qualifications of child-specific licensing requirements to do this.
Timeline: DCYF is having initial discussions and presentations with stakeholders. In early fall, the agency will have workshops with volunteers to develop child-specific license criteria. Once the license has been developed, staff will present to DCYF executive leadership for feedback. Feedback will then be discussed with workshop participants and stakeholders.
DCYF is looking forward to collaborating with groups of stakeholders, including:
- The Kinship Care Oversight Committee
- An organization that represents our current and former foster youth
- An organization that represents Community Parenting Alternatives (CPAs)
- An advisory group of foster youth and alumni
- Tribal consultation
We have begun the process of presenting to stakeholders and asking members to participate in the workgroup. To date, we have presented to the Kinship Care Oversight Committee (KCOC) and Tribal Policy Advisory Committee (TPAC). We will continue reaching out to other stakeholder groups to schedule meetings.
Questions? Please reach out to either Xuan Chung at xuan.chung@dcyf.wa.gov or Geene Delaplane at geene.delaplane@dcyf.wa.gov.
Family Time Program Improvements (HB 1194) Launch Successfully
House Bill 1194 went into effect on July 25, 2021. This bill made significant changes to the Family Time Visitation program by requiring that the first family visit occur within 72 hours of the removal of a child unless the court finds that extraordinary circumstances require a delay. We are excited to learn from this new process to help us make the regular visitation system more functional and responsive.
We are so proud of our staff and partners who accomplished this incredible task on a tight timeline. Early reports from DCYF staff in the field indicate that implementation is moving smoothly! We are making family visits happen within the 72-hour requirement, even under difficult circumstances – like when one parent is incarcerated. To accomplish this, our staff worked tirelessly to update policies and practices, developed trainings and resource guides for frontline staff, negotiated a new emergent contract for 72-hour visits, made technology and system changes, and much more.
In the coming months, DCYF will closely track implementation efforts, collecting data on the timeliness of visits, the impact of the rate restructure on providers, and how visit supervision levels are changing to ensure kids and their families can meet in the most natural settings possible while maintaining safety.
|
Community Transition Services (HB 1186) Stakeholder Group Recruitment
On July 22, DCYF closed the application process for service on the temporary Community Transition Services (CTS) stakeholder group established in House Bill 1186. We sought applications from individuals with lived experience interested in improving outcomes for individuals exiting juvenile rehabilitation facilities. The CTS stakeholder group will collaborate and develop recommendations to improve outcomes for young people reentering the community with a focus on:
- Increasing community involvement before and after the individual’s exit from a juvenile rehabilitation facility.
- A landscape analysis of community-based, reentry-related services available to individuals exiting a juvenile rehabilitation facility by geographic region and service type.
- Community-based, reentry-related service gaps that should be addressed to ensure a successful CTS program across the state.
Learn more about the CTS stakeholder group.
|
Early Learning Advisory Council Recruitment Notice
As part of implementing the Fair Start for Kids Act, DCYF is excited to announce that it is recruiting members for the Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC). Based on the hard work of early learning communities and advocates across the state in passing the Fair Start for Kids Act during the 2021 Legislative Session, DCYF is accepting applications to expand on ELAC's evolving work.
Applications for this group are open until Aug. 31, 2021. If you know someone who might be interested, feel free to share this opportunity!
More information can be found on the ELAC webpage.
|
Child Care Licensing Fees Suspended Through June 2023
With the passage of Senate Bill 5151, beginning July 1, 2021, child care providers and applicants are not required to pay licensing fees through June 30, 2023.
“This will remove a financial burden for child care providers and will help alleviate the child care shortage in many areas,” said DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter.
DCYF will refund any provider or applicant who has already paid fees due after July 1, 2021.
|
