 JR Length of Stay Training and Technical Assistance Grant Award
We are proud to announce that last month, DCYF Juvenile Rehabilitation (JR) was awarded a grant to address length of stay (LOS) in residential facilities. This grant was awarded by the Council on Juvenile Justice Administrators, Georgetown University, and Pew Charitable Trusts in a highly competitive process and will fund a year of training and technical assistance from national experts for community advocates and DCYF leadership.
The goal of the program is “to guide and support teams from state and local jurisdictions to examine and address policies, practices, and other factors contributing to length of stay in post-adjudication placement and to develop and implement strategic plans to improve outcomes for young people in those placements (CJJA website).”
DCYF enters this work with goals to improve how we address incidents, address racial and ethnic disparities in LOS, and facilitate young people’s successful and stable reentry into the community.
Child Care Stabilization Grant Extended to Continue Outreach to Providers
DCYF has extended the application deadline for the Child Care Stabilization Grant to continue outreach in order to support additional providers through grant funding.
Constituents who are licensed child care providers, certified child care providers, or license-exempt Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) providers that have not already applied can apply for the Child Care Stabilization Grant up to 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 30, 2022.
If eligible child care providers in your district would like more information about this grant, including frequently asked questions and contact information for technical assistance, please have them visit the DCYF Child Care Stabilization Grant webpage or email dcyf.stabilizationgrant@dcyf.wa.gov.
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JR/HCA Partnership to Support Institution and Community Programs
We are excited to announce a new partnership between DCYF/JR and HCA on a position that will support Institution and Community Programs and relieve our Residential and Regional Mental Coordinators of some duties around Medicaid and care coordination with Managed Care Organization (MCOs). The creation of this position was necessary to meet the requirements of SB 5118 (2021), which requires DCYF/JR to provide notification to MCOs of a client’s planned release to support care coordination.
This position will provide education to young people in institutions and community facilities around MCO selection, and the benefits of all available MCO plans, and Medicaid enrollment when needed.
The posting for this position closed on July 8, and applications are currently under review with the goal of onboarding this individual in the coming months.
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Incorporating Youth Voice into Policy and Practice Improvements
Over the past two sessions, the Washington State Legislature has made investments through numerous provisos to improve policy and practice for youth involved in the Child Welfare and Juvenile Rehabilitation systems. In implementing these provisos, and pursuant to Legislative intent, DCYF has been intentional about incorporating youth voice into this work. DCYF is currently engaged in a co-design process to improve transitions for youth exiting Child Welfare and Juvenile Rehabilitation, as well as a co-design process to re-design our Family Reconciliation Services program. In co-design work, youth are engaged as active decision makers for how recommendations are developed and delivered to the Legislature.
In addition to our two formal co-design processes, we are also working on ensuring we receive youth input and engagement in other recommendation processes. DCYF received a proviso to determine how to improve financial capability for dependent youth, and we are actively soliciting youth input for strategies to improve access to bank accounts and financial literacy for youth in care. Lastly, DCYF received a proviso in the 2021 Legislative Session to improve access to youth development programs, and young people were engaged through surveys, listening sessions, and other avenues to ensure their voice was included.
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