 September 1 Marks the End of Automatic Child Support Referrals
On September 1, DCYF stopped the outdated and harmful practice of referring parents for child support collection when a child is placed in foster care. DCYF and the Department of Social and Health Services Division of Child Support (DCS) are also working together to stop enforcing child support orders that are creating financial hardship for parents involved in the child welfare system.
DCYF is one of the first states in the country to act on new federal guidance allowing states to put a stop to child support collections that cause financial hardship for parents and keep children in foster care longer. On September 1, DCYF filed new emergency rules to end referrals to the DCS when a court has made a finding that the child has been abandoned and no “good cause” exists not to collect child support. These are extremely rare circumstances.
Historically, when a child was placed into foster care, the parents were automatically referred to the DCS to initiate a child support case on the parents. Under federal law, when the child support was paid, DCYF was required to use the money to reimburse itself for the cost of caring for the child in foster care. That all ends this month.
Additionally, DCYF and DCS are also working together to stop unnecessary child support enforcement actions that remain on the books for no reason other than the fact that the child entered the foster care system.
For more details about this policy change please contact Julie Watts, Government Affairs Policy Advisor, at Julie.Watts@dcyf.wa.gov.
DCYF Expands Home Visiting Opportunities with $2.1M in Awards
Last spring, DCYF underwent two home visiting services application processes, which were bolstered through increased funding in the 2021-23 biennium.
The first wrapped up in July and is intended to increase the number of families served by the Home Visiting Services Account (HVSA) by approximately 300 through a competitive award process. One application is complete and the second, Tribal-specific expansion, is still underway. We are excited to announce the results of the first application process.
The total funding is $2.1 million, with programs allocated up $300,000 per proposal.
After reviewing 23 applications for funding, 11 programs were awarded contracts through the Spring 2022 HVSA Expansion Funding Opportunity. The total funding to be distributed is $2,107,576.
The applicants that were funded are:
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Chelan-Douglas Health District | Nurse Family Partnership to serve 12 families, primarily Hispanic, in rural Chelan and Douglas Counties.
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Child Care Action Council | Parents as Teachers to serve 15 families, primarily Hispanic, in Mason County.
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Chinese Information and Service Center | ParentChild+ to serve 24 immigrant families in south King County.
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Eastern Washington University | Early Head Start Home Based to serve 28 families in rural Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, and Spokane Counties.
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El Centro de la Raza | Parents as Teachers to serve 18 Latinx families in south King County.
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Horn Of Africa Services | ParentChild+ to serve 40 immigrant families from Eastern Africa, Black/African American, in south King and Pierce Counties.
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InterCultural Children & Family Services | Parents as Teachers to serve 36 families, primarily Black/African American in Pierce County.
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Lydia Place | Parents as Teachers to serve 16 families, primarily homeless, Hispanic from Whatcom County.
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Open Arms | Perinatal Services Outreach Doula to serve 24 families in south King and Pierce Counties.
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Suquamish Tribe | Parents as Teachers to serve 12 American Indian families, primarily the Suquamish Tribe.
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Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic | Parents as Teachers to serve 15 American Indian families in rural Yakima County.
In addition to the general home visiting expansion, DCYF is in the process of a specific home visiting funding opportunity for federally recognized Tribes and Tribal organizations within Washington State. This funding opportunity hopes to serve approximately 50 families. Programs proposing to expand their programs may request up to $240,000 per proposal; those intending to start a new program may request up to $120,000. A total of $480,000 in funding is available.
The successful tribal programs will be announced soon.
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Juvenile Rehabilitation Annual Report Now Available
The Juvenile Rehabilitation (JR) team is excited to share its first annual report. The report highlights all areas of service throughout JR, including the work the division has accomplished so far and goals for the coming year. The report also highlights how JR has innovated, provided services, and persevered, despite a global pandemic. These include:
- Demonstrating commitment to the JR workforce and providing the work environment they need in order to best provide care for the young people we serve.
- Increasing awareness of JR’s work and transparency about the ways the division works both inside and across JR and with community stakeholders and partners.
- Showing up each and every day in service to the state of Washington.
Read the full JR Annual Report today!
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