Kinship Licensing Standards Feedback - Thankful for YOU!
Did you know that over 100 tribal and community partners are helping DCYF create new Kinship Licensing Standards? With the goal to create a simplified, streamlined process to license kinship caregivers, people are excited for the changes these new rules will bring.
DCYF recently asked community partners to provide feedback on the newly drafted Washington Administrative Codes for Kinship Licensing by either completing an online survey or participating in feedback workshops.
Over 245+ DCYF staff and tribal and community members signed up to provide feedback and over 100 have participated in the feedback workshops, including 29 kinship caregivers! The amazing response has shown once again that Washingtonians are passionate about kids and kinship care.
We invite all Tribal partners to complete the feedback survey. The survey closes after June 30, 2024.
For questions, please email the project team at dcyf.kinshipfeedback@dcyf.wa.gov.
Welcome Christine Sannon, Region 3 ICW Consultant/Tribal Liaison
My name is Christine Sannon, MSW, LSWAIC. I am so excited to meet the team and get started in my role as the Indian Child Welfare Consultant/Tribal Liaison for the Office of Tribal Relations. I am an enrolled member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe and direct descendant of the White Mountain Apache Tribe. I grew up on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation located in Lame Deer, Montana. I currently reside with my spouse in Granite Falls, WA. We raised three daughters and have one grandson.
I previously worked in various capacities for DSHS with 20 years in State Service including Child Welfare Services in the Native American Unit, Foster Home Licensor, Home Study Specialist for Division of Licensed Resources, Adult Protection Services for Aging and Long-Term Support Administration.
While pursuing clinical licensure I worked for United Health Care as a Behavioral Health Complex Case Manager helping members with complex behavioral health conditions and connecting with needed services and resources.
In my free time, I enjoy hiking, yoga and spending time with family and friends.
I am looking forward to this new journey with all of you.
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Tribal Early Learning Fund | FY 2024-2025
DCYF is excited to share a funding opportunity to support Tribal children, prenatal to five, in early learning programs around Washington state. The Tribal Early Learning Fund (TELF) is designed to provide resources to Tribal early learning programs and programs serving Tribal children so that they can better serve Tribal children in a culturally appropriate and inclusive manner.
Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 24, 2024.
For information and to apply for funding, please visit the Tribal Relations webpage.
The Office of Tribal Relations (OTR) will be offering a technical assistance office hour to assist with the application process and to answer any questions:
For questions, please contact Apolonio (polo) Hernandez, Tribal Early Learning Fund Specialist, at apolonio.hernandez@dcyf.wa.gov or (509) 564-5027.
Enterprise Health and Safety Renovation-Early Learning Facilities Grant Opportunity | June 2024
Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. (Enterprise) has initiated a Request for Proposal (RFP) process to renovate and expand current childcare facilities that increase the health and safety of children in Washington State. These grant dollars will provide renovation, and construction grants to center-based and home-based early learning providers and organizations.
Proposals Due: Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at 8:59 p.m. PST
Informational Webinar: Friday, June 28, 2024 | 12 to 1:30 p.m. | Register for the webinar
Technical Assistance hours will be held on the following dates: Book time
- Monday, July 1 from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Tuesday, July 2 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Monday, July 8 from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Tuesday, July 9 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Access the application materials | Submit application
Please send questions regarding this RFP to Savannah Daniels, sdaniels@enterprisecommunity.org no later than Wednesday, July 24, 2024.
Virtual Gathering for Indigenous Pregnant & Parenting Families
The Center for Indigenous Midwifery's Mission is hosting a Zoom gathering for indigenous pregnant and parenting families on Thursday, June 27 to discuss issues and concerns around lactation. These virtual offerings take place every Thursday from 12 to 2 p.m. Visit Zoom in! to attend.
ICW Active Efforts Specialist 2-3 (SSS3)/DCYF
Position closes: July 1, 2024
Apply online: Careers.wa.gov
Supervisory Child Care Program Specialist (Tribal)/Dept. of Health & Human Services
Position closes: June 27, 2024
Apply online: USAJOBS - Job Announcement
Health Science Policy Analyst/Social Science Policy Analyst (Tribal Health)/Dept. of Health & Human Services
Position closes: June 28, 2024
Apply online: USAJOBS - Job Announcement
Connect with OTR's Child Welfare Early Learning Navigators
Connecting families with young children involved in child welfare to early learning resources is vital because establishing a strong foundation early in life significantly impacts healthy development. Child Welfare Early Learning Navigators (CWELNs) collaborate closely with CPS caseworkers to support and connect families with young children, ages 0-5, to high-quality early learning and family support experiences available in their communities.
Navigators proactively identify and reach out to families, assess their needs for early care and education services, and then match them with community-based programs that are free, voluntary, and ideally include wrap-around family support. The goal is to decrease subsequent reports of abuse or neglect and out-of-home placements for families with active child welfare cases while promoting safety and long-term positive outcomes for children.
CWELNs support select child welfare offices in regions across WA state, including:
- Spokane County (Shelby Yada)
- Yakima County (Cindy Taylor)
- Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla County (Regan Pierce)
- King County (Korina Stukes and Megan Manion)
- Grays Harbor, Mason, and Pacific County (Erin Mountin)
- Lewis and Cowlitz County (Allison Rogers)
Additionally, Carla Lopez-Wilkerson is a Tribal-focused CWELN and supports children and families who identify as American Indian/Alaska Native. Carla is available to support referrals for early learning navigation from Tribal child welfare and DCYF case workers. She can be reached at Carla.lopez-wilkerson@dcyf.wa.gov.
For an online regional map, go to www.dcyf.wa.gov/safety/report-abuse.
Upcoming Local Events
Warm Springs Pow wow
June 27-30, 2024 | Warm Springs Community Center, Warm Springs, OR
This year’s Health Fair Theme is “Our Food, Our Health” Food Sovereignty. For more information about this event, find the flyer at Pi-Ume-Sha Treaty Days 2024 - KWSO 91.9.
Squaxin Island's Color Run
June 29, 2024 | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This Cancer Awareness and Cancer Survivor event is brought to you by the Squaxin Island Tribal health Clinic and SPIPA. Visit Second Annual Color Run – Squaxin Island Tribe for information.
Puyallup Tribe's Pride Festival
July 20, 2024 | 3509 72nd St. E, Tacoma, WA
This year's Pride event will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. For a list of events and performers, please visit Puyallup Tribe Pride Festival 2024 (puyalluptribe-nsn.gov).
Seafair Indian Days Pow wow
July 19-21, 2024 | Seattle, WA
Come celebrate with family, reunite with old friends, and make new ones. Enjoy food, music, and dance during this free public event at the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center grounds. For event information, visit the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation webpage.
Washington State to Make it Easier for Young Adults in Foster Care to Receive Assistance
Foster youth turning 18 will now receive services through the age of 21 thanks to a new law that went into effect on June 6, which eliminates requirements, allowing for more youth to receive critical assistance regardless of their future plans. Visit DCYF's "What's New" blog for more.
To ease the historic trauma of boarding schools with a new campus, the Salish School of Spokane found an unlikely partner: Catholic Charities
Leaders of the Salish School of Spokane ducked under ponderosa pine boughs and maneuvered around thorny shrubbery as they planned a brand new campus earlier this month.
The Salish School of Spokane found an unlikely partner: Catholic Charities | The Spokesman-Review
US Catholic bishops approve outreach to Native Americans and acknowledge boarding school 'traumas'
"U.S. bishops on Friday approved new guidelines for ministering to Indigenous Catholics, a long in-the-works effort to reinvigorate the ministry and assure those communities that they don't need to feel torn between their Native identity and their Catholic one."
Catholic bishops approve Native American outreach, acknowledge ‘traumas’ | AP News
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