 DCYF Releases Revised Secretary's List
The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is required by both federal and state law to conduct background checks on anyone who is authorized to care for or have unsupervised access to children in child welfare, juvenile justice and early learning programs.
The agency maintains several lists of crimes that disqualify people from working in this area with children. We inherited these lists from the agencies that were combined to create DCYF. In many cases, the lists have not been comprehensively reviewed for decades, even though the science behind ensuring safety for children has changed significantly in that time.
More than 100 participants from both internal and external groups affected by these lists worked for over a year to produce a recommendation for a single combined Secretary’s List. DCYF is announcing the list we intend to adopt in July 2020, based largely on the recommendations from this group.
Read the full article here.
 Governor Inslee Hears From DCYF and JR Youth
“To reduce recidivism is not only an effort to reduce crime…it’s also to not allow tremendous potential to go unused in our young people...” – Governor Jay Inslee
Last week I joined youth from Juvenile Rehabilitation (JR), and many others, to present to Governor Inslee on reducing recidivism and increasing resilience in Washington State.
I shared what DCYF is accomplishing in these areas, and the work needed to expand services, address racial and ethnic disparities, and remove barriers for these youth. Young presenters from JR discussed their successes and the work they are doing to actively train staff and adults on how to provide support and trauma-informed care while they are in residence.
As young people release from JR, preparing them for reentry is a critical component of increasing resilience and reducing recidivism. By maximizing partnerships and funding opportunities, DCYF is exploring and creating avenues for youth stability.
TVW filmed the presentations and you can watch the full video here.
 Legislative Update: Budget Review
Can you believe there are less than two weeks left in the 2020 Legislative Session? Last week saw the rollout of House and Senate budget proposals – a critical marker in the legislative session. Both chambers released, heard and voted on their proposed operating budget. DCYF priorities fared well!
DCYF legislative priorities continue to move through the legislature with strong support. Monday was the last day for fiscal committees to vote on bills, and now lawmakers will spend the remainder of session voting on remaining bills and negotiating final budgets.
Later this month DCYF is hosting a session recap webinar. Please keep your eye out for those details in the coming weeks and reach out to the DCYF Government Affairs team with any questions at dcyf.govaffairs@dcyf.wa.gov.
Draft Strategic Plan Feedback Opportunity
Last month DCYF published its first draft Strategic Plan as part of our work to integrate and streamline practices as a newly formed agency. Now that you have had a chance to review the draft Strategic Plan, we want your feedback!
We will present your feedback to agency leaders for review and incorporation into the final strategic plan.
There is more work ahead for us to accomplish the priorities set out in the draft plan and your input is greatly appreciated. Please check here for upcoming opportunities to provide feedback on the draft plan. If you have any questions, please email us at dcyf.communications@dcyf.wa.gov.
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