CURRENT CONTEXT AND STRENGTHS The establishment of DCYF alone speaks to Washington State’s recognition that collaboration and alignment are critical to preventing child welfare involvement for families. In uniting the three previously separate agencies, DCYF affirmed its commitment to preventing harm to children and youth by focusing on early interventions and addressing root causes. Another collaborative strength in Washington is the shared commitment to racial equity in creating DCYF. Advancing racial equity and eliminating racial disproportionalities are top priorities in DCYF’s five-year plan. Racial equity is further centered in the creation of DCYF’s Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice. The team works with and across the agency and the communities it serves to bring vision, expertise, and a framework to actualize change – ensuring that race and family income no longer predict outcomes for children, youth, and families. With community input, the team developed a Racial Equity Theory of Change (RETOC), emphasizing structural changes to eliminate disparities and prioritize actions that dismantle barriers families face. Further testament to DCYF’s commitment to serving the diverse population of Washington, is DCYF’s establishment of a dedicated Office of Tribal Relations. This office is expanding prevention services, offering culturally relevant programs intended to meet the needs of communities served. For example, they are presently supporting the local implementation of the Icelandic Prevention Model, working with five tribes to adapt this successful community-driven approach to reducing teen substance use. Over the past several years, DCYF has had success in creating several instrumental prevention offerings. The Child Welfare Early Learning Navigators program, Family Connects, Plans of Safe Care, and Strengthening Families Locally are all primary prevention approaches that offer support to enhance family well-being and reduce risk for later child welfare systems contact. These primary programs have been a major DCYF focus — built amid strong collaboration and with the express goal of reducing by half the number of children who experience out-of-home care. Secondary prevention offerings, such as Family Reconciliation Services, have also been created. While not scaled to fully meet the breadth of need nor offered consistently to those who may benefit, these programs are well regarded by families.
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