DCYF Division of Prevention & Client Services
2022[i]
Who We Are
DCYF is a cabinet-level agency focused on the well-being of children. Our vision is to ensure that “Washington state’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy – thriving physically, emotionally and academically, nurtured by family and community.”
Our guiding principles:
- A relentless focus on outcomes for children;
- A commitment to collaboration and transparency;
- A commitment to using data to inform and evaluate reforms, leveraging and aligning existing services with desired child outcomes;
- A focus on supporting staff as they contribute to the agency’s goals and outcomes.
What We Do
DCYF is the lead agency for state-funded services that support children and families to build resilience and health, and to improve educational outcomes. We accomplish this by partnering with state and local agencies, tribes and other organizations in communities across the state of Washington. Our focus is to support children and families at their most vulnerable points, giving them the tools, they need to succeed.
Mission
Protect children and strengthen families so they flourish.
Vision
All Washington’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy—thriving physically, emotionally, and educationally, nurtured by family and community.
Values
- Inclusion
- Respect
- Integrity
- Compassion
- Transparency
Secretary– Ross Hunter
Chief of Staff– Frank Ordway
Assistant Secretary of Child Welfare Operations– Natalie Green
Assistant Secretary of Licensing– Luba Bezborodnikova
Assistant Secretary of Juvenile Rehabilitation– Felice Upton
Assistant Secretary of Early Learning– Nicole Rose
Assistant Secretary of Prevention and Client Services– Steven Grilli
Director of Administrative Services – Jennifer Williams
Director of Tribal Relations– Tleena Ives
Director of Office of Innovation, Alignment, and Accountability– Vickie Ybarra
There are six regions in Washington, divided by counties. Each region is managed by a Regional Administrator: https://www.dcyf.wa.gov/about/our-leadership/children-families/regional-administrators
| Region | Counties |
| 1 | Pend Oreille, Spokane, Whitman, Adams, Grant, Douglas, Chelan, Okanogan, Ferry, Lincoln, Stevens |
| 2 | Asotin, Benton, Columbia, Franklin, Garfield, Kittitas, Klickitat, Walla Walla, Yakima |
| 3 | Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, Island, San Juan |
| 4 | King |
| 5 | Pierce and Kitsap |
| 6 | Thurston, Lewis, Skamania, Klickitat, Clark, Cowlitz, Wahkiakum, Pacific, Grays Harbor, Mason, Jefferson, Clallam |
Programs Administered by DCYF include, but are not limited to:
| Program | Role |
| Intake | Receives reports of child abuse and neglect and requests for voluntary services. |
| Child Protective Services (CPS) – Investigations and Family Assessment Response (FAR) | Investigations conducts investigations of child abuse and neglect and makes determinations of whether abuse or neglect occurred (findings). Family Assessment Response (FAR) is an alternate response for low to moderate risk allegations of child abuse and neglect. This pathway supports families without making a finding of abuse or neglect and focuses on connecting them with services and resources in their communities. Throughout the life of the case, and across all programs, DCYF gathers information to assess for child safety, using the safety framework. If the child is unsafe, DCYF analyzes whether the safety threat can be mitigated through a safety plan or if out-of-home placement is needed to protect the child from the safety threat. |
| Family Voluntary Services (FVS) | Delivers services to families willing to work voluntarily with DCYF on issues and concerns related to child abuse and neglect. Services are designed to keep children safely at home with their families and reduce the re-occurrence of risk of child abuse and neglect. |
| Child and Family Welfare Services (CFWS) | After a dependency petition, both before and after adjudication, is filed but before the petition is adjudicated and thereafter, CFWS provides services to children and families to address child safety and well-being, as well as the specific needs of the parents. The focus of CFWS is to reunify children with their parents if the child can be returned home safely, and if this is not possible, to facilitate an alternate permanent plan. |
| Family Reconciliation Services (FRS) | FRS are voluntary services provided to youth and families in crisis to resolve family conflict and achieve reconciliation through provision of family assessments, short term in-home services that include counseling and/or parent education, as well as referrals to substance abuse treatment and/or mental health services. Families may also complete assessments for the filing of ARY or CHINS petitions with the juvenile court. Youth between the ages of 12 and 17 and their families are eligible. |
| Adoptions | The purpose of the adoption program is to meet the permanency needs of children who are in the care and custody of DCYF. DCYF strives to find safe and stable families that can best meet the needs of the child. Facilitates adoptions for legally-free, dependent children through DCYF staff efforts and contracted services. |
| Programs for Youth and Young Adults | Extended Foster Care (EFC) is a voluntary program that offers youth, who were a dependent of Washington state at the age of 18, the option to remain in foster care until age 21 to support a successful transition to independence. Independent Living Skills Program (IL) is a voluntary program that helps teach youth the skills they need to be independent and successful adults. Education Training Voucher (ETV) provides needs based financial assistance to eligible youth to attend an accredited college, university, vocational or technical college. |
[i] Originally written in 2016 by Collette McCully, Carrie Kendig, Pam Kramer, and Jim Pritchard
