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Getting Ready for Your Dependency Hearing Videos Whether appearing in-person, by phone, or virtually, this video will give you some tips to be better prepared for your dependency hearing. Available in multiple languages. |
Transforming systems to promote thriving families and equitable court communities
Over the past year, the Harm of Removal Workgroup has been working to create guidance for courts on the likely harms of removal that children experience across the different stages of child development. This document takes an in-depth look at the specific harms that preschoolers, age 3-5, are likely to experience when removed from their home by child welfare.
The Thurston County Safety Summit is scheduled for February 25, 2025, from 1:00 – 5:00pm. This virtual, cross-system training and action-planning summit is open to all dependency court and system partners. Click to learn more and register.
The Early Childhood Court (ECC) Community of Practice is an opportunity for ECC coordinators to strengthen their expertise, share innovative strategies, and collaborate on advancing effective, family-centered practices in their communities. Meets the fourth Tuesday of the month from 11:00am – 12:00pm.
The Clark County Safety Summit is scheduled for January 15, 2025, from 1:00 – 5:00pm. This virtual, cross-system training and action-planning summit is open to all dependency court and system partners. Click to learn more and register.
Being a dependency court judicial officer places you at the heart of some of the most challenging and impactful decisions within the judiciary—those affecting the lives and futures of vulnerable children and families. This infographic provides an overview of what it means to be on a dependency rotation and the tools, trainings, and resources available to support dependency court judicial officers in WA.
The Adoption Support Chapter of the Juvenile Non-Offender Benchbook has been updated. A big thank you to Lindsay Rajic from DCYF and Kathryn Mullen from the Attorney General’s Office for authoring these revisions.
We are excited to announce the release of a comprehensive new guide designed to support judicial officers rotating onto the dependency bench. This resource provides essential tools, resources, and training to help judicial officers navigate this critical area of the law. Click to view.
The 2025 Dependency Judicial Training Academy is scheduled for May 19th – 21st. This multi-day, virtual training is open to Superior Court and Tribal Court judicial officers, court administrators, and FJCIP Coordinators. Judicial officers and staff from the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court are also welcome to attend. Click to register.
The Representation for Children & Youth Chapter of the Juvenile Non-Offender Benchbook has been updated. A big thank you to Bailey Zydek and Jeff Adams from the Office of Civil Legal aid for authoring these revisions.
The Child in Need of Services (CHINS) Chapter of the Juvenile Non-Offender Benchbook has been updated. A big thank you to James Richardson from the Attorney General’s Office for authoring these revisions.
Most Superior Courts in Washington use some form of Odyssey. Help.courts.wa has resources for you on how to use the many functions of Odyssey. Check out their page for training material, videos, and manuals: Help.Courts.Wa.Gov
Additional resources available on inside.courts.wa.gov include the County Clerk’s Handbook and the Superior Court Statistical Reporting Manual
Here are some tailored explanation sheets designed to help you create your own local processes for data entry.
| Date | Topic | Facilitator |
|---|---|---|
| January 17th | Making Findings in Dependency and Termination Cases Guest Expert: Hon. Beth Andrus (ret.), WA Court of Appeals – Division I | Retired Judge Helen Halpert |
| February 21st | Protective Factors for Families Guest Experts: DCYF Strengthen Families Locally Program | Retired Judge Anne Hirsch |
| March 20th | Community-Based Services & Support Guest Experts: DCYF Strengthen Families Locally Program | Commissioner Heather Shand |
| April 17th | Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Guest Expert: Elizabth Baldwin & Jessica Castellanos, Senior Attorney, Kids in Need of Defense PowerPoint Slides | Retired Judge Helen Halpert |
| May 15th | Protein for All Guest Expert: Dr. Kristen Allott | Retired Judge Anne Hirsch |
| August 21st | Supporting Transitions for Infants & Young Children Guest Experts: Julie Fisher & Tracy Kaplan, CHERISH at Kindering PowerPoint Slides | Retired Judge Anne Hirsch |
| September 18th | Dependency Timelines: Improving Time to Fact-Finding Guest Expert: Jennifer Nguyen, AOC | Retired Judge Helen Halpert |
| October 16th | Barriers to Permanency Guest Experts: Keisha Bigby & Minu Ranna-Stewart, Foster Care Assessment Program (FCAP) | Retired Judge Anne Hirsch |
| November 20th | Public Health Guidance on High Potency Synthetic Opioids in Child Welfare Guest Experts: Department of Health | Retired Judge Anne Hirsch |
Safety Summit training is part of the larger commitment by local court systems to participate in the Safety Summit Project. Court systems interested in participating in the Safety Summit Project must fulfill specified pre-requisites and commit to certain expectations. Information on the Safety Summit Project, pre-requisite requirements, and request process can be found in the Safety Summit Introduction Package (link below).
The Planning Worksheet, located within the Safety Summit Introduction Package, serves as the request for participating in the Safety Summit Project. Planning Worksheets should be completed and submitted by the Project Liaison.
Safety Summit Project Introduction Package
To learn more about the Safety Summit Project click the following link: https://www.wacita.org/safety-summit-project/
Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) in collaborative court programs is a systematic approach to enhancing program effectiveness and outcomes for families. It involves regularly collecting and analyzing data, identifying strengths and areas for improvement, and implementing evidence-based changes to processes and practices. By fostering a culture of accountability and innovation, CQI helps ensure that programs remain responsive to the evolving needs of families, maintain fidelity to best practices, and achieve sustainable, positive results for children and parents.
Trauma-informed and culturally relevant care in collaborative court programs recognizes the profound impact of trauma and the importance of cultural identity in shaping individuals’ experiences. This approach involves creating a safe, supportive environment that acknowledges the role of past trauma while tailoring interventions to align with the cultural values, beliefs, and needs of families. By integrating sensitivity to trauma and cultural awareness, collaborative court programs can build trust, foster engagement, and deliver equitable, effective support that promotes healing and positive outcomes for diverse families.
Solution-oriented care in collaborative court programs focuses on identifying and implementing practical, individualized strategies to address the unique challenges faced by families. This approach emphasizes strengths-based practices, collaboration, and goal setting to support parents in overcoming obstacles and achieving success. By prioritizing tailored solutions and fostering a non-adversarial environment, solution-oriented care promotes stability, encourages accountability, and enhances the likelihood of successful family reunification and long-term well-being.
The team approach is central to the success of collaborative court programs, bringing together judges, attorneys, caseworkers, treatment providers, and other system partners to address the complex needs of families. This multidisciplinary collaboration ensures that families receive comprehensive support, including legal guidance, therapeutic services, and community resources. By working together with a shared goal of healing and family reunification, the team promotes accountability, streamlines decision-making, and provides a supportive environment for lasting change.
Judicial leadership is a cornerstone of effective collaborative court programs, as judicial officers play a pivotal role in fostering collaboration, accountability, and trust among participants and stakeholders. By setting the tone for the court’s approach, judicial leaders ensure that proceedings are trauma-informed, family-centered, and focused on recovery and reunification. Their active engagement in multidisciplinary teamwork, consistent oversight, and compassionate communication helps motivate parents to complete treatment programs and build healthier family dynamics, ultimately improving outcomes for children and families.
Tarassa is the current Dependency Training Specialist for the Administrative Office of the Court’s Family & Youth Justice Programs (FYJP). She has extensive experience working in child welfare. She worked at the Department of Children Youth and Families for 27 years prior to working at AOC. This included 19 years at a local office working directly with families and as a supervisor. She has worked as the statewide program manager for Child and Family Welfare Services, Family Voluntary Services, CPS-Investigation and CPS-FAR. In addition, she has managed the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and the Children’s Justice Act Grant, facilitated Citizen Review Panels, written federal reports, analyzed legislation, managed program improvement plans, trained system partners and much more. Tarassa holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology for Washington State University and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Washington. She is passionate about maintaining the safety and wellbeing of children and the preservation of families through system improvement.
A network of courts that work collaboratively across systems to develop and assess the effectiveness of local innovations, translating what works into statewide programs to improve outcomes for all families.
Understanding the Harm of Removal in Child Welfare Training
This training is available as a 60-minute or 90-minute live webinar designed for dependency courts and system partners in Washington State.
Contact Laura Vogel, at laura.vogel@courts.wa.gov to learn more about bringing harm of removal training to your court community.
Videos
Tip Sheets
Draft Letters
Resources to Use with Clients
Ryann Charvat currently serves as the statewide Child Safety Program Manager for the Department of Children, Youth and Families in Washington State. She has been practicing social work for over eighteen years and has devoted the last ten years to a career in public child welfare. Ryann has a vast amount of experience, including working within CPS Investigations, Family Assessment Response, Child Welfare Case Management and Licensing Investigations. She additionally worked within the Quality Assurance/Continuous Quality Improvement Division as the Regional Safety Administrator, where she analyzed national and statewide trends in public child welfare, facilitated complex-case consultations, and consulted on near-fatality/fatality reviews. Ryann serves on several committees sharing her expertise on child safety and strives to improve outcomes for those most vulnerable. She has a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Eastern Washington University and has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Sciences with a Minor in Administrative Management from Central Washington University.
The success of FJCIP courts is directly related to the leadership provided by dependency court judicial officers. Judicial officers lead the formation of a FJCIP court team that engages the local community in ongoing work of court communities for developing and maintaining programs that serve children and their families. Specialized training and experience help guide the judicial officer’s leadership within the court.
Training & Technical Assistance for Dependency Court Judicial Officers Infographic
Sandy McCool is the statewide intake and investigations program manager with the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families. She has worked in child welfare since 2003, and in public child welfare since 2015. During this time, she has provided direct services to children and families as a case worker and supervised child welfare programs. Also, she served as a quality practice specialist providing consultation and mentorship to field operations staff to improve child safety outcomes and practice improvement. Prior to state service, she was a program manager of evidence-based practices and is a certified Incredible Years Parent Group Leader for children ages 0-9. She is trained in various Evidence Based Practices and has supervised/mentored staff ensuring success with fidelity for projections and performance-based outcomes. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Children, Youth, Family Studies from Trinity Lutheran College and an Associate of Arts in Chemical Dependency and Early Childhood Education.
Kaelen Brodie is an Assistant Attorney General in the Children, Youth, and Families Division of the Washington State Attorney General’s Office. Kaelen represents DCYF in dependency and termination appeals and provides program advice. Kaelen received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Spanish from Western Washington University in 2011 and graduated from Seattle University School of Law in 2017. He began his legal career as a judicial law clerk for Commissioners Aurora Bearse and Eric Schmidt at Division II of the Court of Appeals. Outside of work, he enjoys hiking, gardening, the Mariners, and birding.
Michelle Hetzel is a program manager with Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families. She has worked with at-risk children and families since 2003 and in public child welfare since 2007. Most of her career has been providing direct practice child protection and child welfare work as a caseworker and supervisor. She has also worked as a program consultant and program manager in public child welfare. Those roles have given Michelle experience in reviewing case work, analyzing individual and system performance, and considering trends that impact the success of interventions with families experiencing, or at risk of, abuse and neglect. Michelle has a master’s degree in social work from The University of Washington and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in psychology and political science from The University of Vermont.
The example County Dependency Case Flow Process for dependency courts was created to support local courts in individualizing their court process, while creating a structure that includes the needed data entry points for accurate dependency data.
The tool outlines hearing codes and orders that house the needed codes for your dependency data. We encourage you to work with your cross-system partners to develop a process that works for your local system.
To receive a customizable copy of the County Dependency Case Flow Process please contact Jenn Nguyen at Jennifer.Nguyen@courts.wa.gov
The administrative office of the courts collaboratively develops standard court forms and format rules for mandatory use by parties in dependency matters according to RCW 13.34.035. Mandatory forms are accessible to all through Courts.wa.gov Washington State Courts – Court Forms – Dependency Proceedings.
Dependency data relies on codes entered into the court systems off orders and hearing type codes. The codes are designed to work with pattern forms. The pattern forms are designed to meet format rules and the requirements by the clerk’s office for entry of the codes. Learn more about how these codes are used in different areas of the data through the FJCIP Data Mapping Tool.
FJCIP Example Report Template
The FJCIP Example Report Template was developed to familiarize courts with the available data specific to Washington. This guide assists in understanding data access points and facilitates data analysis for the purpose of community engagement and enhancing system improvement efforts. Additionally, the template is customizable at the local level, allowing you to create a tailored report that meets the unique needs of your local county.
DOWNLOAD EXAMPLE REPORT TEMPLATE
Beyond the Numbers: A toolkit for FJCIP Coordinators in Writing Quarterly Reports
The tips sheet was designed to assist you in writing effective reports for dependency courts. It provides guidance on tailoring your reports to local communities. For more detailed insights, explore the ideas shared here.
Click on each title to view the infographic created for that session.
April 2oth Judicial Leadership
May 18th Docket Management
June 15th ICWA Courts and Tribal Relations
August 17th Termination Settlement Conferences
September 21st Guardianship
October 19th Domestic Violence in Child Welfare Cases
November 16th Recent WA Supreme Court Case Decisions
| Date | Topic | Jurist-in-Residence |
|---|---|---|
| January 18th | Welcome to the Bench | Anne Hirsch |
| February 15th | Educational Stability | Christine Pomeroy |
| March 15th | Housing Assistance | Helen Halpert |
| May 17th | Engagement in Hearings | Anne Hirsch |
| June 21st | Using Data in Dependency | Anne Hirsch |
| September 20th | Prenatal & Perinatal Substance Use Disorder | Anne Hirsch |
| October 18th | Extended Foster Care | Helen Halpert |
| November 15th | Improving Systems Through Engagement: A Conversation with Lived Experts | Commissioner Michelle Ressa |
Ryan Murrey has been with the Washington CASA/Child Advocate State Association since 2000, save for 3 years when he worked for the King County Superior Court as their FJCIP specialist. He received his Master’s degree in Organization Development from Seattle University in 2013, and his undergraduate degree in Geology form the College of Wooster. During his current 10 years as executive director of the state association, Ryan has overseen the development of numerous technical assistance achievements for the statewide Child Advocate network, including the development of the 30 hour curriculum to train new title 13 guardians ad litem, creation of the “ICWA Institute” for volunteers and staff to gain additional certification in working with and for native American children in state court and has lead and curated multiple CASA/GAL program development seminars at the state, regional and local level. Ryan also serves on numerous committees as the statewide CASA/Child Advocate representative, including the Supreme Court’s Commission on Foster Care, the statewide Family and Juvenile Court Improvement Committee and AOC Safety Framework team.
Doug Savelesky began working for DCYF in 1998 as a CPS investigator in the Yakima field office. In 2005 he became a supervisor and has supervised CPS, FVS, FRS, and CFWS. In 2012 he joined the statewide Central Case Review Team to evaluate social work practice and help improve outcomes across the state. In 2015 he became supervisor of the case review team and led the 2018 federal CFSR review. Since 2019 Doug has been the QA/CQI Administrator and oversees the work of the Central Case Review Team, Critical Incident Review Team, FFPSA quality assurance reviewers, and federal reporting of the CFSP, APSR, and Statewide Assessment for the CFSR.
Karrina Guilbault (she/her) is Program Counsel for the Office of Civil Legal Aid’s Children’s Representation Program. Prior to joining OCLA, she was employed with the Spokane County Public Defender’s Office for close to a decade, advocating on behalf of children and youth in dependency and termination proceedings. Karrina serves on various committees, and strives to utilize her knowledge and experience for systemic improvement and change.
Susan has worked with the AOC since 2006 and with the legal community for over twenty years. She has experience working with all levels of court and with judicial officers, attorneys, and community providers. Susan has supported the Supreme Court Commission on Children in Foster Care, Superior Court Judges’ Association, District and Municipal Court Judges’ Association, and associated boards, commissions, and committees.
Susan holds a bachelor’s of science degree in psychology from the University of Washington and legal assistant degree from Highline Community College. Susan has also worked with Washington State’s Attorney General’s Office, Employee Assistance Program, and local crisis clinic.
Susan has a heart for children and families going through the dependency court system, and a passion to support those striving to improve the court system and outcomes for children and families. In her free time, Susan enjoys spending time with family and friends. She and her husband enjoy traveling, gardening, walking, home improvement projects, and serving in their community. Susan also loves working with people to improve health and finances, as she has seen firsthand how that can help transform lives and maintain healthy relationships.
Kelly has extensive experience working with courts, attorneys, social workers and community providers to improve outcomes for children and families involved in dependency court. Her work in the child welfare court system was as an attorney for parents and children, the manager of the King County Family Treatment Court, the coordinator of the Supporting Early Connections program and a youth attorney at TeamChild.
Drawing on her ability to reach across systems to meet the needs of children and families, Kelly has also consulted for nonprofit and government agencies, facilitating multi-disciplinary system improvement efforts such as the One Family One Team Court Pilot Committee and the Washington State Safe Babies Design Team. Early in her career, Kelly was an education policy analyst with the RAND Corporation and the University of Washington’s Center on Reinventing Public Education, and served as the first Legal Ombuds at the Washington State Office of the Education Ombuds. Kelly holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and earned her law degree from New York University School of Law. She was the recipient of a Soros Justice Advocacy Fellowship from the Open Society Institute.
All 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico participate in the federal Court Improvement Program (CIP) administered by the Children’s Bureau of the US Department of Health and Human Services. The grant program was established in 1994 as a response to the dramatic increase in child abuse and neglect cases and the expanded role of courts in achieving stable, permanent homes for children in foster care. Under the original grants, the recipients completed a detailed self-assessment, developed recommendations to improve the juvenile court system and worked towards implementing the recommended reforms. The Promoting Safe and Stable Families Amendments of 2001 reauthorized the Court Improvement Program through federal fiscal year 2006. The scope of the program is now expanded to (1) include improvements that recipients deem necessary to provide for the safety, well-being and permanence of children in foster care, as set forth in the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA); and (2) implement a corrective action plan, as necessary, in response to findings identified in a child and family services review of the State’s child welfare system. For more information on Court Improvement Programs nationally, please click here.
Jasmine Hodges has been working for Department of Children, Youth and Family Services in Washington State since 2013. She has a Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology from Seattle University and a Masters in Counseling from Webster University, Geneva Switzerland. Jasmine has worked as a child protective services case worker, investigations, family assessment response and family voluntary services supervisor, program manager of dependency courts and a quality practice specialist coaching and supporting practice improvement. Jasmine is currently the statewide program manager for child safety at DCYF. Previously to working for the Department Jasmine was a practicing play therapist and behavioral specialized in the international school system in Geneva, Switzerland.
Robert Wyman is an attorney consultant with the Judicial Engagement Team of Casey Family Programs, currently working in Maricopa County Juvenile Court in Arizona to further the goal of safely reducing the number of children and youth in the foster care system. Rob is also former Co-Director of the Court Improvement Training Academy (CITA) at the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts where he worked with judges, commissioners, court staff, attorneys, social workers, CASA and other stakeholders in child welfare. Rob spent five years after college working in the juvenile corrections systems in Washington and Oregon States in many capacities. He then went to the University of Denver to attain an MSW and JD, specializing in the representation of children and youth in the foster care system. After graduation, Rob worked at The Defender Association in Seattle for 12 years, and supervised attorneys representing parents and youth in the dependency division for eight years.
As the Statewide Family and Juvenile Court Improvement (FJCIP) Coordinator for the Administrative Office of the Courts’ Family & Youth Justice Programs, Jenn coordinates the support of the local FJCIP Programs throughout the state. Previously, Jenn was employed by Kitsap County Juvenile and Family Court as their local FJCIP Coordinator. Providing support to their local dependency community for court improvement. Prior to that role Jenn held various roles within the Juvenile Court system from Juvenile Detention Officer, Juvenile Treatment Court Case Monitor, and BECCA Truancy Officer. Jenn holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington in Sociology, Law Society and Social Policy. She has wealth of knowledge in the court systems in Washington and facilitating cross-system court improvement projects.
Laura is the CIP Co-Director & Training Specialist for the Administrative Office of the Courts’ Family & Youth Justice Programs. She coordinates training opportunities for judicial officers and court partner, along with facilitating cross-systems court improvement efforts. Prior to working for AOC, Laura was employed by Thurston County Superior Court as the Family Recovery Court Coordinator, and subsequently as the Safe Babies Court Community Coordinator. Laura holds bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State University and a Master of Public Administration degree from Kent State. Laura is a Certified Trauma Support Specialist and is a board member for HeartStrides Therapeutic Horsemanship.
Originally from the Midwest, Laura’s early career involved coordinating specialty criminal domestic violence courts and high-risk lethality teams. She spearheaded the effort that resulted in the implementation of the first domestic violence court program in the state of North Dakota. She has a wealth of experience in facilitating cross-system court improvement projects and strives to bring creativity and authenticity into her work. She also brings expertise in group facilitation, project management, judicial officer education, graphic design, and online course development.
Presenters:
Geene Delaplane, Department of Children, Youth & Families
Renatta Watson, Department of Children, Youth & Families
Presenters:
Taila Ayay, ABC Law Group & F.I.R.S.T. Clinic
Adam Ballout, ABC Law Group & F.I.R.S.T. Clinic
Neil Weiss, ABC Law Group & F.I.R.S.T. Clinic
Jennifer Justice, F.I.R.S.T. Clinic
Gina Wassemiller, F.I.R.S.T. Clinic
Dee Alexander, Department of Children, Youth & Families
Jennifer Cooper, Department of Children, Youth & Families
Presenters:
Jacob D’Annunzio, Office of Public Defense Parent Representation Program
Tarassa Froberg, Department of Children, Youth & Families
Jasmine Hodges, Department of Children, Youth & Families
DOWNLOAD HARM OF REMOVAL ACTIVITY (Luca)
Presenters:
Drew Pugsley, Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General
Jeffrey Adams, Training Coordinator, Office of Civil Legal Aid
Marci Comeau, Managing Attorney, Office of Public Defense Parent Rep. Program
Presenters:
Kelly Warner-King, Program Manager, AOC (Moderator)
Tara Urs, Managing Attorney, King County Office of Public Defense
Laurie Lippold, Director of Public Policy, Partners for Our Children
Carla Arnold, Executive Director, Youthnet NW
Erin Shea McCann, Director of Policy, Legal Counsel for Youth and Children
Shrounda Selivanoff, Social Services Manager, Office of Public Defense Parent Rep Program
The third MIT study involved tracking outcomes for 15,681 children involved in the child welfare system to examine the causal effects of foster care on future delinquency and need for emergency medical care. Results showed that children placed into foster care were more likely to be delinquent (i.e., have an appearance before the juvenile court). The need for emergency care was 3 times higher among children placed in foster care as compared to similarly maltreated children who remained home. The results suggest that placing children in foster care increases their likelihood of becoming delinquent during adolescence and requiring emergency healthcare in the short term, indicating that foster care does not serve a protective role along this dimension of child safety.
The second MIT study involved tracking 23,000 cases and estimated the causal effects of foster care on adult crime, as compared to similarly maltreated children left in the home. Children on the margin of placement were found to be 2 to 3 times more to become involved with the criminal justice system as adults if they were placed in foster care. Children who were placed in foster care experienced higher rates of arrest (6-7.5% points), conviction (4% points), and imprisonment (3% points), as compared to similarly maltreated children who remained home. The study also found that Black children, girls and adolescents are more likely to be considered “on the margin, as compared to other children.
The first MIT study tracked 15,000 children involved with the child welfare system into late teens/young adulthood. The study compared children in foster care directly to similarly maltreated children who remained in their homes, in order to determine the causal effects of foster care placement on life outcomes. Children on the margin of placement experienced improved outcomes when they remain at home as compared to placement into foster care, including being far less likely to experience teen pregnancy, commit a juvenile offense, and were more likely to hold a job for at least three months as compared to similarly maltreated children who were placed into foster care. This was found to be true for all age-groups but was especially significant for older children.
Jacob D’Annunzio, is a managing attorney of the Parents Representation Program at the Washington State Office of Public Defense (OPD). Jacob began his career as a public defender at the Skagit County Public Defender, where besides working with juvenile and dependency cases, he was involved in creating the Family Treatment Court, working towards increasing visitation available for families, and working toward a foster mentor program. Jacob serves on the Children, Youth, and Family Services Advisory Committee, Washington State’s Citizen Review Panel, and various other committees where he works towards improving the state’s child welfare system.
Tonia McClanahan is the Washington State Office of Public Defense Parent Voice Advocacy Manager. Tonia was formerly the Parent4Parent Program Director for Thurston, Mason and Lewis Counties as well as a contracted Social Services Worker for the Washington State Office of Public Defense Parent Representation Programs. She has been working collaboratively with attorneys, parents and stakeholders to help parents navigate the Children’s Justice Systems and come to a resolution in the Dependency Court process for over 18 years.
Tonia also sits on various committees and boards at the state and local levels. She had mentored parents in the Dependency process in one capacity or another since 2005, has testified to help support Legislative work to improve child welfare systems since 2006, She is the first Parent to be commissioned on the Washington State Supreme Court Commission on Children in Foster Care. She sat on Family Recovery Court teams in 3 counties, A member of the State Safe Babies Advisory Team, is a member of a local Executive Dependency Advisory Group, a member of a local Drug Court Foundation named respectfully after Judge Strophy, a member of the State Background Check Workgroup, A co-chair on the Statewide ReUnification Steering Committee, A champion of the Protein for All program and Hangry Carts in two counties, A champion of the Mockingbird Society, an active member of local Alumni Groups, a long-standing member of the Washington State Parent Advocacy Committee, along with many other advocacy groups. If nothing else Tonia believes in helping parents regain hope in rebuilding their families and elevating the Parent voice.
As the Statewide Innovation Coordinator, Sarah supports dependency court improvement projects including the State Action Plan to reduce racial injustice in our child welfare system. In her prior role as Spokane’s Family and Juvenile Court Improvement Program (FJCIP) Coordinator, she worked with families in the dependency system to complete family law cases, facilitate complex change conversations between stakeholders, and manage juvenile court projects.
Sarah comes to the courts with knowledge and experience in trauma responsive practices and the change process for the implementation of those practices. Knowing that wellness is the foundation of a trauma responsive organization, she encourages a culture of wellness for the professionals and families involved with the court system.
Ambrosia Eberhardt is a Parent with lived child welfare experience in Spokane, Washington, and a mother of five. She has over two decades of experience in child welfare. She wears many hats, professionally and personally. She is the co-founder of the local grassroots parent-led group called the Spokane Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN), a founding member and current board member of the International Parent Advocacy Network (IPAN), and a previous facilitator and current alumni of the Washington State Parent Ally Committee (WSPAC). She is passionate about parent-led work locally, statewide, nationally, and internationally to ensure that families have the resources they need to navigate systems and have the longstanding support and pathways to a brighter future. She took everything she did wrong and flipped them as strengths on a resume and wants to help others turn their trials into triumphs too.
Carissa Greenberg joined the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) in late 2011, after nearly two years in private practice. During her tenure as an Assistant Attorney General, Carissa has served Washington’s public child welfare agency: first, the Department of Social and Health Services Children’s Administration, followed by the newly created Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). Her experience includes representing the state in dependency and termination cases at the trial and appellate level, and later representing and advising DCYF Headquarters. Carissa is a member of the AGO Academy Committee, which trains all Assistant Attorneys General for the State of Washington. In 2015, she was a recipient of the AGO William V. Tanner Award for outstanding achievement early in her career. She holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Studies and Theatre from Whitworth College (now University) and graduated cum laude from Gonzaga University School of Law where she was a Thomas More Scholar.
Marci Comeau (she/her) is a Managing Attorney for the Washington State Office of Public Defense (OPD) Parents Representation Program. Prior to joining OPD, Marci served as an Administrative Law Judge for the Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings, both in the Social and Health Services and Employment Security Divisions. Marci has also represented parents and children in dependency, termination, and guardianship proceedings working for the King County Department of Public Defense, and she represented DSHS in dependency, termination, and guardianship proceedings as an Assistant Attorney General. Throughout her career, Marci has enjoyed providing local, statewide, and national trainings to stakeholders in the juvenile dependency system on various topics, including dependency practice and procedure, discovery, the harm of removal, the mental health of dependency practitioners, and anti-racist dependency practice. Marci is active in the Juvenile Law Section of the Washington State Bar Association, and participates in other juvenile and dependency court and system improvement committees. Marci received her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington in 2001 and her Juris Doctorate from Seattle University in 2006.
Anne Hirsch is a retired Thurston County Superior Court Judge. In her time on the bench, Judge Hirsch served as Chief Judge at Family and Juvenile Court, Criminal Presiding Judge, trial court judge and Family Recovery Court Judge. Judge Hirsch was a founding member of the Advisory Committee that created the programs at Thurston County’s Family and Juvenile Court, the first stand-alone Unified Family and Juvenile Court in Washington State. Judge Hirsch has served as faculty in many local, state, and national trainings related to domestic violence, family and dependency law, and drug court, among other issues. She is faculty for the Center for Court Innovation and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and has contributed to work on projects including the Family Court Enhancement Project, Model Codes for custody and for dependency cases, and trainings and curriculum development for custody evaluators and guardians ad litem.
Judge Hirsch served as the co-chair of the Washington State Superior Court Judges Association’s Family and Juvenile Law committee and chair of the Washington State Foster Care Commission’s Best Practices Workgroup. Prior to becoming a judge, Judge Hirsch served as a part-time family and juvenile law commissioner and judge pro tem for more than 14 years. During that time, she maintained a private law practice which included work as a mediator and guardian ad litem. Before opening her private practice, Judge Hirsch worked for many years as a legal services attorney representing low-income families in civil cases, including contested custody, domestic violence, housing, and public benefits cases.
Over the years, Judge Hirsch has participated as a trainer and volunteer for various community and law related projects including many years as a weekly instructor for Capitol High School students in their street law class. Judge Hirsch has served on local community boards including the Thurston County Domestic Violence Fatality Review, the Thurston County Bar Association, and the Lincoln elementary school site council. Judge Hirsch was a founding board member of the Thurston County Volunteer Legal Services and served for many years on the local Food Bank board of directors.
Robert Larson has a MSW from Eastern Washington University. Robert is currently the Deputy Regional Administrator for Region 1 DCYF. Robert has been a DCYF employee (previously DSHS) since 1995. His experience includes work in CPS, CFWS, Supervision, Management, Critical Incident Reviews, and Quality Assurance work. He has significant work experience in both rural communities and larger urban environments.
Michael Heard has been a Social Work Manager with the Washington State Office of Public Defense (OPD) since 2006, and a contracted federal consultant for Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSR) since 2007. In addition, he has been an Affiliated Instructor with the University of Washington, School of Social Work since 2014. Mr. Heard sits on the steering committee for the ABA’s National Alliance for Parent Representation.
Prior to joining OPD, Mr. Heard worked as an administrator for the Washington State Children’s Administration, where he was responsible for the overall operation of four offices, located across three different counties. His experience in child welfare spans over three decades, including roles as a statewide quality assurance program manager, CPS supervisor, CPS social worker and Indian child welfare social worker. In addition, he has extensive experience working to provide social work services to our community’s most vulnerable, including roles as a long-term care facility worker, a mental health counselor, a juvenile rehabilitation counselor, and a direct practice provider for individuals with developmental disabilities. Mr. Heard has undergraduate degree in sociology from the University of Utah and a master of social work (MSW) from the University of Minnesota.
In 2023, Mr. Heard was presented with the Lee Ann Miller Individual Award, in recognition of his outstanding leadership in furthering the goals of the Washington State Children’s Justice Act.
The FJCIP court team supports and promotes ongoing, cross-system learning opportunities. FJCIP dependency judicial officers participate in specialized judicial training and in educational events with local system partners. In collaboration with court partners, the FJCIP creates a learning environment to engage the local system in acquiring new skills and changing practice with the goal of improving outcomes for children, families and the professionals who support them.
The FJCIP Coordinator is dedicated to improving dependency court operations and case outcomes for children and families involved in child welfare. Using data, research, and the experience of peer courts across the state, local FJCIP Coordinators work closely with their judicial officers to convene local system partners to identify opportunities for improvement, undertake meaningful practice change, and assess the effectiveness of their efforts. The FJCIP Coordinator works with court and system leaders to foster a court culture that is trauma-responsive, equitable and respectful of families, community members and system professionals. The coordinator actively participates in trainings, state-wide communities of practice, and state-wide system change efforts, to expand their job specific knowledge and skillset and contribute to a state-level knowledge base.
The FJCIP recognizes that families who become involved with the dependency system have experienced significant trauma and adversity in their lives. FJCIP communities are educated about what it means to be a trauma-responsive system and the role of each member in creating a safe and healing environment for the children, youth and families they serve. FJCIP communities engage people with lived experience to improve local research, programs and practices. FJCIP continuously assess their effectiveness and take steps to better serve our families and children.
An overarching goal of the FJCIP is to research, develop and implement strategies and approaches that yield statewide benefit. Through partnership with different workgroups and communication with the legislature, the FJCIP is building and sharing effective, data-driven solutions with other specialty courts and court programs in the state. This information exchange enables AOC staff to bring local court perspectives into statewide decision-making spaces and impact policy decisions.
Cross system collaboration builds constructive working relationships with all parties involved in the child welfare system (e.g., child advocates, DCYF case workers, lived experts, service providers, etc.). This collaboration enhances a community’s ability to improve the court system and the outcomes for children, families, and professionals. By engaging cross system partners in multi-level cross system work to find strategies for high level system improvement, they can connect youth and families with community resources.
FJCIP coordinators participate in a regular Community of Practice, facilitated by the Statewide FJCIP Team from the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), to learn from each other, share best practices and innovative ideas, ask questions, and work together toward continuous quality improvement. Regular Community of Practice meetings enable the coordinators to stay informed about the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), court, legislative and case law updates, and provide the AOC with insight into the needs of local courts. The Statewide FJCIP Team also helps to evaluate what works and share it with other courts and audiences.
The FJCIP court team and court partners work together to ensure that accurate data informs the work of cross-system efforts that assess the court’s performance and identify priorities for improvement. This includes soliciting feedback from families served by the system. The FJCIP Coordinator has primary responsibility for facilitating cross-system workgroups, collecting and sharing data and monitoring the effectiveness of court improvement projects. This enables court partners to actively participate in and contribute to system improvement work. FJCIP courts can request CQI training and technical assistance from the AOC’s Statewide FJCIP Team and the Family & Youth Justice Programs.
