APHSA Annual Report 2018

Member Stories STATE OF WASHINGTON

through a subcontract with the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) to update the FFR research and release findings on how non-standard hour child care affects the health and well-being of children. An advisory council of state child care directors formed by APHSA and AEI has helped inform the project since its beginning in April 2017. Preliminary findings of the project were presented at APHSA’s Annual National Summit in May. A final report combining the research findings and the survey data, as well as suggesting potential solutions to address this growing need for safe, affordable and quality child care during non-standard hours will be published and presented by APHSA and AEI in various research and best practice conference venues. APHSA and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) initiated a partnership to help state and local child welfare agencies strengthen their understanding of issues that may arise for child welfare systems relating to immigration, particularly in the context of detention or deportation of parents. APHSA and MPI consulted with state and local child welfare agencies to identify areas of concern and interest and conduct a research review and policy scan including interviews with state and local agencies to identify promising child welfare agency policies and practices for families with unauthorized family members. The results of this work resulted in an action manual providing recommendations for policy and practice including examples from relevant state legislation, policy manuals and training materials.

The State of Washington launched the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, a cabinet-level agency, focused on the well-being of children. The agency’s 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. The reorganization brings together child welfare and early learning programs to align operations, data, policy and funding to invest in prevention services that provide the right services at the right time to children, youth, families and communities at the most significant risk for adverse outcomes. The agencies guiding principles include: • 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; and

• A focus on supporting staff as they contribute to the agency’s goals and outcomes.

By aligning Child Protective Services’ investigations and family assessment response, licensed foster care and adoption support with preschool programming, child care and home visiting, Washington State will create a continuum of services for children, youth and parents that provides prevention and early intervention services to reduce impact and promote healthy development and well-being for children. The agency will focus on service delivery sequencing, blending and braiding of funding to maximize impact and

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