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DCYF seeks phased child-welfare staffing increases, prevention funding and civil-rights compliance money
Summary
DCYF requests more child-welfare staff in a phased plan, funding for prevention services in five high-need communities after a rise in critical incidents, contracts and staff for qualified expert witness services following court rulings, and money tied to a voluntary resolution agreement with DOJ/HHS over disability access.
Department officials described four linked child-welfare requests submitted to the governor’s office: a phased staffing increase tied to a workload study; prevention funding aimed at reducing critical incidents; contracted qualified-expert-witness (QEW) services after recent court decisions; and resources to meet a voluntary resolution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice and HHS on disability access.
Child-welfare workload model: Deputy CFO Brianne Boggs said a workload study found a substantial increase in frontline worker time per case and projected a need for 426 additional child-welfare staff over time. DCYF asked for a first-phase decision package totaling $5,000,000 in the 2023–25 biennium to hire 41 staff by June 2027, with the full staffing need to be phased in over 10 years due to fiscal constraints.
Critical-incident prevention: Boggs said critical incidents (child fatalities or near fatalities where a family had an open child-welfare case within 12 months) rose from 28 in 2021 to 49 in 2024. DCYF requested $4,000,000 largely for contracted prevention services in five high-need communities, a No Wrong Door Family Resource Center pilot, increased access to the evidence-based Parent-Child Assistance Program for pregnant and parenting people with substance use disorders, and 2.4 FTE to support the work.
Qualified expert witnesses (ICWA/WICWA): In response to recent state Supreme Court decisions clarifying when Indian Child Welfare Act and Washington Indian Child Welfare Act protections apply, DCYF requested $5,700,000 in the 2023–25 biennium primarily for contracted QEW services and three staff beginning April 2026. Boggs described QEWs as tribal-designated experts familiar with social and cultural standards to assist courts.
DOJ/HHS voluntary resolution agreement: Boggs said in August 2024 the federal Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services notified DCYF that its child-welfare program was not in compliance with civil-rights laws guaranteeing individuals with disabilities equal access to services. DCYF entered a voluntary resolution agreement and requested $1,500,000 for settlement payouts to seven families plus staffing: one regional disability liaison per DCYF region (six regions), a program manager, and quality-assurance staff.
All four requests were submitted for the governor’s consideration; final funding and any statutory requirements depend on the governor’s proposed budget and subsequent legislative action.
