The bipartisan House Bill 1970 will require DCYF to establish a caregiver communication specialist position within the agency
The governor signed a bill from Rep. Stephanie McClintock on Tuesday that will help kids in foster care by improving communication between the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) and individuals caring for foster kids in Washington.
The bipartisan House Bill 1970 will require DCYF to establish a caregiver communication specialist position within the agency, which will improve the overall communication process for those working with the DCYF.
“Thanks to several meetings with foster parents, I’ve learned more about this issue and by working together we came up with a plan to effectively address this problem,” said McClintock, R-Vancouver. “This policy will ensure caregivers have timely access to the information they need from DCYF, and ultimately help children receiving foster services get access to the best care possible.”
The bill directs the DCYF to submit a report describing how to implement an automated notification system that would provide notification – either by phone or electronically – to caregivers of children receiving foster care services.
The DCYF would also provide recommendations to improve communications between the DCYF and caregivers. The caregiver communication specialist position would be responsible for assisting caseworkers in promptly communicating with caregivers of children receiving child welfare services.
“This legislation is not intended to point the finger at the DCYF or anyone else, but the lack of communication is definitely something we needed to address,” said McClintock. “I’m grateful to the foster parents that brought this issue to my attention, and I’m pleased to see this policy become law. It will help foster parents and even more importantly the kids they are caring for.”
Additionally, the person in this position will be responsible for developing policies for sharing appropriate and timely information with caregivers. And lastly, he or she will coordinate between existing caregiver engagement teams, constituent relations, communications specialists, and child welfare field offices.
House Bill 1970 will take effect 90 days after the adjournment of the 2024 session, which ended on March 7.
Information provided by Washington State House Republicans,
houserepublicans.wa.gov
Also read:
- Full closure: I-5 southbound off-ramp to Exit 11 in north Clark County for maintenance March 3
The southbound I-5 off-ramp to Exit 11 for SR 502/Battle Ground will close March 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for maintenance work. - Vancouver Clinic welcomes Katherine Henry as CEO, marking next chapter of physician-led, patient-first care
Katherine “Katie” Henry has been named CEO of Vancouver Clinic, succeeding Mark Mantei after his retirement at the end of 2025. - NWCAVE to honor Sergeant Tanya Wollstein this Sunday with the 2026 Spotlight For Justice Award
Sergeant Tanya Wollstein of the Vancouver Police Department will receive NWCAVE’s 2026 Spotlight For Justice Award at Java for Justice on March 8. - Rep. David Stuebe sponsors high school student from Camas as House page
Discovery High School student Zoe Southard served as a page in the Washington State House after being sponsored by Rep. David Stuebe. - Opinion: Democrats side with Tehran while Trump defends America
Lars Larson argues Democrats are aligning with Iran while President Trump acts against what he calls a national security threat. - State high school basketball: Seven Clark County teams still playing in final week of tourneys
Union girls and Columbia River boys advanced Saturday, joining five other Clark County teams in the final week of state basketball tournaments. - Unnecessary, unaffordable add-ons likely to spell doom for the I-5 Bridge replacement project
Three Southwest Washington legislators argue the Interstate Bridge Replacement’s rising costs and added features threaten its viability.
