Investing in Culturally Responsive Services: Lessons from Washington DCYF

Many child welfare leaders seek to address racial disproportionalities in their communities by offering culturally responsive and specific services. Yet finding and contracting with such providers can often be difficult in practice.

During our upcoming learning session: Investing in Culturally Responsive Services: Lessons from Washington DCYF, service providers and agency leaders from the state of Washington will discuss how community feedback shaped the expansion of their service array. In response to that community input, Washington is testing contracting approaches to invite and support providers to work with Native American families to prevent child welfare system involvement.

Panelists include: 

• Camie Goldhammer – Founding Executive Director, Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services
• Tleena Ives – Director of Tribal Relations, Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families
• Tessa Velasco – Culturally Responsive Program Specialist, Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families
• Maria Zdzieblowski – Director of Service Continuum, Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families
• Moderated by: Payton Bordley – Project Leader, Government Performance Lab