Expanding Culturally Responsive Services in Washington State

Project Context: 

• The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) wanted to reduce the disproportionately high share of Black and Native children being removed from their homes.
• A DCYF analysis found that American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) children in Washington were 2.6 times more likely to enter foster care compared to their representation in the general population, and Black children were nearly 1.4 times as likely to enter.
• DCYF offered services such as substance use treatment and mental health support; however, Black and Native families were not using many of these services, and leaders did not know why.

How the GPL Supported: 

• Interviewed state staff and service providers about existing services focused on reaching Black and Native families. Providers shared:
  • Clients wanted more specific services — such as prenatal support, fatherhood and adolescent mentorship services, and basic-needs support — provided in ways that were also culturally responsive.  
  • Clients wanted more providers who reflect their community, such as more professionals with tribal heritage.
• Identified ways to adjust the state’s procurement processes to increase flexibility for providers already committed to serving Black and Native families and make it easier for new providers to enter the service array. This included things like expanding eligibility to include services that are not yet evidence based, extending application deadlines, and providing upfront lump-sum payments for program startup and capacity building.

Results:  

• Washington DCYF launched two procurement pilots designed to reduce barriers for proximate service providers who reflect their communities. These pilots intend to allocate nearly $3 million for new culturally responsive and specific services, expected to reach more than 400 Black and Native families through 2025.