DCYF Efforts for Diversity

Legislation in 2017 led to bring three (3) agencies of origin together to create today’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), with emphasis to promote equity across the services and programs overseen by the agency and related outcomes for children, youth, and families.  DCYF does post updates about the agency’s performance here: Agency Performance | Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families

However, in its report from its Office of Innovation, Alignment, and Accountability entitled “Using Data in DCYF to Advance Racial Equity” here, USING DATA IN DCYF TO ADVANCE RACIAL EQUITy (wa.gov), there is not a single reference to data about Licensors who inspect the facilities that DCYF license and regulate, to know of what bias may already be built into DCYF. 

Also, there are only two (2) references made regarding data as to providers in this entire report, for DCYF to seek data of the family or child from the provider when the parent/caregiver declines to answer a question regarding race/ethnicity [p. 7], and in “[i]dentifying disproportionality along the service delivery path” to include the type of services they received, generically noting “Providers, treatment types, and service quality)” [p. 20]. 

DCYF should include much more data about the race/ethnicity of its licensors and its providers to ensure a more accurate snapshot.  This would also ensure DCYF is not imposing implicit bias on its providers through its licensors, to ensure that families and children are truly supported in the community for positive outcomes, consistent with its legislated mission.