Improving communications between caregivers and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families is the concept behind a bill that cleared the House unanimously Monday.
House Bill 1970 would create a new position of Caregiver Communication Specialist within DCYF. The sponsor, Vancouver Republican Representative Stephanie McClintock, wants to improve communications between the department and caregivers of children, including foster parents.
“There’s so many hands in this process of helping these kids that are in the foster system. And these families that are trying to help them. And then all of our social workers – our DCYF staff. There seemed to be just kind of a lack of communication.”
The bill would also have DCYF seek the implementation of an automated notification system – either by phone or electronically – for caregivers.
“The goal is to have one place online where you can go to. Hopefully, on an app on your phone, put in your notes when you visit with that family or you go out and visit with a foster family, or the bio parent – one place where we can find all of that information.”
The bill passed 97 to 0 and now heads to the Senate.
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