The Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) oversees several categories of services related to children and young people such as:  child welfare-related services, licensed foster care, and adoption support; child care, early learning, and child development support; and juvenile justice programs, including juvenile rehabilitation institutions, community facilities, and parole services.

The Oversight Board for the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

The Oversight Board for the DCYF (Board) is housed in the Office of the Governor, and was formed at the time the DCYF was created for the purpose of monitoring and ensuring that the DCYF achieves certain outcomes and complies with policies and rules.  The Board must annually report to the Legislature and the Governor, by December 1st, with a review of the DCYF's progress toward meeting stated performance measures and desired performance outcomes, and a review of the DCYF's strategic plan, policies, and rules.  Additionally, the Board must review surveys of providers, customers, parent groups, and external services to assess whether the DCYF is effectively delivering services.  The Board must also convene at least two stakeholder meetings per year regarding contracting with the DCYF, the DCYF's use of funding, and other matters relating to carrying out the DCYF's duties. 

In addition, the Board may:

• receive reports from the Office of the Family and Children's Ombuds (OFCO);
• obtain access to relevant records in the possession of the OFCO;
• request investigations by the OFCO of administrative acts;
• request and receive information, outcome data, documents, materials, and records from the DCYF relating to children and family welfare, juvenile rehabilitation, juvenile justice, and early learning;
• determine whether the DCYF is achieving performance measures;
• review whether DCYF licensors have appropriately and consistently applied agency rules in child care facility licensing compliance agreements; and
• conduct annual reviews of a sample of DCYF contracts for services from a variety of program and service areas to ensure that those contracts are performance-based.

The Board includes the following members:

• four legislators, including two Senators and two members of the House of Representatives, with one member from each major caucus;
• one nonvoting representative from the Office of the Governor;
• one subject matter expert in early learning;
• one subject matter expert in child welfare;
• one subject matter expert in juvenile rehabilitation and justice;
• one subject matter expert in reducing disparities in child outcomes by family income, race, and ethnicity;
• one tribal representative from west of the crest of the Cascade Mountains;
• one tribal representative from east of the crest of the Cascade Mountains;
• one current or former foster parent representative;
• one representative of an organization that advocates for the best interest of the child;
• one parent stakeholder group representative;
• one law enforcement representative;
• one child welfare caseworker representative;
• one early childhood learning program implementation practitioner;
• one current or former foster youth under the age of 25;
• one individual under the age of 25 with current or previous experience with the juvenile justice system;
• one physician with experience working with children or youth;
• and one judicial representative presiding over child welfare court proceedings or other children's matters.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families Oversight Board is renamed the Department of Children, Youth, and Families Accountability Board (Board).  The stated purpose of the Board is to provide independent accountability over the DCYF's operations, policies, and outcomes, monitor the DCYF's progress, ensure accountability in the DCYF's decision-making and policy implementation, and promote transparency and public trust in the DCYF's work.  The Board is placed in the Office of Financial Management for administrative purposes only.

The duties of the Board are modified to remove the requirements to:

• review whether DCYF licensors appropriately applied agency rules in certain inspection reports;
• conduct annual reviews of a sample of DCYF contracts to ensure that these are performance-based and to assess the measures included in each contract;
• review surveys of providers, customers, parent groups, and external services to assess whether the DCYF is effectively delivering services; and
• convene at least two stakeholder meetings per year regarding contracting with the DCYF, the DCYF's use of funding, and other matters relating to carrying out the DCYF's duties.

These are replaced with a more general requirement that the Board must, at least twice per year, convene or otherwise meet with individuals, groups, community representatives, and organizations engaged with or affected by the DCYF's programs and services.

The Board may request reports of the OFCO, in addition to receiving them.

The current or former foster parent representative position on the Board may be filled by a kinship provider.  The Board member position for a physician with experience working with children or youth may be filled by an advanced practice clinician.

Starting in 2027 the Board must report biennially, rather than annually, with a report due by July 1st in odd numbered years.  The report must assess the DCYF's progress toward meeting priority performance measures that are selected biennially by the Board to maintain flexibility and data relevancy.