Policy and Issue Briefs

This budget comparison was updated on April 13, 2017 and it looks at a number of items related to children, youth and families in the three different budget proposals: the Governor's, the Senate and the House.

Providing greater access, early identification, effective and appropriate mental health services to children and youth will help reduce the need for more expensive services, such as emergency rooms and juvenile detention, and better ensure success in school and life.

Frequent visitation between parents and their children in out-of-home care is linked to improved outcomes. Visitation also represents an untapped and vital opportunity to address child and family needs in order to improve visit quality and potentially receive a greater return on the investments made in visits each year.

Policies aimed at reducing childhood poverty can yield positive benefits for Washington in terms of improved individual and family functioning, and increased economic self-sufficiency for future generations.

Creating a new department in Washington State will reorganize and support effective programs and services into one agency that specifically serves children, youth and families, with a focus on prevention, well-being and the science of brain development.

This 2016 brief provides key facts on mental health issues related to children - how many are affected, how many receive the care they need, what level of mental health coverage is available, and more.

This 2016 brief provides key facts on the intersection between poverty and involvement in the child welfare system, as well as policy recommendations to ensure family economic security.

This updated 2016 policy brief provides background on visitation for parents and their children in foster care, an overview of research findings on visitation and policy recommendations for visitation.

This 2016 policy brief provides an overview of why creating a separate Children's Department in Washington State would be a better way to serve children and families.

This 2014 policy brief provides background on the McCleary vs. State lawsuit and emphasizes that changes made only to the education system (and not social service system) threatens to widen the achievement gap for low-income and poor students.