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Children and Families Dealing with Incarceration and Re-Entry
| Often it is hard for families who have a family member in jail or prison to handle finances, keep in touch with their loved one, care for their children and keep the family safe and healthy. Children with parents that are locked up need support, as do caretakers for those children. In addition, when a family member returns from jail or prison, the return home can also be challenging.
There are services available at DSHS and from other agencies and groups to provide support and help families meet their needs. Please click on each of the links below to find out more about those services:
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DSHS Services
Kinship Care Services
Relatives caring for children of an incarcerated parent can access a range of DSHS services and supports including financial and medical resources.
Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse
Family members affected by alcohol or other drug abuse can apply for treatment services. To find out what to say to someone who needs help, get treatment referrals, or get information about preventing young people from using alcohol or other drugs, see the website or call 1-800-562-1240.
Foster Parent Resources
Are you a foster parent with a child in your home with an incarcerated parent? This link summarizes DSHS supports for foster parents.
Mental Health Division
Infant and Toddler Early Intervention Program (ITEIP)
Helps young children who may be experiencing developmental delays and supports families in accessing services for their child and family
Juvenile Rehabilitation Services
Information on JRA’s treatment models and aftercare services
Division of Child Support
Provides information on how non-custodial parents can work with child support to help manage their debt, and how custodial parents and relative caregivers can work with child support to help assist their families.
Apply for DSHS services - Find you local DSHS Office
You can apply for a range of DSHS services including health care, income support, food stamps and treatment services through the Community Services Office (CSOs) in your area. The above link will help you locate your local DSHS offices.
Health Care Assistance
The state now provides medical assistance to all children in families with incomes up to $51,625 for a family of four. Read about this and other health care services and how they can be accessed.
DSHS Publications
DSHS has developed several free publications to help families understand how to access DSHS services, including:
"A Parent's Guide to Child Welfare Services,"
"A Guide to Navigating DSHS,"
"A Relative’s Guide to Child Welfare Services" and
"Relatives as Parents Program."
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Services for families from other state agencies
Department of Corrections (DOC), Washington State
Friends and Family Services: Services offered by the DOC through the prisons, including family support activities.
Department of Early Learning (DEL)
Includes information on child care and early childhood education.
Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)
Employment Security Department - Assists ex-offenders in finding employment. Links to a number of resources for ex-offenders and their families.
Washington State Department of Veteran’s Affairs
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Mentoring programs for children of incarcerated parents
DSHS and the Statewide Mentoring Partnership
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Kids Never Forget a Mentor - This partnership coordinates and provides funding and mentoring resources to families and agencies in order to serve children facing parental incarceration.
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Mentor - Information on the funding available to support mentoring for children of incarcerated parents.
Big Brothers, Big Sisters
Offers many mentoring programs state-wide, including the Children of Incarcerated Parents Mentoring Program.
Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts Beyond Bars: This program works with girls with incarcerated mothers, providing support and transportation to visit and maintain contact.
Volunteers of America (VOA)
Mentoring Children of Promise - A mentoring program serving children of prisoners.
World Travel - VOA program that works with incarcerated parents and their children to help tape parents reading books to their kids.
IWASIL Boys and Girls Club
Provides mentoring to Native American children with incarcerated parents in the King County area, for more information call the program coordinator at (206) 436-1857.
Powerful Voices - This Seattle-based organization provides mentoring to young women in juvenile justice facilities, including young mothers.
Mentoring Children of Promise - A multi-agency program based in Spokane to provide mentoring to children of incarcerated parents.
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Organizations that provide support to parents and/or families
General support:
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Parent Help 1-2-3 - helps connect families to food and health resources in their area.
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Family Help Line - Parent Trust for Washington Children. Provides resources and assistance to parents who are facing challenges in their families, or with their children.
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Within Reach - helps link families to healthcare, food and related services.
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Washington PAVE - offers services and supports to families with a disabled child.
Support while a family member is incarcerated or detained:
Support when a family member transitions home:
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Crisis Clinic - Offender Resource Packet: King County. This packet lists information on housing, employment, treatment and other services available to ex-offenders re-entering the King County community.
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Information and Resources for Social Workers and Staff
Location an Incarcerated Parent and Determining Visitation and
Contact Options:
Organizations that help coordinate visits with families:
Department of Corrections: Services for Parents and Families, and Contacts
Contacts and service information when a person is in prison:
Social workers and staff can contact the Community Partnership Program Coordinators (CPPCs) to determine the currently available services to parents and families at each prison, and the types of programs they offer.
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Airway Heights Corrections Center
Molly Peringer
PO Box 1899
Airway Heights, WA 99001
(509) 244-6752
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Ahtanum View Corrections Center
Ronald Farino
2009 South 64th Ave.
Yakima, WA 98903
(509) 573-6361
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Cedar Creek Corrections Center
Sue Sheldon
PO Box 37
Littlerock, WA 98556
(360) 753-7278 x601
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Clallam Bay Corrections Center
Tanja Cain, acting CPPC
LeAnne Fletcher, CPPC
1830 Eagle Crest Way
Clallam Bay, WA 98326
(360) 963-3203
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Coyote Ridge Corrections Center
Maggie Edler
PO Box 769
Connell, WA 99326
(509) 543-5906
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Larch Corrections Center
Nancy Simmons
15314 NE Dole Valley Rd.
Yacolt, WA 98675
(360) 260-6300 x215
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McNeil Island Corrections Center
Kim Govreau
PO Box 88900
Steilacoom, WA 98388
(253) 512-6589
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Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women
Patricia McGill
3420 NE Sand Hill
Belfair, WA 98528
(360) 277-2400
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Monroe Correctional Complex
Marjorie Petersen
PO Box 514
Monroe, WA 98272
(360) 794-2627
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Olympic Corrections Center
Dan James
11235 Hoh Mainline
Forks, WA 98331
(360) 374-6181 x343
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Pine Lodge Corrections Center for Women
Patricia Gaimari
PO Box 300
Medical Lake, WA 99002
(509) 299-2341
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Stafford Creek Corrections Center
Dawn Taylor
191 Constantine Way
Aberdeen, WA 98520
(360) 537-2029
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Washington Corrections Center
Judy Mayo
PO Box 900
Shelton, WA 98584
(360) 427-4599
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Washington Corrections Center for Women
Vicki York
9601 Bujacich Road NW
Gig Harbor, WA 98335
(253) 858-4653
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Washington State Penitentiary
Karen Gleason, Interim CPPC
1313 North 13th Ave.
Walla Walla, WA 99362
(509) 525-3610 x1232/1239
Contacts and service information when a person is under correctional supervision in the community:
DOC has family specialists located at Community Justice Centers that work with families in their region, including providing parenting classes and other resources.
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Family Specialist: Seattle Community Justice Center
Michelle Kaiser
(206) 516-7625
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Family Specialist: Spokane Community Justice Center
Kathy Lamb
(509) 363-2737
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Family Specialist: Family Services Unit
(Peninsula region and southwest Washington)
Liz Weinandt
(360) 485-8218
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Contact
For further information regarding these projects, please contact:
Miriam L. Bearse
Correctional Policy Analyst, DSHS
PO Box 45011
Olympia, WA 98504
Phone: (360)902-8250
DSHS is part of a multi-agency and multi-organization effort to evaluate the services and policies available to children and families of incarcerated parents, develop and analyze data available regarding families facing incarceration, and make recommendations regarding service and policy needs.
DSHS is also participating with multiple partners, including the Department of Corrections, Employment Security Department, Washington State Veteran’s Affairs, the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, the National Governor’s Association and the Governor’s Office in the Washington State Re-Entry Partnership; to strengthen families and communities through the effective re-integration of people under correctional supervision.
These efforts within DSHS are housed within the administration of Planning, Performance and Accountability (PPA), led by Assistant Secretary Jody Becker-Green.
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