HB 1624 UPDATE

The 1624 Committee has been renamed the Children Administration Foster Parent Consultation
Team (CAFPT) with a new charter approved in July of 2011. The mission statement remains
the same. “Strive to improve the well being and protection of all children in foster and relative
care and to enhance and strengthen services for children and caregivers in the State of
Washington”. The purpose is:
• Work together to enhance and strengthen services for the protection of children, and
• Work together to improve recruitment and retention of foster parents and continue to
provide enhanced training that meets the needs of foster parents and relative caregivers.

Region 3 North (previously known as Region 5) has two foster parent representative positions
on this important committee. The positions are voluntary. There is no stipend or mileage. The
duties require about two days a month and include meetings, teleconferences, videoconferences
and communicating via email.

Elizabeth Griffin Hall, elizanngriffin @ aol.com, 253-473-9252 is in the second year of her two-
year term. You are invited to contact Elizabeth at any time to express your foster parent or
relative caregiver concerns or ask questions.

The other position is vacant. Nominations can be made to TOM STOKES at
tom.stokes @ dshs.wa.gov or by contacting Elizabeth who will forward the nomination to
Tom. Qualifications for the position include experience as a foster parent and current licensure.

This committee reviews and takes forward to the State a range of issues that impact foster and
relative care. All caregivers are cordially invited to submit issues directly to the representatives
or take them in person to the Regional Recruitment and Development Strategy (RDS) meetings.

The next RDS Meeting is in Tacoma, Room 348, 9 January 2011. The meeting begins at 10 a.m.
and foster parent input is first on the agenda. The RDS Meetings for the remainder of the will be
in the same location and at the same time. The scheduled dates are 2012:

12 March 2012
11 June 2012
09 Oct 2012
10 Dec 2012