The Joan B. Poliak Seattle Field Office, which opened in 1966, provides direct services to Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) youth currently or formerly in foster care and to their families. We are part of Casey Family Programs’ Child and Family Services team, which also operates field offices in Arizona, California, Idaho and Texas, all focused on the urgent and relentless pursuit of securing lifelong, permanent family connections for every child. Our office was renamed in 2016 to honor Joan B. Poliak, Casey Family Programs’ longest serving board member. Ms. Poliak, who began her career as a social worker, has served as a trustee since 1982.

We partner and collaborate with the local child welfare agency and broader community-based organizations to improve and support effective child and family well-being systems. In the Seattle Field Office, we operate as a child-placing agency, where we support families through the licensure process and receive referrals for placing youth in one of our licensed homes. Our priority is to license kinship caregivers so they can receive the full spectrum of benefits and supports that come with licensure. We also support community families who are interested in becoming licensed to care for youth who are not related as kin.

We partner closely with community stakeholders such as the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, DCYF, King County Executive Office, Mary’s Place, Harborview and Center for Human Services (Shoreline). We have a specialized focus working with and licensing relatives and fictive kin and supporting youth toward achieving legal and relational permanency and exiting the foster care system. As needed, we can complete adoption home studies in circumstances where there are barriers to expediting permanency.

In partnership with state staff, we provide clinical case management and supportive services to youth,  children, young adults and caregivers. We provide direct resources and coordination with other community programs (mental health, youth enrichment programs, youth mentor programs, educational supports) as needed. We serve youth in out-of-home care as well as young adults who have experienced foster care and families at risk of entry or re-entry into the foster care system.