As shared in comments to the Early Learning Advisory Council, the new Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) Secretary Tana Senn is improving support for early learning professionals. One of the first actions under her leadership is expanding access to fingerprinting services in rural counties.
While this change may not reduce the processing time for background checks, which can still take over three weeks and delay a new hire’s start date, it will cut down travel time for some teachers and staff who previously had to drive hours for fingerprinting appointments. This is a small but meaningful step toward improving the hiring process for early learning professionals in rural communities.
These services will be available for DCYF and DSHS clients in the Goldendale, Port Townsend, and Colfax DCYF offices according to the schedule below:
Region 2, Goldendale: 808 S Columbus St Goldendale, WA 98620 – Services available starting April 23
Region 6, Port Townsend: 2507 Evans Vista Port Townsend, WA 98368 – Services available beginning April 30
Region 1, Colfax: 418 S Main, Suite 2 Colfax, WA 99111 – Services available beginning May 1
Appointments at specific locations are only available to DCYF and DSHS applicants. Appointments must be scheduled through the Idemia system after fingerprinting has been approved by the corresponding agency’s background check programs. Please contact Ann Lemieux at an*********@*****wa.gov with questions.
