The Developmental Disabilities and Early Childhood Supports Division (DDECSD) within the Department of Community and Human Services offers a range of programs and services to help children prenatal to five, their families, and caregivers; people with developmental disabilities and delays and their families, and community-based organizations. 

In 2023 DDECS made strides on early learning and supports, community inclusion, and technical assistance and capacity building in King County in the following ways:  

Early Childhood Supports 

  • Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) provided comprehensive developmental support services to 6,720 children in 2023, including responding to a record-breaking referral of over 500 children in several months, which amounted to a 12% increase in children and families served. Nearly 9% of the birth to three-year-old population in King County was served by this program in 2023. 
  • Universal Developmental Screening (UDS) providers served over 500 caregivers and 2,100 children, with developmental screening and referral services. In 2023, UDS introduced a new program: six Parent Champions Pilot Programs were funded to select, train, and support parents and caregivers to provide developmental education, monitoring, and screening to peers. In addition, Universal Developmental Screening providers hosted 122 trainings focused on culturally relevant topics related to early childhood development, reaching more than 1200 individuals. 
  • Developmental Bridge provided service coordination, screening, and referral services for 185 children birth to age 4 in Seattle. 
  • Innovation Supports team provided over 370 hours of direct supports to community-based providers and 100% of programs are now ready to start their implementation phase using the materials and skills they built with Innovation Supports. 
  • The Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) launched its first IECMH Certificate Program: Centering Relationships and Social Justice in Early Childhood. IECMH also hosted 37 workshops and nearly 700 Reflective Consultation sessions where more than 770 early childhood providers learned how to support children in forming close relationships and manage and express a full range of emotions. 
  • The Workforce Development strategy supported 374 home visitors, child-care providers, doulas, social workers, mental health providers, and other early childhood practitioners across 51 workshops, Community-Based Facilitator convenings, and monthly book clubs. 

Community Information, Outreach, and Referral 

Community Information, Outreach, and Referral (CIOR) services connect people with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families to information, skills, and supports they need to live and participate in the community.   

In 2023, Information and Referral services engaged with more than 2,800 people. Over 760 of people receiving Information and Referral services were also provided Cultural Navigation supports to ensure families from diverse communities were provided service in their own language and with a shared cultural context. 

Behavioral Supports programming provided crisis intervention and positive behavioral support services to 93 children and youth with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families. 

About 260 people attended peer support groups and providers hosted 149 workshops and trainings attended by more than 600 community members, self-advocates, and providers with the goal of building community, supporting system navigation, and increasing civic engagement. 

Adult Services 

In 2023 the School-to-Work (S2W) program provided employment support services to 330 students in their high school transition programs to help them find and maintain employment by the time they leave school. The School-to-Work team expanded outreach for the program through hosting and participating in 23 virtual or in-person events and ensured all materials were translated in 20 languages to meet student and family needs. 

More than 2,330 people participated in Individual Employment or Group Supported Employment, receiving employment support services and job coaching to help them find and maintain employment. In 2023 the share of participants in supported employment who are working was nearly back to pre-pandemic levels with about 70% of participants actively working. 

Community Inclusion providers served over 370 people and supported them in building relationships and connections in the community through individualized supports and activities. A policy change allowed people to participate in both Community Inclusion services and Individual Employment. We have seen a 10% increase in participation in Community Inclusion over the past two years and hope for continued growth in the years to come.  

Technical Assistance for Community-Based Organizations 

In 2023, the Grant Assistance program received 24 requests for technical assistance in applying to at least 6 funding opportunities and ultimately 16 community-based organizations (CBOs) were supported with more than 140 hours of support with their applications.  

Capacity Building supports were requested 27 times and the program ultimately provided 13 community-based providers with supports including marketing and communications, organizational sustainability, finance, and human resources. 

The Developmental Disabilities and Early Childhood Supports Division (DDECSD) aims to: 

  • Nurture development and well-being of all children prenatal-to-five and their families, and 
  • Assist King County residents of all ages and cultures who have developmental disabilities to achieve full, active, integrated, and productive participation in community life, and 
  • Strengthen small and Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) led organizations and increase the success of these organizations in partnering with the County by providing grant assistance and capacity building supports.