Federation steering committee on child welfare pilots forms

Federation President Carol Dotlich has appointed the members of the steering committee overseeing the union's watchdog role in the state's move to set up two Child Welfare Services privatization pilots over the next six years.

The Federation panel, formally known as the Transformation Design Committee Steering Committee, will work on communications to affected members, political and legislative actions and strategizing and research for the actual Transformation Design process.

The Federation's Jeanine Livingston, director of contract compliance, sits on the Transformation Design Committee, along with DSHS Secretary Susan Dreyfus and several others. The committee came out of legislation signed by the governor, 2SHB 2106. Several critics of the whole privatization process, including the Federation, have representatives on the committee. That committee meets again Sept. 16 and 17.

The Federation steering committee will be vital to keeping members informed and transmitting issues and concerns to Livingston to present to the design committee.

The members of the Federation Transformation Design Committee Steering Committee are:

Tracy Wilson-Fosty, Region 3, Local 1060
Julie Seholm, Region 3, Local 1060
Connie Drake, Region 2, Local 1253
Larry Crumet, Region 1, Local 1221
Terri Jones, Region 1, Local 1221
Maribeth Sheppard, Region 4, Local 843
Sandie Reynolds, Region 5, Local 1181
Ursula Petters, Region 5, Local 1181
Joe Mienko, Region 5, Local 53
Michele Fukawa, Region 6, Local 313
Ed Chapin, Region 6, Local 313

There is still room for another representative from Region 2 and also possibly from unrepresented parts of Region 6 because it covers so much geography.

The Federation steering committee is tentatively set to meet Aug. 8.

To keep up to date, go to the Federation website at www.wfse.org and click on "WFSE Blogs and more." Locate CWS Privatization Pilots and use the link to "request an invite" to send an email the blog administrator. The blog is open only the WFSE CWS members.

Check out all of our blogs while you're at it.