DSHS - Learn about our Programs
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Home page

Learn about our Programs

Aging and Disability Services Administration  (ADSA)
  • Assistance with in home care and residential care, Adult Protective Services
  • Adult family, nursing and boarding homes
  • Residential Habilitation Centers (Institutions), Assist with in-home and residential care, Infant Toddler Early Intervention Program
  • Mental health community programs
  • Chemical dependence services
Children's Administration  (CA)
  • Child Protective Services (CPS), child and family welfare, domestic violence, Indian child welfare
  • Out-of-home care, placement with relatives or licensed foster parents
  • Permanent families - family reunification, guardianship support, adoption support
  • Family support - family reconciliation
Deaf and Hard of Hearing
  • Service delivery to the deaf, hard of hearing and deaf-blind communities throughout Washington State
  • Relay services, telecommunication equipment
  • Sign language interpreters 
Diversity Affairs
  • Equal employment opportunities;
  • Affirmative action
Economic Services Administration  (ESA)
  • Help for needy - cash assistance, food stamps, WorkFirst, child care assistance
  • Child support
  • Refugee and immigrant assistance
  • Disability determination services
Financial Services
  • Responsible for accurate reporting of how the Department balances its budget and uses public dollars 
Government and Community Relations
  • Serves as liaison with local, state and federal governments, tribes, elected officials and customers 
  • Responsible for congressional and state legislative agenda and activities
  • Responds to inquiries about our many services
  • Oversees the Victim Witness Notification Program
Medicaid Purchasing Administration (MPA) - Formerly Health and Recovery Services Administration
  • Medicaid - state/federal low income medical assistance
  • Family planning services
  • Family medical, maternity services
  • Apple Health for Kids
Indian Policy
  • Assist the collective needs of Tribal Governments
  • Service delivery to all American Indians and Alaska natives in Washington State.
Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration (JRA)
  • Residential care - community programs, institutions, treatment
  • After Care - Parole and structured transition services
Planning, Performance and Accountability (PPA)
  • Provides research and evaluation services to our programs and administrations
  • Provides coordination of work for housing, children and families of incarcerated parents and offender re-entry policies and services
  • Provides performance management resources and tools across the Department
  • Serves as liaisons for planning and performance in Government Management Accountability and Performance (GMAP)
Public Affairs
  • News and media resources and contacts
  • Press releases
  • Internal agency communications
  • Web communications
  • Visual communications - Publications, brochures, video magazine
Special Commitment Center
  • Specialized mental health treatment for violent predators
State Psychiatric Hospitals
  • Child Study & Treatment Center
  • Eastern State Hospital
  • Western State Hospital
Vocational Rehabilitation
  • Helps people with disabilities participate fully in their communities and become employed
Washington State Partnership Council on Juvenile Justice
  • Promotes partnerships and innovations that improve outcomes for juvenile offenders and their victims
  • Builds family and community capacity to prevent delinquency 
  • Provides analysis and expertise to state and local policymakers