Certificate of Parental Improvement

The Department of Children, Youth & Families [DCYF] has cleared a path in recent years for anyone who was legally responsible for the care of a child with a finding of abuse or neglect, generally, to seek to remove the barrier of such a finding under certain circumstances, referred to as a Certificate of Parental Improvement [CPI].  Note that the individual does not have to be the “parent” per se, just legally responsible.  Having a CPI would permit the individual to be able to work in an assisted living facility, nursing home, provide long-term care services [DSHS programs], or seek unsupervised access under a DCYF program after five (5) years of such a finding by DCYF. 

The eligibility criteria is codified in RCW 74.13.720 and DCYF has information posted here: Certificate of Parental Improvement (CPI) | Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families  This would not apply to anyone with a finding for sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or physical abuse that involved cutting, burning, interfering with a child’s breathing, shaking a child under age three (3), or threatening a child with a deadly weapon.  Certain felony offenses would also take a CPI out of consideration. 

There are several factors to consider but it may be worth seeking a CPI if you have a final finding of abuse or neglect of a child from DCYF.