PCG recently collaborated with its client, the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), to publish an article in the February 2019 issue of Policy and Practice Magazine called “Rulemaking that Works: Consensus by the Community for the Community.” Aptly named, the article highlights the State’s successful approach to the Negotiated Rulemaking process, where 50 community stakeholders from across Washington convened monthly to negotiate the updated language of the State’s proposed child care licensing regulations. During the project, from May 2017 to March 2018, PCG traveled to Washington to facilitate the monthly negotiation meetings, prepared negotiation materials, organized and analyzed public comments, and produced the final document as well as the reference workbook detailing concerns and language changes throughout the process.

Washington’s new child care licensing standards are one of the most robust set of standards in the nation with over 700 regulations governing the operation of child care programs.

PCG’s successful delivery through the Negotiated Rulemaking process led to a series of add-on scopes of work related to the updated regulations, including the development and design of a collection of e-Learning Modules to help providers and state licensing staff meet the new standards with compliance. 

To access digital issues of the American Public Health Services Association’s Policy and Practice print magazine, visit: https://aphsa.org/APHSA/Policy_and_Resources/policy_practice.aspx.