DCYF head announces he will not seek reappointment

DCYF Secretary will not seek reappointment

Months after calls for his resignation began, the head of Washington’s Department of Children, Youth and Families announced that he plans to step down when the next governor takes office.

Months after calls for his firing, or resignation, began, the head of Washington’s Department of Children, Youth and Families announced to staff that he is planning hit exit with a transition out of office when the next governor is elected.

In a video statement sent to DCYF employees, and published to YouTube on an unlisted link, Secretary Hunter said: "On Tuesday morning, I announced to my leadership team that I would not be seeking reappointment to this position."

The move comes on the heels of a leadership change at Green Hill, the youth detention facility that had become the focus of many of the controversies at DCYF in recent years.

In August, FOX 13 Seattle reported that DCYF was facing multiple crises, which came to a head in July when the agency announced its facilities were so full that court systems could no longer send convicted criminals to their facilities.

While DCYF painted a picture of a sudden population explosion, a review of the agency’s own documents noted that they had surpassed what it considered a "safe operational capacity" in June of the previous year.

As negative headlines piled up, ranging from riots, to drug use and overcrowding within DCYF facilities, the state’s advisory board on juvenile justice created by Governor Inslee called on him to fire Hunter.

A move the governor refused, telling FOX 13 Seattle through a spokesman that their focus would instead be on increasing capacity within the juvenile rehabilitation system: "A change in leadership in the middle of that intense effort would only impede progress."

Hunter, in a video message, said that his decision came due to multiple reasons – including a desire to let a new governor make their own decision following the election, setting the stage for a January exit.

"New governors need to have an opportunity to have their vision for how the government ought to run," said Hunter.

In a statement released to FOX 13 News on Wednesday night, DCYF painted a rosier picture of Hunter's tenure listing a number of accomplishments including: a decrease in caseloads for child welfare workers, the launch of an adolescent transitional living program for youth aging out of foster care and the creation of a racial equity team.

"It was a distinguished privilege to lead an agency that was created to improve outcomes for children, youth, and families in Washington State," said Hunter in the release. "Since the creation of DCYF, there are fewer children in foster care, there's more access to high-quality child care, and we created a less restrictive pathway for young people exiting juvenile rehabilitation."

According to DCYF, Secretary Hunter will remain with the agency until the end of his appointment under Governor Inslee, and that he will be available for a transition period under the next administration following the upcoming election.

This is a developing story, FOX 13 will update this story as more information becomes available.