DYK? Eligible residents in areas affected by wildfires in Washington state can apply for emergency cash assistance to help meet immediate needs. DCAP has expanded to five additional counties and is available through Oct. 30, 2026, or when funds are depleted, whichever comes first.

Did you know you might be eligible for emergency cash assistance if you aren’t eligible for other DSHS cash assistance programs?

SUN Bucks is coming! SUN Bucks is a grocery benefit that helps end childhood hunger in Washington state. It provides $120 for groceries for each eligible school-aged child during the summer. Starts June 2026. Learn more: dshs.wa.gov/sunbucks #SUNBucks #FoodBenefits #SummerNutrition

Our Mobile Office Team will be at the King County Disaster Assistance Centers in #Auburn today and tomorrow, Friday, Jan. 2, and Saturday, Jan. 3, and #Carnation on Monday, Jan. 5, to connect people with resources to help recover from recent flooding.

Our Mobile Office Team will be at #Nooksack Valley Middle School today, Tuesday, Dec. 23, and #Hamilton City Hall Monday, Dec. 29, to connect people with resources to help recover from recent flooding.

Our Mobile Office Teams will be out connecting people with resources to help recover from recent flooding: 3-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19 Evergreen State Fair Park Longhouse Building 14405 179th Ave. SE Monroe, WA 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21 Startup Event Center 14315 366th Ave. SE Startup, WA

Disaster Cash Assistance is available Dec. 17 to Jan. 15 for eligible households affected by flooding in Benton, Chelan, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, King, Kittitas, Lewis, Pacific, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, Yakima and Whatcom counties.

⚠️Flood alert! Did you lose food bought with food benefits because of recent flooding or a power outage? You can file a claim to replace those food benefits.

Congress passed and the president signed spending legislation to reopen the government on Nov. 12, 2025. DSHS is issuing full November food and cash benefits to people in Washington state on their usual dates. Food benefits for Nov. 1-13 have been issued.

Are you wondering how the federal government shutdown will impact benefits? Here's what we know: DSHS has funding to send out October 2025 food and cash benefits as usual. We'll keep sharing updates as we learn more. Visit our website for the latest news: dshs.wa.gov

Sept. 15 marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month! Join us as we celebrate and honor the history, culture and impact of Hispanic and Latino communities across our country. Learn more about events and ways to commemorate on the WA Commission on Hispanic Affairs website: www.cha.wa.gov/lhhm

DSHS just launched a new texting campaign to make it easier to share feedback. If you recently visited an office or called our Customer Service Contact Center, and have a number we can text on file, you might receive a link to our customer feedback survey. Your response helps us better serve you.

In observance of #LaborDay, DSHS offices will be closed Monday, Sept. 1. We will reopen at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2. We are thankful for all our dedicated DSHS employees throughout Washington state and laborers everywhere. Thank you for everything you do! #PartneringWithPeople #BuildingAccessForAll

When someone survives an opioid overdose, it’s because someone else stepped up to help. When we see each other as friends to keep safe, we have the power to change what happens next. Overdose is preventable when we act together. #OneWAfamily #IOAD2025 @doh.wa.gov @wa-health-care.bsky.social

#SUNBucks has already provided $120 in summer food benefits to more than 533,000 kids across WA. Think you might be eligible? There's still time to apply! The due date for 2025 summer food benefits is Friday, Aug. 29. Learn more: sunbucks.dshs.wa.gov/en/ #SupportCareResources

New Document Upload portal is now available! Do you need to send us paperwork for your food, cash, DSHS medical or child care benefits? You can now easily send paperwork online using Document Upload.

Exciting news! We will welcome our new DSHS secretary, Angela Ramirez, on Sept. 22. Gov. Bob Ferguson announced her appointment today. You can read more about her and her appointment on our Medium site: medium.com/@dshswa/gov-... #DSHS #SupportCareResources #PartneringWithPeople

Gov. Ferguson appoints Angela Ramirez secretary of DSHS

On Thursday, Aug. 14, Gov. Bob Ferguson announced his appointment of Angela Ramirez as Washington’s new secretary of the Department of…

medium.com

Have you lost food bought with food benefits due to recent wildfires? DSHS might be able to replace some or all of its value. If you lost food purchased with Basic Food benefits, please call 877-501-2233 or visit your local Community Services Office within 10 days of the loss.

We’ve loved connecting with you here, but due to budget cuts and fewer team members, we need to simplify where we share updates. Starting July 1, we’ll focus on just a few platforms • Facebook: @WaStateDSHS • LinkedIn: @washingtondepartmentofsocialandhealthservices • YouTube: @WashingtonStateDSHS

#SUNBucks update: Is your child eligible for SUN Bucks? The program has some changes this year. If you got a letter from DSHS about possible eligibility, we encourage you to apply for SUN Bucks if you did not already receive benefits this year. Find out more: dshs.wa.gov/sunbucks

The last week of June is Deafblind Awareness Week, celebrated in honor of Helen Keller, who was both deaf and blind, showed the world what is possible with determination and hard work. Let’s work together to build understanding and support for the deafblind community.

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. DSHS’s Home and Community Living Administration wants you to know how to protect your brain health. Healthy habits include: • Not using tobacco • Eating healthy • Exercising your body & mind • Maintaining healthy weight • Practicing good sleep habits

Still an opportunity for this NOTIS webinar June 28.

Northwest Translators & Interpreters Society (NOTIS)@notisnet.bsky.social · last yr.

⏰ Just 1 spot left for this *2-Saturday* #NOTIS webinar: "Interpreting for Postpartum Care," expertly presented by Marisa Rueda Will 🙌 ✅ 8 CEUs @wadshs.bsky.social, @wacourts.bsky.social, @cchicertify.bsky.social, @atanet.org // 0.8 IMIA/NBCMI 📅 June 21 & June 28 🎟️ notisnet.org/event-6041316 #1nt

Are you a caregiver? We’ve got some exciting news just for you! DSHS is excited to introduce our brand-new HCLA Caregiver Newsletter. ! It’s the perfect place to find support and celebrate the amazing work that you do every day. Visit linktr.ee/wa_dshs to subscribe and download the first edition!

As we approach June 19, we celebrate Juneteenth, the oldest national holiday marking the end of slavery in the U.S. This day in 1865 represented the arrival of freedom for enslaved people in Galveston, TX, over 2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Let’s use this day to reflect and remember.

Focused on healthy futures for children and teens in foster care. DSHS Fostering Well-Being staff include pediatricians, nurses, and program specialists working together to make sure their clients’ medical, behavioral, mental health, & school needs are met. www.dshs.wa.gov/altsa/fostering-well-being

#ALERT Our EBT team is anticipating an increase in EBT theft this summer. You may receive this message from DSHS: "EBT cardholder, your benefits are in danger of theft. Act immediately. Change the PIN or replace your card by calling the phone number on the back of your card or the DSHS office."

As Father’s Day approaches, we honor all the amazing dads in Washington — those who see their kids regularly and especially those who are working hard to be in their children’s lives. The Fatherhood Council State of Father asked dads, What are your strengths? Read: dshswa.medium.com/every-day-is...

DSHS is thrilled to announce that the Fircrest Nursing Facility earned a prestigious five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, placing it among the top 10% of nursing homes in Washington state. Read the full story here: dshswa.medium.com/fircrest-nur...

We're making it easier for you to get help when you call us! Last month, we introduced a new Virtual Agent to improve our call center. In just one week, it saved each caller more than two minutes of waiting time. Exciting news! We're in the first stages of rolling out a new feature!