Ep. 9 - Washington in Crisis: The Ombuds Report on Soaring Fatalities

Patrick Dowd, the director of the Office of the Family and Children's Ombuds, joins us today to discuss the complexities of child welfare currently happening in Washington State, including the significant increase in child fatalities and near fatalities, the impact of legislative changes like House Bill 1227 and Senate Bill 6109, and the challenges posed by the fentanyl crisis. With over a decade of experience as director, Patrick brings a wealth of knowledge from his previous roles in public defense and the State Office of Public Defense and shares his expertise on balancing parental rights with child safety, along with discussing the role of the Ombuds office in maintaining confidentiality and independence. Thank you, Patrick, for your insight, expertise, and for joining us on this mission! For more information on the reports discussed today, please visit Office of the Family and Children's Ombuds website here: https://ofco.wa.gov/reports-and-data/archived-reports-and-data To review the documents shared in today's episode, please check out the Child Fatalities and Near Fatalities in Washington State report: https://ofco.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/2025_OFCO_Critical_Incident_Report_0.pdf ............................................................... Want to know more about Fostering Change WA? Visit our website: https://fosteringchangewa.org/ Our mission is to make a real change in Washington state for those most vulnerable. Through this channel, we aim to give a voice to the voiceless, share the stories of those who often go unseen, and inspire people to make a difference. We want views and comments to become action that will save lives. To follow us and the work we are doing, check out our social media channels: Instagram: ‪@fosteringchangewa‬ TikTok: @fostering.change Facebook: Fostering Change WA Want to catch up on the story? All our 'Change The Story' episodes are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Podcasts, and here on our channel. Thank you so much for wanting to support us and joining us in this fight for a better tomorrow for our kids. #fostercare #fentanylcrisis #policychange