Ferguson taps Mercer Island representative to lead children's services agency

State Rep. Tana Senn will be the new head of the Department of Children, Youth and Families.

Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson on Wednesday announced Senn’s appointment to lead the agency, which manages a host of early learning and child welfare programs. It is also responsible for the state’s juvenile detention centers.

Senn takes over for director Ross Hunter who has been under fire in the past year over his management of the agency. Lawmakers called for Hunter to step down in July. Around that time, the department faced criticism over its decision to suspend intakes at two state juvenile detention facilities due to overcrowding.

Senn, a Democrat from Mercer Island, has served in the state Legislature since 2013. Her work has focused on improving education and increasing access to child care and youth mental health services. She helped craft the Fair Start for Kids Act, which passed in 2021 and made record investments into child care and early learning.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/12/18/ferguson-taps-mercer-island-representative-to-lead-childrens-services-agency/