Washington State Department of Social and Health Services

During the 1969 special session of the Washington State Legislature the Juvenile Probation Subsidy Act was passed. Under this act, the Washington State Department of Institutions (now subsumed within the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS)) was authorized to subsidize the cost of specialized county probation supervision programs for juveniles who could otherwise be committed to a Washington State juvenile institution. A major goal of the Juvenile Probation Subsidy Program is to reduce unnecessary commitments of juveniles to state rehabilitation facilities through the strengthening and improving of community-oriented programs.