The History of Family Services

Founded in 1892 as the Bureau of Associated Charities of Seattle, the parent organization of Family Services, was patterned after the London Charity Organization Society, which had begun in 1869. The Agency’s initial goal was to centralize relief giving in Seattle for the "worthy" poor.

Our history includes close working relationships with local municipalities and organizations to address acute and chronic social issues.

In the early 1920s, the agency re-incorporated as the Social Welfare League with funded coming from the Community Chest. During this period Family Services ran free medical clinics and provided case management services for other organizations such as the Theodora House, a shelter for homeless mothers and children run by Volunteers of America.

When Seattle saw an influx of Jewish immigrants, the agency hired Jewish social workers to support these new members of the community. These services eventually became Jewish Family Services. Years later we assisted Japanese families during their transition to and from internment camps. Later still, we played a critical support role for the Hungarian population that arrived in Seattle in the mid-1950s.

During the 1930s, the Agency hired psychiatric social workers, which eventually led to the formation of the state's Mental Health Association. With the onset of the Depression, the Agency turned the relief function over to Washington Emergency Relief Administration, the state's first welfare department and changed its name change to The Family Society of Seattle. Family Services distributed relief vouchers to the public until the State Department of Welfare was created in 1935 and also helped form the state’s first Mental Health Association.

Recognizing the family as the basic socializing influence in society, the agency shifted its focus after the Depression from providing relief and employment to providing support for families.

In the 1940’s, counseling and casework became our primary services.

During the 1950’s, the Agency instituted a fee schedule for the first time after over 50 years of charity based services. Group work methods were begun, and Services included casework, group education, professional education and research. Until 1960 The Agency was the only Agency in King County providing family therapy.

During the 1960’s, social advocacy became part of our mission and there was a decentralization of services throughout the county. A branch office opened in Renton with United Good Neighbor Fund paying the salary of one caseworker and a secretary.

The 1970’s saw more changes. Cancer Lifeline was founded as part of Crisis Clinic and eventually came under the umbrella of Family Services in the late 1970’s. Family Services moved administrative/program offices into the United Way building on Cherry Street in Pioneer Square. In 1977 the Family Anger Management Institute formally became a program of Family Services.

In 1988, Resident Choices began to provide counseling and advocacy for the residents of Seattle Housing Authority's garden communities. Morningsong Homeless Families Support Center opened in Seattle Emergency Housing Service's family shelter in Yesler Terrace. Its goal: to provide enriched developmental preschool; assessment, referral and counseling for children and their parents; and to provide specialized substance abuse prevention curriculum.

In the 1990’s the Agency went through another restructuring process as the Board hired the new President/CEO Ruthann Howell. She was asked to reorganize, restructure and streamline administrative services and focus on service areas rather than programs. The three service clusters that operate today have been in place since that time:

• Community Violence Prevention

• Homeless and Family Stabilization

• Mental Health Counseling

In 1994, Traveler’s Aid Society merged with Family Services, marking the beginning of our Transitional Assistance Program. In addition, the Baby Boutique opened, providing free tangible goods to homeless families with infants and young children.

In 1997 Family Services became a licensed mental health Agency in the State of Washington and began seeing Title XIX clients.

Today, Family Services continues its long-standing commitment to serving the community by providing a range of Community Violence Prevention, Homeless and Family Stabilization and Mental Health Counseling services.

As we have done for more than 110 years, we are changing lives every day.

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