Embedded Social Worker Pulled From Everett Police Department.

Editor’s Update 4:30 PM: Mary Jane Brell Vujovic with Snohomish County has not responded with any further specifics to the questions listed below so we have no further official explanation of why a pilot project that was supposed to last 12 months in Everett from August 2015 – August 2016 ended many months early leaving a large gap in the embedded social worker program in Everett.

MyEverettNews.com did speak on the phone today with Lauren Rainbow. She informed us she made a personal decision to not apply for one of the two social worker positions being advertised with the city of Everett. “Once I informed my boss at the county that I would not be applying for the Everett positions then talks began about moving me into the other slot with the Sheriff’s Office,” said Rainbow. “It was a difficult decision.”

Rainbow has been working as a social worker with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office for about a month and said she spent the month prior working on the transition out of the Everett Police Department and not taking on new clients while preparing current clients for her departure.

Everett Police Sgt. Mike Braley introduced Lauren Rainbow to the Everett City Council in August.

It was with great fanfare last August Everett Police announced the appointment of Lauren Rainbow as the first social worker to be embedded within the department. Rainbow technically was paid by Snohomish County but operated out of the Everett Police Department. Rainbow has quietly left the Everett Police Department and is working only for Snohomish County. There was no announcement of this move and MyEverettNews.com asked both Meghan Pembroke, the City of Everett Public Information Officer and Mary Jane Brell Vujovic, Director Snohomish County Human Services Department the following questions yesterday…

1). When did Lauren Rainbow leave the Everett Police Department?

2). Who made the decision for Ms. Rainbow to leave?

3). There was no announcement of Ms. Rainbow’s departure but much fanfare over her hiring. Why no announcement that she is gone?

4). Did Snohomish County pull the funding contribution for the position?

5). Is cooperation between Everett and Snohomish County waning with each choosing a separate path?

6). Can you please explain from your point of view why Ms. Rainbow is no longer working as an embedded social worker with the Everett Police Department.

7). Any other comment you would like to make…

Here is the response received from Meghan Pembroke at the City of Everett…

Hi Lee – I’ll let the County share more about what Lauren is doing now, but wanted to provide a little clarification. Lauren was always a County employee, and was embedded with the police department through a partnership with the County. As you know, the City is in the process of hiring two full-time embedded social workers who will be City employees. The County has reassigned Lauren within their organization.

Lauren did a fantastic job getting the social worker program started and we are really grateful for all of the connections she made on the street and with service providers. She helped establish a really strong program within the department, and we are looking forward to getting our two new social workers on board and continuing that work, hopefully by the end of May.

The County and City continue to work together on many streets-related issues, including through the CHART program, which we highlighted in our email update yesterday:https://everettwa.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=449.

Here is the response received from Mary Jane Brell Vujovic, Director Snohomish County Human Services Department…

Good Morning Lee!

The Embedded Social Worker Pilot Project was launched in two jurisdictions in response to recommendations arising from the City of Everett’s Community Streets Initiative and research conducted by the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. Both Embedded Social Workers were hired, trained, and supervised by Snohomish County, one stationed with the Everett Police Department and one with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office. From the start, the pilot was very successful and both the City and County identified funds in their 2016 budgets to expand the effort, providing two Embedded Social Workers for each jurisdiction. The City is in the process of hiring two Embedded Social Workers and Ms. Rainbow continues to work as an Embedded Social Worker in the Snohomish County expansion. Both the City and County are committed to continuing our collaboration through the expansion and on a number of other related efforts including the CHART initiative discussed in Community Streets Initiative update emails and at yesterday’s meeting. We are very appreciative of our collaboration and the success of the Embedded Social Worker initiative.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any additional questions.

MyEverettNews.com has sent the following questions to Mary Jane Brell Vujovic and is awaiting a reply.

When was Lauren removed from Everett PD?

Why couldn’t Lauren stay with EPD until one or both of its new social workers were hired?

We’ll let you know what we find out.