After a years-long, human-centered design process informed by more than 4,000 clients, community partners and agency staff, the Department of Social and Health Services is pleased to announce its updated brand, including a new logo, mission, vision and values statements. While the mission and vision have evolved over time, the new logo marks the first real redesign in more than 50 years of DSHS as Washington state’s primary social services agency.
“We are excited to lay the groundwork for ambitious possibilities and share our strategic priorities, aligning with the mission and aspirations of our evolving community,” said Jilma Meneses, DSHS Secretary. “We thank all of the community members, partners and staff who shared valuable insights and ideas. Their ideas will guide our language, our goals and our visual imagery for years to come.”
DSHS’ new mission is We partner with people to access support, care, and resources and its vision is People find human services to shape their own lives. The mission and vision align with five core values:
Welcome all with access and inclusion.
Serve with respect and dignity.
Collaborate with community.
Improve services continually.
Communicate with clarity and choices.
While Transforming Lives was a powerful mantra for more than a decade that represented DSHS staff members’ passion for service, community members shared through many surveys and interviews in the rebranding process that the tagline was not reflective of their experiences with the agency.
In place of a tagline, DSHS now has a new set of mission, vision and values phrases developed by staff and community members:
Partnering with People.
Support. Care. Resources.
Building Access for All.
The new logo design brings the biggest update, with the addition of color and the departure from the more rigid "stick figures" from the 1970s. To ensure some consistency, three people, with arms raised, outlined in thick black lines remain the primary focus of the logo. The Washington state outline and DSHS acronym are added via community suggestion to better identify the agency to the public.
Community members shared that the old DSHS logo looked dated and unwelcoming to individual clients and people with disabilities. However, DSHS also heard that the 50-year-old logo was recognizable in communities across Washington state and that the agency should make careful and practical changes.
One DSHS client suggested, “Switch up the logo just a little bit to know it’s for families and individuals. All are welcome here.”
Staff and community member ideas shaped each design decision over three rounds of logo concepts. A DSHS client said about the new design, “You’ve nailed it. A well-made modern change to the existing logo.”
Committed to keeping costs minimal for this effort, DSHS did all research, development and design work internally through full-time communications staff as part of their regular duties. Changes to signage, print publications, etc., will take place through a gradual, multiple-year process using existing funds.
Learn more about how the new brand was created and its budget-friendly implementation plan on the DSHS website. For other questions about the project, please email OurBrand@dshs.wa.gov.
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