H-0956.1                  _______________________________________________

                                                      HOUSE BILL 1608

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State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Representatives Riley, Leonard, Thibaudeau, Brough, Jacobsen, Kremen, J. Kohl and Anderson

Read first time 02/03/93.  Referred to Committee on Human Services.

Providing additional services to foster parents.

          AN ACT Relating to foster parents; amending RCW 74.13.260; adding a new section to chapter 74.13 RCW; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that a large number  of foster parents stop providing foster care every year.  High turnover of foster parents results in expensive recruitment and training efforts and a loss of quality, experienced families to care for children with severe problems and special needs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 74.13 RCW under the subchapter heading "foster care" to read as follows:

          (1) The department of social and health services shall contract with a state-wide nonprofit organization to provide foster parents accused of child abuse or neglect with immediate response and nonjudgmental support from trained volunteers.  The nonprofit organization shall develop training standards and practice standards for all participating volunteers.

          (2) The department of social and health services shall contract with a state-wide nonprofit foster care organization to perform an annual survey of foster parents who choose to stop providing foster care services for the department.

        Sec. 3.  RCW 74.13.260 and 1990 c 284 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

          Regular on-site monitoring of foster homes to assure quality care improves care provided to children in family foster care.  An on-site monitoring program shall be established by the department to assure quality care and regularly identify problem areas.  The department shall report to the legislature by June 1 of each year, beginning with June 1, 1991, the results of the monitoring, including identified problem areas, and make policy recommendations to improve the quality of foster care based on the results of the monitoring.  Monitoring shall be done by the department, or under contract to a state-wide nonprofit organization, on a random sample basis of no less than ten percent of the total licensed family foster homes licensed by the department on July 1 of each year.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  If specific funding for the purposes of sections 2 and 3 of this act, referencing sections 2 and 3 of this act by bill and section number, is not provided by June 30, 1993, in the omnibus appropriations act, sections 2 and 3 of this act are null and void.

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