SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SHB 1668

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

          Human Services & Corrections, April 1, 1999

                  Ways & Means, April 5, 1999

 

Title:  An act relating to foster parents.

 

Brief Description:  Providing foster parents with first aid/CPR and HIV/AIDS training.

 

Sponsors:  House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives McDonald, Kagi, Boldt, Tokuda, Dickerson and Santos).

 

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Human Services & Corrections:  3/30/99, 4/1/99 [DP-WM].

Ways & Means:  4/5/99 [DP].

 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES & CORRECTIONS

 

Majority Report:  Do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

  Signed by Senators Hargrove, Chair; Costa, Vice Chair; Franklin, Kohl-Welles, Long, Patterson, Sheahan, Stevens and Zarelli.

 

Staff:  Joan K. Mell (786-7447)

 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

 

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Loveland, Chair; Bauer, Vice Chair; Brown, Vice Chair; Fairley, Fraser, Honeyford, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Long, McDonald, Rasmussen, Rossi, B. Sheldon, Snyder, Spanel, West, Winsley, Wojahn and Zarelli.

 

Staff:  Risa Sandler (786-7708)

 

Background:  Foster parents are required to meet minimum licensing requirements prior to being licensed by the Department of Social and Health Services.  One of the minimum licensing requirements is the completion of first aid/CPR and HIV/AIDS training.  Foster parents are required to pay for their own training prior to being licensed.

 

Summary of Bill:  The Department of Social and Health Services pays for the first aid/CPR and HIV/AIDS training required for foster parents.

 

Appropriation:  None.

 

Fiscal Note:  Available.

 

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect on July 1, 1999.

 

Testimony For (Human Services & Corrections):  Foster parenting is a demanding and costly undertaking.  Further support of foster parents to promote their retention and recruitment as valuable resources is required.

 

Testimony Against (Human Services & Corrections):  None.

 

Testified (Human Services & Corrections):  PRO:  Darlene Flowers, Foster Parents of Washington State; Joseph Edwards, Grays Harbor Foster Parents Association of Washing­ton; Laurie Lippold, CHSW.

 

Testimony For (Ways & Means):  Coverage for required training is an incentive for foster parents.  This legislation helps to address the recruitment of foster parents.

 

Testimony Against (Ways & Means):  None.

 

Testified (Ways & Means):  PRO:  Barb Fenster, Recruitment Resources for Kids; Laurie Lippold, Children=s Home Society.