Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Early Learning & Children's Services Committee

HB 2164

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Description: Remediating racial disproportionality in child welfare practices.

Sponsors: Representatives Pettigrew, Haler, Santos, McCoy, Miloscia, Kagi, Hunt, Kenney, Sullivan, Darneille, Seaquist, Roberts, Chase, Hasegawa, Dickerson and Goodman.

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Directs the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to evaluate the impact of selected interventions on racial disproportionality in Washington's child welfare system and report its finding by September 1, 2010.

Hearing Date: 2/20/09

Staff: Sydney Forrester (786-7120)

Background:

The disproportionate representation of a racial or ethnic group within a system is often referred to as racial disproportionality. In the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, racial disproportionality occurs when a particular racial or ethnic group of children is represented at a higher percentage than other racial or ethnic groups. The concept of racial disproportionality looks across racial and ethnic groups at the relative ratios of children in a system.

Research at the national level illustrates that children of color are represented in foster care at a rate higher than these children are represented in the general population. Within Washington, the most recent look at racial disproportionality in child welfare is the work done by the Racial Disproportionality Advisory Committee (RDAC) created by the Legislature in 2007. The Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) provided technical assistance to the RDAC to examine and analyze:

In June 2008 the RDAC and the WSIPP reported the results of their analysis of about 58,000 children who were rereferred to Child Protective Services (CPS) in 2004, and followed the outcomes for those children through 2007. The analysis reflects that patterns of disproportionality were evident at the time of reports to CPS alleging child abuse or neglect and that compared with White children:

The WSIPP research also indicates that disproportionality occurred within the child welfare system and patterns of disproportionality varied by race. Compared with White children referred to CPS, after referral:

In response to the WSIPP findings, the RDAC developed the first phase of a remediation plan and recommended that two practices being implemented by the Children's Administration, structured decision-making and the family team decision-making model, be studied to determine their impacts on racial disproportionality. Other recommendations from the RDAC include:

Summary of Bill:

The WSIPP is directed to evaluate the impact of structured decision-making (SDM) practices and the family team decision-making (FTDM) model on the disproportionate representation in the state's child welfare system. The evaluation is to be accomplished within appropriated funding or within amounts received from private grants or contributions. If adequate funding is not available to evaluate both practices, the FTDM model shall be evaluated first. The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and the WSIPP must complete the necessary data sharing agreements and identify potential sources of private funding to supplement any state appropriated amounts. The WSIPP shall report its findings to the Legislature and the DSHS by September 1, 2010.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 18, 2009.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.