FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 1858

C 240 L 11

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Concerning the department of social and health services' authority with regard to semi-secure and secure crisis residential centers and HOPE centers.

Sponsors: House Committee on Early Learning & Human Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Roberts, Parker, Kagi, Dickerson, Goodman, Lytton, Jacks, Probst, Walsh, Carlyle, Kenney and Ormsby).

House Committee on Early Learning & Human Services

Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections

Background:

The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) contracts with vendors who provide a variety of residential programs specific to older youth in crisis who need shelter and assistance. These residential options include secure and semi-secure Crisis Residential Centers (CRCs), HOPE centers, and Responsible Living Skills Programs. Separate rules govern each program. Some providers operate more than one program within one physical facility.

Crisis Residential Centers have operated in Washington since 1980 to serve youth who are homeless, those who seek shelter including runaway youth, and those transported by law enforcement or the DSHS. The CRCs consist of both semi-secure facilities and secure facilities. Secure CRCs were established in 1995. Secure CRCs are designed to prevent youth from leaving without parental or staff permission for a short period of time while they receive support to stabilize during a period of crisis. Secure CRCs include some facilities located within or adjacent to a juvenile detention facility, but do not allow for in-person contact between youth in the CRC and juveniles being held in the detention facility. Some secure CRCs are community-based.

In 1999 the Legislature passed the HOPE Act, which established services for older street youth without family support and for whom foster placements have not been successful. HOPE centers are facilities where youth can stay for up to 30 days while they are evaluated for services. The Responsible Living Skills Program provides long-term residential placement for older youth and other services to help youth gain independent living skills.

Summary:

The DSHS is required to allow co-location of secure and semi-secure CRCs and HOPE centers, and must adopt rules to allow licensing of these co-located facilities. The DSHS is required to permit and license co-located facilities only if the entity operating the facility designates a particular number of beds for each type of center in the building. Youth in co-located facilities may not be placed in secure facilities, except as authorized in statute. The DSHS must contract for a continuum of short-term stabilization services and collaborate with service providers in a manner that allows facilities to be located in a geographically representative manner. The DSHS is authorized to contract for the operation of HOPE center beds and Responsible Living Skills Programs with the goal of facilitating the coordination of services provided for youth by such programs and those provided by CRCs. The DSHS is authorized to adopt rules regarding flexible payment structures, center specific licensing waivers, or other appropriate measures to increase utilization and provide flexibility, while continuing to meet the statutory goals of each program.

Votes on Final Passage: