S-3845               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6117

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Senator Kiskaddon

Prefiled with Secretary of the Senate 1/8/88.  Read first time 1/11/88 and referred to Committee on Children & Family Services.

AN ACT Relating to volunteer family support; creating new sections; making an appropriation; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature recognizes that families who care for their developmentally disabled child at home often experience a great deal of  difficulty providing for that person's twenty-four hour a day care.  Often the family is unable to find qualified people to relieve them temporarily of their responsibilities, even for short periods of time.  The legislature further recognizes that to assist children to become as independent as possible and remain within the family unit, parents need assistance to learn how to work effectively with their child.  This assistance can best be given by persons who have had similar experiences in their own families.

          The legislature intends to provide a program that will empower the families of the developmentally disabled to reach out into the community to find persons willing to volunteer a small amount of their time to become familiar with the needs of the developmentally disabled person and to spend time with that person.  This program would give the family respite from its duties, increase its knowledge of its family member's needs through parent-to-parent support, and also increase community support for persons with developmental disabilities.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     (1) The developmental disabilities planning council shall develop a pilot project in two locations, one in eastern and one in western Washington, in which persons experienced in recruiting volunteers shall contract with the state to provide volunteer assistance to families.  The projects shall have the following components: (a) Matching experienced families who have a developmentally disabled child with parents of a newly diagnosed developmentally disabled child; (b) parent training and support groups for the special needs of the families of developmentally disabled children; and (c) a volunteer respite program for families of developmentally disabled children.  The council shall use the expertise of the American red cross, the department of social and health services, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, and any other agency with expertise to develop this project.

          (2) The parents or family members should become ultimately responsible for the development of a volunteer group, thus allowing them to take charge of the problem.  In each location, the project shall hire a paid coordinator to assist the family in meeting likely candidates for volunteer positions.

          (3) The coordinator shall work with local community institutions, clubs, churches, and other community groups.   (4) Volunteers and matched parents shall be trained by the pilot project staff.  In addition, volunteer respite providers shall be trained by the family in the special needs of the developmentally disabled person.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The council shall plan and develop the project prior to fiscal year 1988.    A one-year trial of the project shall be implemented by the council during fiscal year 1988.  The council shall prepare a report on the project to the legislature by January 1, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     The sum of one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1989, from the general fund to the department of community development's developmental disabilities planning council for the purposes of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.