SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6424

BYSenators Talmadge, Rasmussen, Stratton, Gaspard, Bender, Warnke, Vognild, Bauer, Rinehart, Williams and Murray

Establishing two pilot facilities for the long-term care of children.

Senate Committee on Children & Family Services

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 17, 1990; February 1, 1990; February 2, 1990

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended and refer to Committee on Ways & Means.

      Signed by Senators Smith, Chairman; Bailey, Stratton, Vognild.

Senate Staff:Lidia Mori (786-7755)

                  February 5, 1990

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES, FEBRUARY 2, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Many children that are placed in foster care or in any other type of out-of-home placement experience a substantial amount of instability.  Often children in foster care are repeatedly shifted from one foster home to another or from one foster home to the home of a biological parent and then back again into foster care.  There is concern that the instability that results from a child having numerous out-of-home placements will negatively affect the physical, mental and emotional development of the child.

SUMMARY:

Two facilities are established as a pilot project by the Department of Social and Health Services to provide long-term care for children for whom adoption is not likely or appropriate.  Placement in such facilities is an alternative to foster care and each facility may provide care for up to 16 children.  The duration of the pilot project is two years.  The pilot project will be evaluated by the Legislative Budget Committee and the evaluation will be submitted to the Legislature by December 31, 1991.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED COMMITTEE AMENDMENT: 

The Department of Social and Health Services is directed to contract, through the request for proposal process, with an independent qualified agency to establish, as a pilot project, two facilities for the long-term care of children.  Children between the ages of 12 to 18 who have failed three or more out-of-home placements and are not likely candidates for adoption are eligible for placement in such facilities.  The facilities are semi-secure and are not intended to provide in-patient care for children experiencing acute or severe psychiatric impairments.

Appropriation:    $2,410,000

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested

Effective Date:The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Senate Committee - Testified: Senator Talmadge, prime sponsor