SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 6789
BYSenators Smith, Stratton, Bailey, Talmadge, Patrick, Vognild, Johnson, Metcalf, Thorsness and Amondson
Creating a department of children, youth, and families.
Senate Committee on Children & Family Services
Senate Hearing Date(s):January 24, 1990; January 29, 1990
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6789 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.
Signed by Senators Smith, Chairman; Bailey, Stratton, Vognild.
Senate Staff:Jan Sharar (786-7747)
January 30, 1990
Senate Committee on Ways & Means
Senate Hearing Date(s):February 6, 1990
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6789 as recommended by Committee on Children & Family Services be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.
Signed by Senators McDonald, Chairman; Amondson, Bailey, Cantu, Hayner, Johnson, Lee, Newhouse, Saling, Smith, Talmadge, Wojahn.
Senate Staff:Karen Hayes (786-7711)
February 7, 1990
AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS, FEBRUARY 6, 1990
BACKGROUND:
The children's service delivery system suffers from a lack of comprehensive planning. Each year there has been an increasing amount of fragmentation and a lessening of accountability regarding the effectiveness of services. Case planning and monitoring are considered inadequate.
Despite repeated efforts of the Legislature, the child protective and child welfare caseworkers are overloaded to the point of crisis. Fiscal and administrative actions to date have not significantly affected these problems.
The Legislature has made numerous revisions to statutory mandates of the department to focus higher priority on preventative services for children. Increasing numbers of studies conclude that front-end preventative services to families result in a reduction to the human services needs of the society as a whole.
SUMMARY:
The Legislature intends that communities and public and private agencies be the focus of response to the needs of children and their families. This focus is implemented through a coordinated system of state, regional and county employees, services providers and recipients called Regional Interagency Councils for Children Youth and Families (RICCYF).
A Department of Children, Youth and Families (DYCF) is created. The department shall focus on: assisting parents and protecting children; supporting community strategies which empower children and their families; advocacy for alternatives for children who are out of care of their families; and ensuring that children with mental health and developmental disabilities needs are properly cared for and parents rights are protected.
The department will be organized with: clear lines of authority; clear and simplified organizational design; maximum span of control with adequate supervision; a sub-state or regional structure for program planning and coordination of service delivery; and decentralized authority and responsibility with clear lines of accountability.
A state center for children, youth and families is established to serve as a clearinghouse for information on related issues.
The secretary of the department is required to develop a biennial state children, youth and family program that incorporates county or regional needs assessments and county or regional children, youth and family service plans developed by the RICCYFs and state services. An order of priority for access to services is established.
An interim legislative task force is created to make recommendations to the 1991 Legislature.
EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:
Reference to the secretary of the department as the secretary of the Department of Children, Youth and Families is clarified.
Appropriation: none
Revenue: none
Fiscal Note: requested
Senate Committee - Testified: CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES: FOR: Jon LeVeque, Alliance for Children, Youth and Families; Margie Krane, citizen; Margaret Casey, Washington State Catholic Conference. AGAINST: Paul Trause, DSHS; Katharine Briar, DSHS
Senate Committee - Testified: WAYS & MEANS: Katherine Briar, DSHS (con)