S-3717               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6345

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Senators Niemi, West, Wojahn, Smith, Bauer, Bender and Kreidler

Read first time 1/11/90 and referred to Committee on  Health & Long Term Care.

AN ACT Relating to health care for foster children; and adding a new section to chapter 74.13 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 74.13 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) The department shall establish a state-wide program to provide and manage comprehensive health services for children in foster care.  Services shall include medical, dental, psychosocial, developmental, and educational assessments and shall provide children in foster care with:

          (a) Health screening, supervision, and continuity of care;

          (b) Developmental and psychological screening;

          (c) Illness and emergency care; and

          (d) Child centered management plans designed to address specific therapeutic rehabilitative and preventative needs.  Case management shall be used to ensure comprehensiveness and continuity of care.

          (2) Strategies for reimbursements shall be developed which utilize prospective payment or capitation formulas.

          (3) Data shall be collected to assess the effect on foster children, including whether centralized comprehensive health services improve health and the effect on psychosocial and school performance compared to children not receiving services.  In addition, the program shall evaluate whether comprehensive health services are more cost-effective than individually purchased services.  Data shall be collected on the health problems that are most often manifested by children in foster care.

          (4) The department shall conduct studies and report to the legislature by December 1, 1992, on utilizing and designating medicaid funds for the acquisition of comprehensive and preventive health services for children in foster care.