H-1421.1
HOUSE BILL 1925
State of Washington | 66th Legislature | 2019 Regular Session |
ByRepresentatives Dolan, Doglio, Jinkins, Paul, Ryu, Walen, Pollet, and Davis
Read first time 02/06/19.Referred to Committee on Human Services & Early Learning.
AN ACT Relating to informing new parents about adverse childhood experiences; adding a new section to chapter
43.70 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that when parents and caregivers have supports and connections to services they can raise healthy and resilient children. A trusted relationship with an adult is one of the strongest protective factors against childhood adversity. Strategies that are resiliency-building and support engagement between children and trusted adults are good for all children and especially benefit those who are at risk for adverse childhood experiences.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter
43.70 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The department shall identify videos, printed material, and other parent support tools and resources that promote safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments. The department shall make these resources available on a web site that is accessible and available in the five most commonly spoken languages in the state. The department shall promote the web site with provider organizations and state and local government agencies to encourage the use and availability of the videos and printed materials in waiting rooms and receptionist areas where parents and children may be waiting to receive health care or other services.
(2) The department shall review and include resiliency promotion and adverse childhood experiences mitigation messaging in the child profile health promotion materials that are sent to all families with children from birth through six years old.
(3) The department shall develop training modules for community health workers and other peer educators and health care providers related to topics such as resiliency, prevention and mitigation of adverse childhood experiences, childhood adversity, childhood trauma, and the promotion of safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments.
(4) The department shall develop and implement a pilot program with one or more local clinics or organizations to screen for adverse childhood experiences using an evidence-informed or promising practices-informed questionnaire and provide linkages to appropriate community and clinical resources. By December 1, 2020, the department shall report to the appropriate committees of the legislature with the results of the pilot program, including the levels of adverse childhood experiences that were reported, the effectiveness of the questionnaires used, any challenges related to training staff to use the questionnaire, and any recommendations for improving the use of the screening tools and expanding the adoption of the screening tools as a part of community and clinical practices.
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