WSR 14-11-101

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Filed May 21, 2014, 10:18 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapters 388-145, 388-147, 388-148, 388-160 WAC and other related rules as appropriate. The intent of the revision project is to provide foster parents, child placing agencies and group care facilities with clearly defined chapters and easy-to-understand rules written in plain talk language. Constituents who are attempting to locate critical licensing regulations have expressed concern that current WAC is not user-friendly. Chapter divisions are confusing, requiring foster parents and agency staff to search for information throughout the entire document. This change has been requested within the group care community, by foster parents themselves, and by the licensors who assist parents and agencies in interpreting these rules. Division of licensed resources (DLR) licensing requirements were last amended in 2004.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 74.15.030(2), 74.15.311(2), SHB 1261, Severe Abuse of Adopted Children Committee Report Recommendations.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: New legislation regarding crisis residential centers, resource and assessment centers, prudent parenting and recommendations from the committee on the severe abuse of adopted children require new rules for licensed foster homes, child-placing agencies, adoption centers and group care. Currently, the foster home WACs are combined with other types of licenses and there are several stand-alone chapters for specific residential facilities. Along with new legislative updates we have created a single chapter for foster homes, a separate chapter for all group care facilities, and a third chapter for CPAs and adoption agencies. The language has been changed (particularly foster care WACs) to a "plain talk" format. Where possible, we standardized practice, combined rules into a single WAC cite, and restructured the sequence of WACs to be more logical.

Process for Developing New Rule: DSHS welcomes the public to take part in developing the rules. Anyone interested should contact the staff person identified below. At a later date, DSHS will file a proposal with the office of the code reviser with a notice of proposed rule making. A copy of the proposal will be sent to everyone on the mailing list and to anyone who requests a copy.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Randy Roberts, Deputy Administrator, DLR, Children's Administration, DSHS, 1115 Washington Street S.E., P.O. Box 45710, Olympia, WA 98504-5710, phone (360) 902-7872, fax (360) 902-7903, e-mail roberrm@dshs.wa.gov.

May 21, 2014

Katherine I. Vasquez

Rules Coordinator