WSR 14-17-128

PROPOSED RULES

[Filed August 20, 2014, 10:25 a.m.]

Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 14-11-101.

Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: Amending chapter 388-145 WAC, Licensing requirements for group care facilities and services; chapter 388-147 WAC, Licensing requirements for child-placing agencies and adoption services; and chapter 388-148 WAC, Licensing requirements for child foster homes; and repealing chapter 388-160 WAC.

See Reviser's note below.

Hearing Location(s): Office Building 2, Lookout Room, DSHS Headquarters, 1115 Washington, Olympia, WA 98504 (public parking at 11th and Jefferson. A map is available at http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/msa/rpau/RPAU-OB-2directions.html), on October 21, 2014, at 10:00 a.m.

Date of Intended Adoption: Not earlier than October 22, 2014.

Submit Written Comments to: DSHS Rules Coordinator, P.O. Box 45850, Olympia, WA 98504, e-mail DSHSRPAURulesCoordinator@dshs.wa.gov, fax (360) 664-6185, by 5:00 p.m., October 21, 2014.

Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Jeff Kildahl, DSHS rules consultant, by October 7, 2014, TTY (360) 664-6178 or (360) 664-6092 or by e-mail Kildaja@dshs.wa.gov.

Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: New legislation regarding crisis residential centers, resource and assessment centers, prudent parent legislation, extended foster care 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 facilities. Improvements to the rules include: Plaintalk format to improve content and accessibility, a restructured sequence of specific rules to provide a logical flow to content, and a division of specific license types to improve clarity of rules for each license category. Licensed foster parents, child-placing agencies, adoption centers, and group care facilities may be impacted by these requirements. Group care facilities include semi-secure and secure crisis residential centers, emergency respite centers, group homes, group receiving centers, overnight youth shelters, resource and assessment centers, and staffed residential homes. Services provided by these license types include services to medically fragile and intellectual and developmental disabilities (formerly severe developmental disabilities), pregnant and parenting youth and maternity services, and day treatment services.

Reasons Supporting Proposal: Foster home requirements are currently combined with other types of licensing requirements, such as requirements for child-placing agencies, adoption centers and group care facilities. New chapters are specific to license type, providing foster parents a stand-alone chapter specific to foster home licensing. Single clearly-defined chapters for foster homes, child-placing agencies and adoption centers, and group care facilities will assist stakeholders with accessing requirements specific to their license type.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: Chapters 13.34, 74.13 RCW, RCW 74.15.030(2), 74.15.311(2), Severe Abuse of Adopted Children Committee Report Recommendations (9/2012).

Statute Being Implemented: RCW 74.13.032, 13.04.011, 74.13.020, 13.34.030, 74.13.031, 13.34.145, 74.15.311, 74.15.030.

Name of Proponent: Department of social and health services, governmental.

Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting and Implementation: Randy Roberts, OB2, Olympia, Washington, (360) 902-7872; and Enforcement: Darcey Hancock, OB2, Olympia, Washington, (360) 902-0288.

See Reviser's note below.

A copy of the statement may be obtained by contacting Randy Roberts, 1115 Washington Street, Olympia, WA 98504-5710, phone (360) 902-7872, fax (360) 902-7903, e-mail roberrm@dshs.wa.gov.

A cost-benefit analysis is required under RCW 34.05.328. A preliminary cost-benefit analysis may be obtained by contacting Randy Roberts, 1115 Washington Street, Olympia, WA 98504-5710, phone (360) 902-7872, fax (360) 902-7903, e-mail roberrm@dshs.wa.gov.

August 19, 2014

Katherine I. Vasquez

Rules Coordinator