CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES

[Filed July 25, 2022, 4:14 p.m., effective August 25, 2022]

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

Purpose: To affirm the department's authority to issue child-specific foster family home licenses granted by RCW 74.15.125(7), and establish the limitations of the license; namely, that licensing and child placement is at the discretion of the department and placement is limited to children identified prior to the issuance of the license. The rule also requires reassessment in cases where a child-specific license holder wants to receive placement of a child not identified prior to licensure or wants to receive a general foster family home license.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: New WAC 110-148-1326.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.15.125 (7)(b).

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 22-09-087 on April 20, 2022.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Date Adopted: July 25, 2022.

WAC 110-148-1326Can I get a license to care for a specific child, and what are the requirements?

(1) Pursuant to RCW 74.15.125(7), the department may issue a child-specific license to relatives or suitable persons, as defined in RCW 13.36.020, to provide foster care services to a specified child and that child's siblings or relatives in the department's care and authority.

(a) These placements are at the discretion of the department.

(b) Licensees under this section may only receive placement of one or more specific children identified prior to the issuance of a license.

(2) The department must reassess licenses issued under this section when licensees want to:

(a) Add a child to their child specific license and that child was not identified prior to licensure; or

(b) Receive a general foster family home license.

(3) Reassessment under subsection (2) of this section may require licensees to give up their current child specific licenses, complete new or additional training, or submit new licensing applications as a condition of receiving new or different licenses.

(4) Licensees under this section must meet the licensing requirements detailed in RCW 74.15.030(2) and this chapter.

(5) A child-specific license does not grant licensees the right to:

(a) Have a specific child placed in their care; or

(b) Be a party in any juvenile court proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW.