H-0466.1          _______________________________________________

                                  HOUSE BILL 1498

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1991 Regular Session

By Representatives Riley, Winsley, Leonard, Brekke, Basich, Anderson, Forner, Pruitt, R. King, Holland, Jacobsen, Phillips, Scott, Roland, Nelson and Paris.

Read first time January 31, 1991.  Referred to Committee on Human Services.Creating a "state of the children" report.

     AN ACT Relating to children in community out-of-home care settings; and adding a new section to chapter 43.41 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 43.41 RCW to read as follows:

     (1) The office of financial management shall prepare a biennial "state of the children" report.  The report shall describe the current condition of the children in the state who are placed in community out-of-home care settings and shall include:

     (a) A diagnostic, demographic, and socioeconomic analysis of the children placed in community out-of-home care settings;

     (b) A critique of the services provided to these children and an assessment of whether these services are adequate and effective;

     (c) Current and foreseeable trends in the number and type of children needing community out-of-home care and the quality of care provided;

     (d) Review of significant public and private activities affecting these children and an assessment of whether these activities are in the best interests of the children; and

     (e) Recommendations to the governor, the legislature, and appropriate state and local agencies for actions needed to remedy any deficiencies in current policies, plans, programs, or activities relating to children in out-of-home care settings, and recommendations on changes necessary to nurture and protect these children and to improve services to them.

     (2) For the purpose of this section, the term "community out-of-home care settings" shall not include state-operated institutions, but shall include the following department of social and health services programs:

     (a) The division of children and family services' family foster care program, group care programs, interstate compact program, and interim care programs, including family receiving homes and crisis residential centers;

     (b) The division of juvenile rehabilitation's state group homes and community residential placements;

     (c) The division of alcohol and substance abuse's inpatient alcohol and drug treatment programs; and

     (d) The division of mental health's long term residential treatment program and the inpatient care program for voluntarily admitted children.

     (3) The office shall submit the "state of the children" report to the governor, the legislature, and the state agencies and local governments identified in the report by September 1, of each even-numbered year beginning on September 1, 1992.  Copies of the report shall be made available to the public.