AN ACT Relating to children's services; amending RCW 74.13.032 and 74.13.035; adding a new section to chapter 13.40 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 74.13 RCW; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The department of social and health services may conduct an assessment of the children in its care to determine the appropriate level of residential and treatment services required by these children. Any such assessment shall be based on a statistically valid sample of all children in the department's care. The department shall report the results of the assessment to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature by September 15, 1992. The department shall submit recommendations to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature on reallocating funds for children's services by December 1, 1992.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 74.13 RCW to read as follows:

The department of social and health services may implement a therapeutic family home program for up to fifteen youth in the custody of the department under chapter 13.34 RCW. The program shall strive to develop and maintain a mutually reinforcing relationship between the youth and the therapeutic staff associated with the program.

Sec. 3. RCW 74.13.032 and 1979 c 155 s 78 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The department shall establish, by contracts with private vendors, not less than eight regional crisis residential centers, which shall be structured group care facilities licensed under rules adopted by the department. ((~~Each regional center shall have an average of at least four adult staff members and in no event less than three adult staff members to every eight children.~~)) The staff shall be trained so that they may effectively counsel juveniles admitted to the centers, provide treatment, supervision, and structure to the juveniles, and carry out the responsibilities outlined in RCW 13.32A.090.

(2) The department shall, in addition to the regional facilities established under subsection (1) of this section, establish not less than thirty additional crisis residential centers pursuant to contract with licensed private group care or specialized foster home facilities. The staff at the facilities shall be trained so that they may effectively counsel juveniles admitted to the centers, provide treatment, supervision, and structure to the juveniles, and carry out the responsibilities stated in RCW 13.32A.090. The responsibilities stated in RCW 13.32A.090 may, in any of the centers, be carried out by the department.

Crisis residential facilities shall be operated as semi-secure facilities.

Sec. 4. RCW 74.13.035 and 1979 c 155 s 81 are each amended to read as follows:

Crisis residential centers shall compile yearly records which shall be transmitted to the department and which shall contain information regarding population profiles of the children admitted to the centers during each past calendar year. Such information shall include but shall not be limited to the following:

(1) The number, age, and sex of children admitted to custody;

(2) Who brought the children to the center;

(3) Services provided to children admitted to the center;

(4) The circumstances which necessitated the children being brought to the center;

(5) The ultimate disposition of cases;

(6) The number of children admitted to custody who ran away from the center and their ultimate disposition, if any;

(7) Length of stay.

The department may require the provision of additional information and may require each center to provide all such necessary information in a uniform manner.

((~~A center may, in addition to being licensed as such, also be licensed as a family foster home or group care facility and may house on the premises juveniles assigned for foster or group care.~~))

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The legislature finds that a destructive lifestyle of drug and street gang activity is rapidly becoming prevalent among some of the state's youths. A significant portion of these gang and drug-involved youths are African American youths as well as the youths of other ethnic and cultural minority groups. Gang and drug-involved youths are more likely to become addicted to drugs or alcohol, live in poverty, experience high unemployment, be incarcerated, and die of violence than other youths.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. A new section is added to chapter 13.40 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The department of social and health services may contract with a community-based nonprofit organization to establish a three-step transitional treatment program for gang and drug-involved juvenile offenders committed to the custody of the department under chapter 13.40 RCW. Any such program shall provide six to twenty-four months of treatment. The program shall emphasize the principles of self-determination, unity, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, and creativity. The program shall be culturally relevant and appropriate and shall include:

(a) A culturally relevant and appropriate institution-based program that provides comprehensive drug and alcohol services, individual and family counseling, and a wilderness experience of constructive group living, rigorous physical exercise, and academic studies;

(b) A culturally relevant and appropriate community-based structured group living program that focuses on individual goals, positive community involvement, coordinated drug and alcohol treatment, coordinated individual and family counseling, academic and vocational training, and employment in apprenticeship, internship, and entrepreneurial programs; and

(c) A culturally relevant and appropriate transitional group living program that provides support services, academic services, and coordinated individual and family counseling.

(2) Participation in any such program shall be on a voluntary basis.

(3) The department shall adopt rules as necessary to implement any such program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. (1) The department of social and health services may contract with an independent research organization to conduct an evaluation of any program that is established under section 6 of this act. The evaluation shall include an analysis of the race and ethnicity of juvenile offenders served, the offenses for which the youths were committed, the services provided, the effects of the program on educational and vocational achievement, and the rate of recidivism for these youth.

(2) Any organization selected shall provide a preliminary report on the program to appropriate standing committees of the senate and house of representatives by September 15, 1992. Any final report shall be submitted to appropriate standing committees of the senate and house of representatives by January 15, 1993.