H-0946

AN ACT Relating to children's services; amending RCW 13.32A.040, 74.13.032, and 74.13.035; adding new sections to chapter 43.20A RCW; creating new sections; and making appropriations.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the number of group home beds for dependent children has declined dramatically since 1980. This decline has resulted in dependent children being placed in family foster homes, crisis residential centers, interim care programs, residential treatment centers, and other programs designed for nondependent populations. The misuse of the out-of-home care system has resulted in personal injury and property damage to family foster homes, the lack of availability of services intended by the legislature for runaways and families in conflict, and harm to the children whose needs required group home care.

The legislature also finds that the current administration of services to runaway youth, at-risk youth, and families in conflict is inconsistent across the state and that services and programs intended for this population have been used inappropriately and contrary to the requirements of state law.

To remedy this state of affairs, the legislature declares that it intends to provide a full continuum of care for children in need of state assistance, including those dependents who require group home care.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The department of social and health services shall conduct an assessment of the children in its care to determine the appropriate level of residential and treatment services required by these children. The 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.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Based on the assessment required under section 2 of this act, the department shall reallocate funds from the family foster care program to the group care program by January 13, 1993, to provide children in care with the appropriate level of residential and treatment services.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The department shall maintain separate fiscal accounting procedures for family foster care and group home care.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. After March 1, 1993, all children requiring residential and treatment services through the department shall be assessed to determine the appropriate level of services required. The assessment procedure shall be the same regardless of the residential and treatment services ultimately provided by the department.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The department shall ensure that the administration of chapter 13.32A RCW and applicable portions of chapter 74.13 RCW relating to runaway youth, at-risk youth, and families in conflict is separate and distinct from the administration of the applicable portions of Title 13 RCW and Title 74 RCW relating to dependent youth.

Sec. 7. RCW 13.32A.040 and 1990 c 276 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

Families who are in conflict or who are experiencing problems with at-risk youth may request family reconciliation services from the department. Such services shall be provided to alleviate personal or family situations which present a serious and imminent threat to the health or stability of the child or family and to maintain families intact wherever possible. Family reconciliation services shall be designed to develop skills and supports within families to resolve problems related to at-risk youth or family conflicts and may include but are not limited to referral to services for suicide prevention, psychiatric or other medical care, or psychological, welfare, legal, educational, or other social services, as appropriate to the needs of the child and the family. Family reconciliation service shall be available in all communities of the state on a twenty-four hour basis.

Sec. 8. 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. 9. 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. 10. Sections 4 through 6 of this act are each added to chapter 43.20A RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. The sum of four million fifty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, from the general fund to the department of social and health services for fifty additional group care beds serving children with mental health, drug, or alcohol problems.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. The sum of one million nine hundred eighty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, from the general fund to the department of social and health services for two ten-bed, staff-secure facilities providing diagnostic and secure treatment to multiple-problem children with a history of runaway behavior.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. The sum of one million two hundred thirty‑six thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, from the general fund to the department of social and health services to increase the provision of family reconciliation services as provided in section 7 of this act.