S-0621

AN ACT Relating to a pilot project for troubled deaf youth; creating new sections; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that many deaf youth have mental and physical conditions that interfere with educational and developmental processes. The legislature is aware of the need for an early intervention and prevention program to prevent unnecessary hospitalization or institutionalization of troubled deaf youth. The legislature recognizes the need for a community-based, multidisciplinary, and family centered program to effectively treat troubled deaf youth.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this act:

(1) "Troubled deaf youth" means a child twenty-one years old or younger who is deaf and who has one or more additional physical or mental disabling conditions, including emotional or behavioral incapacities, that are clearly interfering with the child's functioning in family or school or with peers or the child's personality development and learning.

(2) "Multidisciplinary program" means a coordinated program of social, psychological, and educational services based on an individual's assessed need and designed to integrate students back into existing educational programs.

(3) "State resource team" means a team of professionals that includes a full-time psychologist, social worker, and education specialist and a part-time audiologist, speech pathologist, and occupational therapist.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) An advisory board for a pilot project for troubled deaf youth is created. The Washington state school for the deaf shall appoint one representative from the school and one representative from each of the following organizations: Division of developmental disabilities, division of mental health, division of children and family services, the educational service district in which the pilot project is located, the student body of the Washington state school for the deaf, Washington state association for the deaf, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, parents of troubled deaf youth, citizens of the general community, the deaf community, and members of the business community in which the pilot project is located.

(2) The advisory board shall be responsible for oversight of the project. This oversight shall include reviewing and making recommendations to the Washington state school for the deaf on the planning, implementation, and administration of an educational, psychological, and social development project that serves as an appropriate bridge for integration of troubled deaf youth into existing educational programs.

(3) By July 1, 1992, the advisory board shall participate with the school in the development of a report to the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the appropriate committees of the legislature on the results of a state-wide inventory of existing services and the unmet needs of troubled deaf youth. The report shall also contain recommendations for expansion of services state-wide with the same requirements and emphasis as in the pilot project.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) A pilot project shall be established. The design of the project shall incorporate the following: A goal-oriented and multidisciplinary approach, emphasis on individual needs assessment, a focus on education, a design incorporating type and level of disability with age-appropriate treatment, coordination with existing programs, and a training component.

(2) The pilot project shall initially serve twenty-four troubled deaf youth during the 1991-93 biennium. A specialized residential component shall serve twelve youth and a specialized educational component shall serve another twelve youth.

(3) The state resource team shall be incorporated into the project design as an integral part of addressing prevention, assessment, treatment, and other resource needs state-wide with particular attention to the needs of rural communities.

(4) The pilot project shall be located near the Washington state school for the deaf to enhance efficient use of existing resources and expertise.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The sum of one million five hundred ten thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund to the office of the superintendent of public instruction for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, to carry out the purposes of this act.