SENATE BILL REPORT

                            HB 1991

     AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES,

                         APRIL 1, 1993

Brief Description:  Authorizing the home health visitor program to address child abuse and neglect.

SPONSORS: Representatives Flemming, Leonard, Karahalios, Kessler, Eide, J. Kohl, Riley, Dunshee, G. Cole, Veloria, Roland, Patterson, Wolfe, Wang, Johanson, H. Myers, Carlson, Dyer, L. Johnson, Jones, Quall, Rayburn, Springer, Holm and Ogden

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Talmadge, Chairman; Wojahn, Vice Chairman; Deccio, Erwin, Franklin, Hargrove, McAuliffe, Moyer, Niemi, Prentice, Quigley, Sheldon, and Winsley.

Staff:  Richard Rodger (786‑7461)

Hearing Dates:  April 1, 1993

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Health, the Department of Social and Health Services, the Department of Community Development, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Employment Security Department currently provide a number of community-based programs that serve families that may be considered at high risk of child abuse or neglect.

SUMMARY:

The five agencies named above are required to work together to develop a program plan for the Home Health Visitor Program.  The primary purpose of this program is to prevent child abuse and neglect through the provision of selected educational and supportive services to "high risk" parents of newborns.

Requirements for the program are that: it be community-based; it include early, hospital-based screening; it include an in-home outreach and support program; and it demonstrate effective coordination between the existing community-based service programs that also serve this population.

The program plan to be developed shall include: an estimate and description of the groups to be served; a detailed screening process; a description of the services to be provided; staffing parameters, evaluation methods and expected outcomes; and cost estimates for both a statewide program and selected site; and phased-in pilot programs. The plan is to be developed and presented to the appropriate legislative committees no later than December 1, 1993.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

TESTIMONY FOR:

This bill will implement the development of a program similar to the highly successful program in Hawaii known as Healthy Start.  There are presently initiatives in 43 other states to develop this type of program.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Rep. Flemming, prime sponsor; Donna White, Dept. of Health (pro); Liz Dalton, DCFS, DSHS (pro); Tom Nogler, Child Abuse Prevention Assn. (pro)