S-0343.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 5417
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State of Washington 53rd Legislature 1993 Regular Session
By Senators Moore, Wojahn, Moyer, Prentice and Erwin
Read first time 01/27/93. Referred to Committee on Health & Human Services.
AN ACT Relating to management of cases administered through community action agencies; and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The sum of two million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1995, from the general fund to the department of social and health services for the purpose of implementing a state-wide pilot program to demonstrate the effectiveness of case management as a tool to support self-reliance, above levels qualifying for public assistance entitlements, for low-income individuals and families who are caught in chronic poverty.
(2) The department of social and health services shall provide geographically balanced state-wide implementation of the pilot program through the Washington community action agency network. At least twenty community action agencies shall be selected, assuring a balance between rural, urban, and small-town communities. The department shall also provide for third-party evaluation to include a random design control group over the length of the operation. Short and long-term project effectiveness shall be measured; a state-wide data collection system shall be implemented.
(3) The pilot program shall implement the case management model developed by the Washington state community action agency association field study conducted during the 1991-93 biennium. The client/staff ratio for the program shall remain at or below twenty-to-one per year. All clients must have incomes that fall below the federally established poverty level or that qualify them for public assistance. During each successive year of the program an additional twenty clients shall be added to the case load of each worker while at the same time maintaining long-term follow-up with first year clients as needed.
(4) The pilot program shall include the following elements of the case management process:
(a) Prescreening and routing;
(b) Screening;
(c) Program intake;
(d) Case management staffing;
(e) Review for eligibility;
(f) Selection and assignment of staff;
(g) Service plans;
(h) Assessment;
(i) Goal setting and objectives;
(j) Coordinated service delivery;
(k) Follow-up;
(l) Assurance of completed service plans;
(m) Measurement of family progress;
(n) Problem resolution, termination, and closure; and
(o) Long-term follow-up, with outcome evaluation.
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