CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

 

                   SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2579

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                        54th Legislature

                      1996 Regular Session

Passed by the House February 8, 1996

  Yeas 97   Nays 0

 

 

 

 

Speaker of the

       House of Representatives

 

Passed by the Senate February 29, 1996

  Yeas 48   Nays 0

               CERTIFICATE

 

I, Timothy A. Martin, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2579 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.

 

 

 

 

President of the Senate

 

                               Chief Clerk

 

 

Approved Place Style On Codes above, and Style Off Codes below.

                                     FILED

          

 

 

Governor of the State of Washington

                        Secretary of State

                       State of Washington


                  _______________________________________________

 

                            SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2579

                  _______________________________________________

 

                     Passed Legislature - 1996 Regular Session

 

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1996 Regular Session

 

By House Committee on Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Representatives Costa, Ballasiotes, Radcliff, Sheahan, Romero, Dellwo, Chopp, Murray, Robertson, Hickel, Mitchell, Cooke, Conway and Cody)

 

Read first time 02/02/96.

 

Consolidating and enhancing services for victims of sexual abuse.



     AN ACT Relating to services for victims of sexual abuse; amending RCW 43.280.010, 43.280.020, 43.280.050, 43.280.060, 70.125.030, 70.125.080, and 74.14B.060; adding a new section to chapter 70.125 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 70.14B RCW; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.

 

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

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  The Washington state sexual assault services advisory committee issued a report to the department of community, trade, and economic development and the department of social and health services in June of 1995.  The committee made several recommendations to improve the delivery of services to victims of sexual abuse and assault:  (1) Consolidate the administration and funding of sexual assault and abuse services in one agency instead of splitting those functions between the department of social and health services and the department of community, trade, and economic development; (2) adopt a funding allocation plan to pool all funds for sexual assault services and to distribute them across the state to ensure the delivery of core and specialized services; (3) establish service, data collection, and management standards and outcome measurements for recipients of grants; and (4) create a data collection system to gather pertinent data concerning the delivery of sexual assault services to victims.

     The legislature approves the recommendations of the advisory committee and consolidates the functions and funding for sexual assault services in the department of community, trade, and economic development to implement the advisory committee's recommendations.

     The legislature does not intend to effect a reduction in service levels within available funding by transferring department of social and health services' powers and duties to the department of community, trade, and economic development.  At a minimum, the department of community, trade, and economic development shall distribute the same percentage of the services it provides victims of sexual assault and abuse, pursuant to RCW 43.280.020, 70.125.080, and 74.14B.060, to children as were distributed to children through these programs in fiscal year 1996.

 

     Sec. 2.  RCW 43.280.010 and 1990 c 3 s 1201 are each amended to read as follows:

     The legislature recognizes the need to increase the services available to the victims of sex offenders.  The legislature also recognizes that these services are most effectively planned and provided at the local level through the combined efforts of concerned community and citizens groups, treatment providers, and local government officials.  The legislature further recognizes that adequate treatment for victims is not only a matter of justice for the victim, but also a method by which additional abuse can be prevented.

     The legislature intends to enhance the community-based treatment services available to the victims of sex offenders by:

     (1) Providing consolidated funding support for local treatment programs which provide services to victims of sex offenders;

     (2) Providing technical assistance and support to help communities plan for and provide treatment services; ((and))

     (3) Providing sexual assault services with a victim-focused mission, and consistent standards, policies, and contracting and reporting requirements; and

     (4) Providing communities and local treatment providers with opportunities to share information about successful prevention and treatment programs.

 

     Sec. 3.  RCW 43.280.020 and 1995 c 399 s 113 are each amended to read as follows:

     There is established in the department of community, trade, and economic development a grant program to enhance the funding for treating the victims of sex offenders.  Activities that can be funded through this grant program are limited to those that:

     (1) Provide effective treatment to victims of sex offenders;

     (2) Increase access to and availability of treatment for victims of sex offenders, particularly if from underserved populations; and

     (3) Create or build on efforts by existing community programs, coordinate those efforts, or develop cooperative efforts or other initiatives to make the most effective use of resources to provide treatment services to these victims.

     Funding ((priority)) shall be given to those applicants that ((represent well-established existing programs and applicants that represent new programs that are being created in geographic areas where no programs presently exist)) emphasize providing stable, victim-focused sexual abuse services and possess the qualifications to provide core services, as defined in RCW 70.125.030.  Funds for specialized services, as defined in RCW 70.125.030, shall be disbursed through the request for proposal or request for qualifications process.

 

     Sec. 4.  RCW 43.280.050 and 1990 c 3 s 1206 are each amended to read as follows:

     At a minimum, grant applications must include the following:

     (1) The geographic area from which the victims to be served are expected to come;

     (2) A description of the extent and effect of the needs of these victims within the relevant geographic area;

     (3) An explanation of how the funds will be used, their relationship to existing services available within the community, and the need that they will fulfill;

     (4) An explanation of what organizations were involved in the development of the proposal; ((and))

     (5) Documentation of capacity to provide core and specialized services, as defined in RCW 70.125.030, provided by the applicant, how the applicant intends to comply with service, data collection, and management standards established by the department; and

     (6) An evaluation methodology.

 

     Sec. 5.  RCW 43.280.060 and 1995 c 399 s 114 are each amended to read as follows:

     (1) Subject to funds appropriated by the legislature, the department of community, trade, and economic development shall make awards under the grant program established by RCW 43.280.020.

     (2) ((Awards shall be made competitively based on the purposes of and criteria in this chapter.

     (3))) To aid the department of community, trade, and economic development in making its funding determinations, the department shall form a peer review committee comprised of ((the executive administrator for the crime victims' advocacy office and)) individuals who ((have experience in the treatment of victims of predatory violent sex offenders)) are knowledgeable or experienced in the management or delivery of treatment services to victims of sex offenders.  The peer review committee shall advise the department on the extent to which each eligible applicant meets the ((purposes and criteria of this chapter)) treatment and management standards, as developed by the department.  The department shall consider this advice in making awards.

     (((4))) (3) Activities funded under this section may be considered for funding in future years, but shall be considered under the same terms and criteria as new activities.  Funding under this chapter shall not constitute an obligation by the state of Washington to provide ongoing funding.

 

     Sec. 6.  RCW 70.125.030 and 1988 c 145 s 19 are each amended to read as follows:

     As used in this chapter and unless the context indicates otherwise:

     (1) "Core services" means treatment services for victims of sexual assault including information and referral, crisis intervention, medical advocacy, legal advocacy, support, and system coordination.

     (2) "Department" means the department of ((social and health services)) community, trade, and economic development.

     (((2))) (3) "Law enforcement agencies" means police and sheriff's departments of this state.

     (((3))) (4) "Personal representative" means a friend, relative, attorney, or employee or volunteer from a ((rape crisis center)) community sexual assault program or specialized treatment service provider.

     (((4))) (5) "Rape crisis center" means a community-based social service agency which provides services to victims of sexual assault.

     (((5) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department of social and health services.))

     (6) "Community sexual assault program" means a community-based social service agency that is qualified to provide and provides core services to victims of sexual assault.

     (7) "Sexual assault" means one or more of the following:

     (a) Rape or rape of a child;

     (b) Assault with intent to commit rape or rape of a child;

     (c) Incest or indecent liberties; ((or))

     (d) Child molestation;

     (e) Sexual misconduct with a minor;

     (f) Crimes with a sexual motivation; or

     (g) An attempt to commit any of the aforementioned offenses.

     (((7))) (8) "Specialized services" means treatment services for victims of sexual assault including support groups, therapy, specialized sexual assault medical examination, and prevention education to potential victims of sexual assault.

     (9) "Victim" means any person who suffers physical and/or mental anguish as a proximate result of a sexual assault.

 

     Sec. 7.  RCW 70.125.080 and 1991 c 267 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

     (1) ((Rape crisis centers which)) Community sexual assault programs that are eligible for funding from the department ((of social and health services)) under this chapter ((70.125 RCW)) may apply for grants for the purpose of hiring ((and)), training, and supervising victim advocates to provide core services to assist victims and their families through the investigation ((and)), prosecution ((of)), and treatment process that resulted from a sexual assault ((cases.  The victim advocates shall complete a training program either through the criminal justice training program under RCW 43.101.270 or, at the election of the rape crisis center, a training program to be designed and administered by the Washington association of prosecuting attorneys and the Washington coalition of sexual assault programs.

     (2) Twenty-five percent of the funding for the victim advocate grants under this section must be provided by one or more local, municipal, or county source, either public or private)).  The department shall seek, receive, and make use of any funds which may be available from federal or other sources to augment state funds appropriated for the purpose of this section, and shall make every effort to qualify for federal funding.

 

     Sec. 8.  RCW 74.14B.060 and 1990 c 3 s 1402 are each amended to read as follows:

     (1) Treatment services for children who have been sexually assaulted must be designed and delivered in a manner that accommodates their unique developmental needs and also considers the impact of family dynamics on treatment issues.  In addition, the complexity of the civil and criminal justice systems requires that children who are involved receive appropriate consideration and attention that recognizes their unique vulnerability in a system designed primarily for adults.

     (2) The department of ((social and health services through its division of children and family services)) community, trade, and economic development shall provide, subject to available funds, comprehensive sexual assault services to sexually abused children and their families.  The department shall provide treatment services by qualified, registered, certified, or licensed professionals on a one-to-one or group basis as may be deemed appropriate.

     (((2))) (3) Funds appropriated under this section shall be provided solely for contracts or direct purchase of specific treatment services from community organizations and private service providers for child victims of sexual assault and sexual abuse.  Funds shall be disbursed through the request for proposal or request for qualifications process.

     (((3))) (4) As part of the request for proposal or request for qualifications process the department of ((social and health services)) community, trade, and economic development shall ensure that there be no duplication of services with existing programs including the crime victims' compensation program as provided in chapter 7.68 RCW.  The department shall also ensure that victims exhaust private insurance benefits available to the child victim before providing services to the child victim under this section.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 9.  A new section is added to chapter 70.125 RCW to read as follows:

     The powers and duties of the department of social and health services under this chapter shall be transferred to the department of community, trade, and economic development on the effective date of this act.  The department of social and health services shall transfer all unspent appropriated funds, records, and documents necessary to facilitate a successful transfer.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 10.  A new section is added to chapter 70.14B RCW to read as follows:

     The powers and duties of the department of social and health services to provide services and funding for services to sexually abused children under RCW 74.14B.060 shall be transferred to the department of community, trade, and economic development on the effective date of this act.  The department of social and health services shall transfer all unspent appropriated funds, records, and documents necessary to facilitate a successful transfer.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 11.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1996.

 


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