S-1789.2          _______________________________________________

 

                            SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5688

                  _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1995 Regular Session

 

By Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections (originally sponsored by Senators Hargrove, Long, Franklin, Rasmussen, C. Anderson, Kohl, Prentice, McAuliffe, Fairley, Drew, Smith, Heavey, Sheldon, Wojahn, Bauer and Winsley)

 

Read first time 03/01/95.

 

Improving screening for fetal alcohol syndrome.



     AN ACT Relating to fetal alcohol exposure; adding new sections to chapter 70.96A RCW; and creating new sections.

 

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

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that fetal alcohol exposure is among the leading known causes of mental retardation in the children of our state.  The legislature further finds that individuals with undiagnosed fetal alcohol exposure suffer substantially from secondary disabilities such as child abuse and neglect, separation from families, multiple foster placements, depression, aggression, school failure, juvenile detention, and job instability.  These secondary disabilities come at a high cost to the individuals, their family, and society.  The legislature finds that these problems can be reduced substantially by early diagnosis and receipt of appropriate, effective intervention.

     The purpose of this act is to support current public and private efforts directed at the early identification of and intervention into the problems associated with fetal alcohol exposure through the creation of a fetal alcohol exposure clinical network.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 70.96A RCW to read as follows:

     (1) The department shall contract with the University of Washington fetal alcohol syndrome clinic to provide fetal alcohol exposure screening and assessment services.  The University indirect charges shall not exceed ten percent of the total contract amount.  The contract shall require the University of Washington fetal alcohol syndrome clinic to provide the following services:

     (a) Training for health care staff in community-based fetal alcohol exposure clinics to ensure the accurate diagnosis of individuals with fetal alcohol exposure and the development and implementation of appropriate service referral plans;

     (b) Development of written or visual educational materials for the individuals diagnosed with fetal alcohol exposure and their families or caregivers;

     (c) Systematic information retrieval from each community clinic to (i) maintain diagnostic accuracy and reliability across all community clinics, (ii) facilitate the development of effective and efficient screening tools for population-based identification of individuals with fetal alcohol exposure, (iii) facilitate identification of the most clinically efficacious and cost-effective educational, social, vocational, and health service interventions for individuals with fetal alcohol exposure;

     (d) Based on available funds, establishment of a network of community-based fetal alcohol exposure clinics across the state to meet the demand for fetal alcohol exposure diagnostic and referral services; and

     (e) Preparation of an annual report for submission to the department of health, the department of social and health services, the department of corrections, and the office of the superintendent of public instruction which includes the information retrieved under subsection (1)(c) of this section.

     (2) The department shall submit to the legislature, by January 1, 1996, a copy of the governor's fetal alcohol syndrome advisory board report.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 70.96A RCW to read as follows:

     The department of social and health services, the department of health, the department of corrections, and the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall execute an interagency agreement to ensure the coordination of identification, prevention, and intervention programs for children who have fetal alcohol exposure, and for women who are at high risk of having children with fetal alcohol exposure.

     The interagency agreement shall provide a process for community advocacy groups to participate in the review and development of identification, prevention, and intervention programs administered or contracted for by the agencies executing this agreement.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  If specific funding for the purposes of this act referencing this act by bill number is not provided by June 30, 1995, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.

 


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