S-1526.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5850

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1995 Regular Session

By Senators Kohl, Hargrove, Long, Owen, Heavey, Quigley, Haugen, Moyer, Winsley, Schow and Oke

Read first time 02/09/95.  Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

Providing for evaluation of department of social and health services programs.

    AN ACT Relating to evaluation and accountability of programs within the department of social and health services; and adding new sections to chapter 43.20A RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 43.20A RCW to read as follows:

    The legislature recognizes that utilizing evaluation and accountability systems is the key to improving department of social and health services programs in the state of Washington.  Program evaluation and accountability will help the department provide more effective and cost-efficient services to those individuals who, as a result of their economic, social, or health condition, require financial assistance, institutional care, rehabilitation, or other social and health services.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 43.20A RCW to read as follows:

    (1) To assist in the development of evaluation and accountability systems, if funds are specifically appropriated for this purpose, the department of social and health services shall contract with a public or private entity to study models for evaluating the effectiveness of programs within each division of the department.  The study shall examine at least one program within each division to be selected by the secretary.  The secretary shall select programs that will facilitate the development of a set of representative evaluation models.  The models shall address data collection strategies, approaches to data analysis, and the range of acceptable outcomes for measurement.  The entity shall develop and submit recommendations and evaluation models to the department and the appropriate standing committees of the senate and house of representatives.

    (2) The entity selected shall consult with the legislative budget committee, public and private funding sources that exercise regulatory authority over the selected programs, the department, each division, the vendors from whom the department purchases goods and services for the selected programs, the service consumers, and, where appropriate, other stakeholders impacted by the selected programs.  The study shall review models that include program improvement as an important part of program evaluation.  The study shall include but not be limited to information about cost, time required, access to resources and data, impact on participants, legal and ethical issues, audiences for the evaluation, and the validity, reliability, and usefulness of the information.

    (3) The study and recommendations for designing or revising evaluation systems shall be submitted to the department and the appropriate standing committees of the senate and house of representatives by October 1, 1996.  The department shall submit to the appropriate standing committees of the senate and house of representatives a written report containing the department's response to the study and recommendations by December 1, 1996.

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