5710‑S2 AMS LONG RODG 029

2SSB 5710 - S AMD ‑ 173

    BySenators Long and Hargrove

                                                   ADOPTED 3/19/97

    On page 43, after line 31, insert the following:

    "NEW SECTION. Sec. 42.  The secretary of the department of social and health services shall review the mission statement and guiding principles for the children's administration for the purpose of developing an operating statement.  The operating statement shall establish a formal framework for implementation of the administration's mission and shall include: (1) Prioritization of management and worker actions; (2) methods of ensuring accountability for attaining the mission by both management and workers; (3) clear definitions of "child safety" and "reasonable efforts"; and (4) methods for broad dissemination of the administration's child welfare plan.

    The secretary shall submit a copy of the operating statement for the children's administration to the legislature by October 31, 1998."

    Renumber the sections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.

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Effect: DSHS is required to develop an operating statement for the Children=s Administration which implement it=s mission statement.  The statement will include prioritization of actions, methods of ensuring accountability, clear definitions, and dissemination of the child welfare plan.