HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                 HB 1910

Title:  An act relating to a crisis residential center.

Brief Description:  Altering provisions regarding a multidisciplinary team and a crisis residential center.

Sponsors:  Representatives Boldt, Carrell, Dickerson, Tokuda and Cooke.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

Meeting Date:  February 27, 1997.

Bill Analysis Prepared by:  Doug Ruth (786-7134). 

Background:  One provision of the Becca Bill, passed during the 1995 session, was the creation of Amultidisciplinary teams.@  These groups are volunteers who assist children and parents find social and health services that will reduce family conflict and at-risk behavior.  Multidisciplinary teams must include parents, state agency workers, and members of the mental health and substance abuse disciplines.   A team may also include other individuals at the request of a child=s parent including educators, law enforcement personnel, tribal members, therapists, and religious staff.

Whenever a child is taken to a crisis residential center by a law enforcement officer, the administrator of the center may convene a multidisciplinary team to assist the child and the child=s parents.  The administrator may also form a team if the administrator has cause to believe that the parent is unavailable or unwilling to maintain the family structure.  However, after 24 hours, the parent of the child may disband the team if a petition to have the child place out-of-the-home has not been filed.  Administrators are required to inform the child and the parents of their rights and available services.

To meet their goal of facilitating the delivery of services to families, multidisciplinary teams refer children and parents to mental health and chemical dependency specialists, assist families in finding and obtaining necessary services, counsel family members, and, with the consent of the parents, evaluate the needs and difficulties of family members.

At any time, a family that is experiencing problems with an at-risk youth, may request family reconciliation services from the department.  Part of the department=s response may be the use of a multidisciplinary team to determine which services a family needs, and how it can obtain them.

Summary of Bill:  Administrators of crisis residential centers are required to convene a multidisciplinary team whenever a child placed at the center or at the request of a  child=s parent.

Multidisciplinary team members are reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and lodging expenses at the rate of other state employees

When administrators first come into contact with an at-risk child, or the child=s parents, the administrator will provide a statement outlining the available services and rights a child and the parents have.    

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.