FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5009

                           C 31 L 97

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Authorizing interstate agreements to provide adoption assistance for special needs children.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections (originally sponsored by Senators Long, Hargrove, Franklin, Zarelli, Sheldon, Winsley, Kohl and Patterson; by request of Department of Social and Health Services).

Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections

House Committee on Children & Family Services

Background:  The Department of Social and Health Services provides adoption support for eligible families who adopt children with special needs and would be hard to place without the support payments.  This support is treated as a contractual obligation and can last for many years, generally until the child is 18.

The support obligation continues even when the family moves to another state.  In such cases, medical and other services are better provided within the new state of residence.

Summary:  The department is authorized to enter into one or more interstate compacts on behalf of the state with other states to provide procedures for interstate adoption assistance payments, including medical payments.

Certain provisions are required, including a requirement that protections afforded by the compact must continue for families who are receiving assistance on the date of withdrawal from the compact.

A child with special needs residing in this state who is the subject of an adoption assistance agreement with another state is entitled to receive medical assistance from this state, if similar assistance is available in the other state for children adopted in this state under the compact.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 47 0

House     97 0

Effective:  July 27, 1997