SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5009

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

        Human Services & Corrections, January 22, 1997

Title:  An act relating to interstate agreements to provide adoption assistance for special needs children.

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

Sponsors:  Senators Long, Hargrove, Franklin, Zarelli, Sheldon, Winsley, Kohl and Patterson; by request of Department of Social and Health Services.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Human Services & Corrections:  1/21/97, 1/22/97 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES & CORRECTIONS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5009 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Long, Chair; Zarelli, Vice Chair; Franklin, Hargrove and Kohl.

Staff:  Kyle Thiessen (786-7754)

Background:  The Department of Social and Health Services provides adoption support for eligible families who adopt children who have 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 eighteen.

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 of Substitute Bill:  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 the duration of the adoption assistance 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.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  A typographical error is corrected.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  Joining the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance will simplify administration of adoption assistance programs.  Over 400 children receiving adoption assistance from Washington live out of state and many of those could receive services directly from their state of residence under the compact.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Jennifer Strus, Department of Social and Health Services (pro).