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                          HOUSE BILL 1432

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representatives Cooke, Tokuda, Kastama and Dickerson; by request of Department of Social and Health Services

Read first time 01/27/97.  Referred to Committee on Children & Family Services.

Modifying the adoption support reconsideration program.

    AN ACT Relating to modification of the adoption support reconsideration program; and amending RCW 74.13.150.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 74.13.150 and 1990 c 285 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The department of social and health services shall establish, within funds appropriated for the purpose, a reconsideration program to provide medical and counseling services through the adoption support program for children of families who apply for services after the adoption is final.  Families requesting services through the program shall provide any information requested by the department for the purpose of processing the family's application for services.

    (2) A child meeting the eligibility criteria for registration with the program is one who:

    (a) Was residing in foster care funded by the department immediately prior to the adoptive placement;

    (b) Had a physical or mental handicap or emotional disturbance that existed and was documented prior to the adoption or was at high risk of future physical or mental handicap or emotional disturbance as a result of conditions exposed to prior to the adoption; and

    (c) Resides in the state of Washington with an adoptive parent who lacks the necessary financial means to care for the child's special need.

    (3) If a family is accepted for registration and meets the criteria in subsection (2) of this section, the department may enter into an agreement for services.  Prior to entering into an agreement for services through the program, the medical needs of the child must be reviewed and approved by the department(('s office of personal health services)).

    (4) Any services provided pursuant to an agreement between a family and the department shall be met from the department's medical program.  Such services shall be limited to:

    (a) Services provided after finalization of an agreement between a family and the department pursuant to this section;

    (b) Services not covered by the family's insurance or other available assistance; and

    (c) Services related to the eligible child's identified physical or mental handicap or emotional disturbance that existed prior to the adoption.

    (5) Any payment by the department for services provided pursuant to an agreement shall be made directly to the physician or provider of services according to the department's established procedures.

    (6) The total costs payable by the department for services provided pursuant to an agreement shall not exceed twenty thousand dollars per child.

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