H-3834.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2610

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Representatives Dickerson, Ogden, McMorris, Doumit, Clements, Tokuda, D. Sommers, H. Sommers, Alexander, Kenney, Haigh and O'Brien

Read first time 01/18/2000.  Referred to Committee on Children & Family Services.

Ordering a study of residential services for children.

    AN ACT Relating to residential services for children; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  (1) The joint legislative audit and review committee shall conduct a study of the types of residential services provided to certain children in the care of the department of social and health services.  The review shall include residential services provided to children served by the children's administration of the department of social and health services.

    (2) The study shall determine, for the total children served in residential settings through the children's administration:  The numbers and percentages of children served in each type of residential setting and the expenditures and unit cost for each type of residential setting.

    (3) The study shall describe:  The established criteria and process for placement decisions and the actual process for these decisions, including the extent to which the best interests of the child are considered.

    (4) The study shall include a review of best practices in other states for residential placement decision making, including total expenditures and unit costs, and distribution data as described in subsection (2) of this section.  The study also shall review best practices promoted by national organizations with expertise in this area of public policy.

    (5) The study shall recommend changes to the current established criteria and actual processes of residential decision making as described in subsection (3) of this section, based on the review of best practices in other states, and practices promoted by national organizations with expertise in this area of public policy.

    (6) The study shall determine the total expenditures and unit costs of prevention services and residential placement services and the percentage distribution for each in Washington state as compared to the states selected for their best practices.

    (7) The study shall review current funding methodologies for prevention and residential placement services and make recommendations for changes if appropriate.

    (8) The joint legislative audit and review committee shall report the results of the study to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature by December 1, 2001.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  The sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund to the joint legislative audit and review committee  for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, to carry out the purposes of this act.

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