SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 6536
As Reported By Senate Committee On:
Human Services & Corrections, February 7, 2002
Title: An act relating to caseload requirements for department of social and health services personnel.
Brief Description: Requiring all DSHS personnel to carry an active caseload.
Sponsors: Senators Hargrove, Long and Costa.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Human Services & Corrections: 1/24/02, 2/7/02 [DPS].
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES & CORRECTIONS
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6536 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.
Signed by Senators Hargrove, Chair; Costa, Vice Chair; Carlson, Franklin, Hewitt, Kastama, Long and Stevens.
Staff: Edith Rice (786‑7444)
Background: The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) provides services regionally throughout Washington State. DSHS employs over 18,000 staff and serves 1.3 million citizens. To deliver services to the people who need them, the department is divided into seven administrations:
The Aging and Adult Services Administration provides care to low-income people who need help in order to live independently in their homes, and to people who receive care in an adult family home, boarding home or nursing home. These services are provided for seniors and for adults with functional disabilities.
The Children's Administration protects children from abuse and neglect, provides family reconciliation services, arranges for foster home care and adoption services, and licenses child care providers.
The Economic Services Administration helps individuals and families in need achieve economic and social well-being by providing cash and food assistance, child support services, child care, and work-focused services designed to help people get jobs, keep jobs and find better jobs.
The Health and Rehabilitation Services Administration serves people who have physical and/or mental disabilities, mental illnesses, or addictions to drugs or alcohol. Also provided are secure residential treatment services for sexual predators committed by state superior courts.
The Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration provides juvenile offenders with rehabilitation and offers programs to help them transition back to the community.
The Management Services Administration provides infrastructure services to all DSHS programs. This includes personnel, facilities management, purchasing, research and data analysis, access and equal opportunity, victim witness, Indian policy, and other internal functions.
The Medical Assistance Administration manages health care programs for low-income people, including Medicaid, a program funded jointly by the state and federal governments.
Summary of Substitute Bill: All DSHS personnel are not required to carry an active caseload. DSHS must expand its caseload carrying capacity by requiring managers/supervisors to carry caseloads. Administration costs cannot exceed 12 percent of the total agency budget.
Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: All DSHS personnel are no longer required to carry an active caseload, as in the original bill. DSHS must expand its caseload carrying capacity by requiring managers/supervisors to carry caseloads. Administration costs cannot exceed 12 percent of the total agency budget.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: None.
Testimony Against: The department has taken cuts in administrative areas. This may be burdensome to management. Caseload responsibilities being added to existing responsibilities may be inappropriate; some personnel are not qualified to perform these duties.
Testified: John Atherton, Assistant Secretary, Economic Services Administration, DSHS.