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SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1397
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AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
Passed Legislature - 2002 Regular Session
State of Washington 57th Legislature 2002
Regular Session
By
Read first time 02/04/2002. Referred to
Committee on .
Encouraging support
services for kinship caregivers.
AN ACT Relating to
children placed in the care of relatives; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec.
1. The legislature
recognizes that relatives increasingly are assuming the responsibility for
raising the children of their loved ones. The parents of these children are
unable to fulfill this responsibility themselves because of various and complex
reasons.
The legislature
recognizes that these kinship caregivers perform a vital function in our
society by providing homes for children who would otherwise be at risk of
foster care placement. These homes offer stability to children in crisis and
enhance family reunification. Outcome data shows that children in the care of
relatives are less likely to enter state custody, and most of these
arrangements do not require intensive supervision of the placement by the
courts or by the department of social and health services. The legislature
recognizes that kinship care is a legitimate and important component in the
spectrum of out-of-home placements available to children in need.
The legislature
recognizes that these kinship caregivers face many difficulties and need
assistance to support the health and well-being of the children they care for.
These needs include, but are not limited to, legal assistance, respite care
services, financial assistance, counseling, and other supportive services.
NEW SECTION. Sec.
2. (1) Within existing resources,
the department of social and health services shall convene a kinship caregivers
working group subsequent to the release in June 2002 of the kinship caregivers
study being conducted by the Washington state institute for public policy. The
working group shall comprise:
(a) The children's
administration;
(b) The aging and adult
services administration;
(c) The economic
services administration;
(d) Kinship caregivers;
and
(e) Other stakeholders,
such as the grandparents' coalition.
(2) The kinship
caregivers working group shall:
(a) Review the
Washington state institute for public policy kinship caregivers study;
(b) Develop a briefing
for the legislature that identifies and prioritizes:
(i) The policy issues
to be considered in making kinship care a robust component of the out-of-home
placements spectrum including consideration of a financial means test;
(ii) The federal and
state statutes associated with these policy issues; and
(iii) Options for
addressing these policy issues; and
(c) Submit the briefing
to the appropriate committees in the senate and house of representatives by
November 1, 2002.
