S-0982.2  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5414

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Senators Stevens, Hargrove, Long, Roach and Rasmussen

Read first time 01/22/2001.  Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.

Enhancing delivery of child abuse and neglect services by caseworkers.

    AN ACT Relating to enhancing the department of social and health services' child abuse and neglect service delivery system through support services; adding a new section to chapter 43.20A RCW; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A fatality review team was convened following the tragic death of Zynia Nobles, a young girl who suffered lethal physical and emotional abuse.  One of the recommendations of the review team was that caseworkers needed assistance to deal with the burdensome clerical requirements generated by their casework.  Further, findings indicated a need for improvements in standards for delivery of services, which can be evaluated through accreditation based upon national standards.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 43.20A RCW to read as follows:

    (1) There is created in the department a standard of clerical support for social workers in the children's administration.  This standard shall ensure that every two social workers have at least one clerical support person assigned to them.  Employees who are appointed to fill these positions shall have:  (a) An employment history that demonstrates the ability and experience in providing clerical support to social workers who do both child protective services investigation and child welfare services, including child sex abuse cases; (b) a demonstrated commitment to professional improvement and advancement; and (c) the capacity to successfully provide support and mentoring to coworkers.

    (2) There is created in the department a standard of paralegal support for supervisors in the children's administration.  This standard shall ensure that every supervisor has at least one paralegal assigned to him or her.  Employees who are appointed to fill these positions shall have:  (a) An employment history that demonstrates the ability and experience in providing paralegal support to supervisors who supervise social workers that do both child protective services investigation and child welfare services, including child sex abuse cases; (b) a demonstrated commitment to professional improvement and advancement; and (c) the capacity to successfully provide support and mentoring to coworkers.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  This act shall be known and cited as the Zynia Nobles caseload reduction act.

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