S-1540.2  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5995

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Senators Long, Hargrove and Stevens

Read first time 02/12/2001.  Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.

Providing for information sharing among the courts, providers, divisions, and agencies serving dependent children and their families.

    AN ACT Relating to information sharing among the courts, providers, divisions, and agencies serving dependent children and their families; adding a new section to chapter 13.34 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  Recent analysis of the child dependency system following the death of Zy'Nyia Nobles indicated poor communication of relevant information from the courts, to the department, within programs between caseworkers, between divisions, among specialists, caregivers, and family.  Appropriate service delivery necessitates communication of relevant information.  Barriers to appropriate communication must be eliminated.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 13.34 RCW to read as follows:

    When a child dependency case is filed under this chapter, the department shall facilitate communication of relevant information among divisions, providers, the courts, the family, caregivers, caseworkers, and others needed to serve the best interests of the child.

                            --- END ---