3090-S AMS CFC S4911.1

SHB 3090 - S COMM AMD

By Committee on Children & Family Services & Corrections

Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

"Sec. 1. RCW 74.14C.030 and 1996 c 240 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The department shall be the lead administrative agency for preservation services and may receive funding from any source for the implementation or expansion of such services. The department shall:

(a) Provide coordination and planning with the advice of the community networks for the implementation and expansion of preservation services; and

(b) Monitor and evaluate such services to determine whether the programs meet measurable standards specified by this chapter and the department.

(2) The department may: (a) Allow its contractors for preservation services to use paraprofessional workers when the department and provider determine the use appropriate. The department may also use paraprofessional workers, as appropriate, when the department provides preservation services; and (b) allow follow-up to be provided, on an individual case basis, when the department and provider determine the use appropriate.

(3) In carrying out the requirements of this section, the department shall consult with qualified agencies that have demonstrated expertise and experience in preservation services.

(4) The department may provide preservation services directly and shall, within available funds, enter into outcome-based, competitive contracts with social service agencies to provide preservation services, provided that such agencies meet measurable standards specified by this chapter and by the department. The standards shall include, but not be limited to, satisfactory performance in the following areas:

(a) The number of families appropriately connected to community resources;

(b) Avoidance of new referrals accepted by the department for child protective services or family reconciliation services within one year of the most recent case closure by the department;

(c) Consumer satisfaction;

(d) For reunification cases, reduction in the length of stay in out-of-home placement; and

(e) Reduction in the level of risk factors specified by the department.

(5)(a) The department shall not provide intensive family preservation services unless it is demonstrated that provision of such services prevent ((out-of-home)) placement in a foster family home or group care facility licensed pursuant to chapter 74.15 RCW, other than for a single, temporary period of time not exceeding fourteen days, in at least seventy percent of the cases served for a period of at least six months following termination of services. The department's caseworkers may only provide preservation services if there is no other qualified entity willing or able to do so.

(b) Contractors shall demonstrate that provision of intensive family preservation services prevent ((out-of-home)) placement in a foster family home or group care facility licensed pursuant to chapter 74.15 RCW, other than for a single, temporary period of time not exceeding fourteen days, in at least seventy percent of the cases served for a period of no less than six months following termination of services. The department may increase the period of time based on additional research and data. If the contractor fails to meet the seventy percent requirement the department may: (i) Review the conditions that may have contributed to the failure to meet the standard and renew the contract if the department determines: (A) The contractor is making progress to meet the standard; or (B) conditions unrelated to the provision of services, including case mix and severity of cases, contributed to the failure; or (ii) reopen the contract for other bids.

(c) The department shall cooperate with any person who has a contract under this section in providing data necessary to determine the amount of reduction in foster care. ((For the purposes of this subsection "prevent out-of-home placement" means that a child who has been a recipient of intensive family preservation services has not been placed outside of the home, other than for a single, temporary period of time not exceeding fourteen days.))

(6) The department shall adopt rules to implement this chapter.

Sec. 2. RCW 74.14C.070 and 2003 c 207 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

The secretary of social and health services, or the secretary's regional designee, may transfer funds appropriated for foster care services to purchase preservation services and other preventive services for children at imminent risk of out-of-home placement or who face a substantial likelihood of out-of-home placement. This transfer may be made in those regions that lower foster care expenditures through efficient use of preservation services and permanency planning efforts. The transfer shall be equivalent to the amount of reduced foster care expenditures and shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and with the approval of the office of financial management. The department shall present an annual report to the legislature regarding any transfers under this section only if transfers occur. The department shall include caseload, expenditure, cost avoidance, identified improvements to the out-of-home care system, and outcome data related to the transfer in the report. The department shall also include in the report information regarding:

(1) The percent of cases where a child is placed in ((out-of-home care)) a foster family home or group care facility licensed pursuant to chapter 74.15 RCW after the provision of intensive family preservation services or family preservation services;

(2) The average length of time before the child is placed ((out-of-home)) in a foster family home or group care facility licensed pursuant to chapter 74.15 RCW;

(3) The average length of time the child is placed ((out-of-home)) in a foster family home or group care facility licensed pursuant to chapter 74.15 RCW; and

(4) The number of families that refused the offer of either family preservation services or intensive family preservation services.

Sec. 3. RCW 74.14C.080 and 1995 c 311 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

The department shall collect data regarding the rates at which intensive family preservation services prevent ((out-of-home)) placements in a foster family home or group care facility licensed pursuant to chapter 74.15 RCW over varying periods of time. The department shall make an initial report to the appropriate committees of the legislature of the data, and the proposed rules to implement this section, by December 1, 1995. The department shall present a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature on September 1st of each odd-numbered year, commencing on September 1, 1997."

SHB 3090 - S COMM AMD

By Committee on Children & Family Services & Corrections

On page 1, line 1 of the title, after "placement;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "and amending RCW 74.14C.030, 74.14C.070, and 74.14C.080."

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