SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6016

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Children & Family Services & Corrections, March 5, 2003

Title: An act relating to transferring the duties of the Washington council for the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

Brief Description: Transferring the functions of the council for the prevention of child abuse and neglect to the family policy council.

Sponsors: Senators Stevens and Hargrove.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Children & Family Services & Corrections: 3/4/03, 3/5/03 [DPS, DNP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES & CORRECTIONS

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6016 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Stevens, Chair; Carlson, Deccio, Hargrove and McAuliffe.

Minority Report: Do not pass.

      Signed by Senator Regala.

Staff: Edith Rice (786-7444)

Background: The Washington Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (WCPCAN) was formed in 1982 to assist private and public agencies to identify and establish community-based educational and service programs for the prevention of child abuse and neglect. WCPCAN is comprised of a chairperson and 13 members, consisting of the Secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Secretary of the Department of Health, four members of the Legislature, and six citizens who have an interest or an expertise in child abuse prevention (four of whom may not be affiliated with governmental agencies).

WCPCAN funds and administers community-based parenting skills programs, conducts public education campaigns to increase the public's knowledge of good parenting techniques, administers programs for reducing child abuse, and presents a biennial report to the Governor and the Legislature concerning the effectiveness of various activities for reducing the incidence of child abuse. WCPCAN contracts with nonprofit organizations, schools, and individuals to carry out its mandate.

The Family Policy Council (council) was created in 1992 to support and respond to the needs of families and children and to improve the responsiveness of services for children and families at risk by facilitating greater coordination and flexibility in the use of funds by state and local service agencies. Council membership includes the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services, the Commissioner of the Employment Security Department, the Director of the Community, Trade, and Economic Development Department, legislators and a representative of the Governor's office.

The council solicits proposals from community public health and safety networks to facilitate greater flexibility, coordination, and responsiveness of services at the community level. The types of services reviewed include those to juveniles, family preservation, violence prevention, community police partnering, child care, crisis residential care, victim's assistance, foster care, and drug and alcohol abuse prevention.

Summary of Substitute Bill: The authority and functions of the Washington Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect are added to those of the Family Policy Council. WCPCAN is eliminated as a separate entity.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: Sections are re-codified under the Family Policy Council statutes which allow the Family Policy Council to accept contributions, assume the shaken baby syndrome outreach program and state the legislative findings on juvenile crime.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on March 4, 2003.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect July 1, 2003.

Testimony For: None.

Testimony Against: It is unclear that the topic of child abuse prevention will get the attention it deserves if it becomes one topic out of many addressed by the Family Policy Council. With little time to review the bill, it is unclear what the intention of the proposed change is.

Testified: Charles Shelan, Washington Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (con); Howard Winkler (con); Laurie Lippold, Children's Home Society (con).