BILL REQ. #: H-1495.3

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SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1464
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State of Washington

58th Legislature

2003 Regular Session

By House Committee on Children & Family Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Boldt, Nixon and Anderson)

READ FIRST TIME 02/21/03.

AN ACT Relating to community-based and faith-based social services organizations; and adding a new section to chapter 43.20A RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 43.20A RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The secretary shall designate a person within each of the department's administrative regions to serve as a liaison for community-based and faith-based social services organizations. The liaison shall be available to such organizations to:
     (a) Provide information to community-based and faith-based social services organizations that relates to opportunities for the organizations to cooperate with the department in providing community services throughout the state;
     (b) Identify areas of need that are not currently being met in the state in which community-based and faith-based social services organizations may provide needed services;
     (c) Coordinate efforts to promote involvement of community-based and faith-based social services organizations to provide community services throughout the state.
     (2) The secretary shall include provisions in its contracts indicating that community-based and faith-based social services organizations that receive funds from the department must not:
     (a) Engage in discrimination that denies service to a potential client on the basis of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, national origin, creed, religion, or presence of a disability; or
     (b) Engage in activities that promote conversion to a particular faith, institution, or cause, unless participation in those activities is voluntary.
     (3) The secretary shall include provisions in its contracts indicating that community-based and faith-based social services organizations that receive funds from the department must:
     (a) Define clear, measurable outcomes;
     (b) Demonstrate their anticipated cost-effectiveness;
     (c) Demonstrate broad community involvement, support, and partnerships; and
     (d) Conduct an evaluation of their program outcomes.
     (4) The department must achieve the purposes of this section through existing resources.

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