BILL REQ. #:  Z-0046.6 

Read first time 01/30/2003.   Referred to Committee on Children & Family Services.

     AN ACT Relating to the elimination of reports to the legislature required of the department of social and health services; amending RCW 43.20B.030, 74.13.036, and 74.14C.070; reenacting and amending RCW 26.44.030; and repealing RCW 74.09.310, 74.09.320, 13.40.430, and 72.23.450.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 43.20B.030 and 1997 c 130 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Except as otherwise provided by law, there will be no collection of overpayments and other debts due the department after the expiration of six years from the date of notice of such overpayment or other debt unless the department has commenced recovery action in a court of law or unless an administrative remedy authorized by statute is in place. However, any amount due in a case thus extended shall cease to be a debt due the department at the expiration of ten years from the date of the notice of the overpayment or other debt unless a court-ordered remedy would be in effect for a longer period.
     (2)(((a))) The department, at any time, may accept offers of compromise of disputed claims or may grant partial or total write-off of any debt due the department if it is no longer cost-effective to pursue. The department shall adopt rules establishing the considerations to be made in the granting or denial of a partial or total write-off of debts.
     (((b) Beginning December 1, 1997, the department shall report by December 1 each year to the commerce and labor committees of the senate and house of representatives, the senate ways and means committee, and the house appropriations committee, or successor committees, the following information:
     (i) The cumulative amount of debt due the department;
     (ii) The cumulative amount of debt that has been written off by the department as no longer cost-effective to pursue;
     (iii) The amount of debt due the department that has accrued in each of the previous five fiscal years; and
     (iv) The amount of debt that has been written off in each of the previous five fiscal years as no longer cost-effective to pursue.))

Sec. 2   RCW 74.13.036 and 1996 c 133 s 37 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The department of social and health services shall oversee implementation of chapter 13.34 RCW and chapter 13.32A RCW. The oversight shall be comprised of working with affected parts of the criminal justice and child care systems as well as with local government, legislative, and executive authorities to effectively carry out these chapters. The department shall work with all such entities to ensure that chapters 13.32A and 13.34 RCW are implemented in a uniform manner throughout the state.
     (2) The department shall develop a plan and procedures, in cooperation with the statewide advisory committee, to insure the full implementation of the provisions of chapter 13.32A RCW. Such plan and procedures shall include but are not limited to:
     (a) Procedures defining and delineating the role of the department and juvenile court with regard to the execution of the child in need of services placement process;
     (b) Procedures for designating department staff responsible for family reconciliation services;
     (c) Procedures assuring enforcement of contempt proceedings in accordance with RCW 13.32A.170 and 13.32A.250; and
     (d) Procedures for the continued education of all individuals in the criminal juvenile justice and child care systems who are affected by chapter 13.32A RCW, as well as members of the legislative and executive branches of government.
     There shall be uniform application of the procedures developed by the department and juvenile court personnel, to the extent practicable. Local and regional differences shall be taken into consideration in the development of procedures required under this subsection.
     (3) In addition to its other oversight duties, the department shall:
     (a) Identify and evaluate resource needs in each region of the state;
     (b) Disseminate information collected as part of the oversight process to affected groups and the general public;
     (c) Educate affected entities within the juvenile justice and child care systems, local government, and the legislative branch regarding the implementation of chapters 13.32A and 13.34 RCW;
     (d) Review complaints concerning the services, policies, and procedures of those entities charged with implementing chapters 13.32A and 13.34 RCW; and
     (e) Report any violations and misunderstandings regarding the implementation of chapters 13.32A and 13.34 RCW.
     (4) ((The secretary shall submit a quarterly report to the appropriate local government entities.
     (5))) The department shall provide an annual report to the legislature not later than December 1((, indicating)) of each year only when it has declined to accept custody of a child from a law enforcement agency or it has received a report of a child being released without placement. The report shall indicate the number of times it has declined to accept custody of a child from a law enforcement agency under chapter 13.32A RCW and the number of times it has received a report of a child being released without placement under RCW 13.32A.060(1)(c). The report shall include the dates, places, and reasons the department declined to accept custody and the dates and places children are released without placement.

Sec. 3   RCW 74.14C.070 and 1995 c 311 s 11 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 ((secretary)) department shall present an annual report to the legislature regarding any transfers under this section only if transfers occur. The ((secretary)) 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 ((secretary)) department shall also include in the report information regarding:
     (1) The percent of cases where a child is placed in out-of-home care after the provision of intensive family preservation services or family preservation services;
     (2) The average length of time before ((such)) the child is placed out-of-home;
     (3) The average length of time ((such)) the child is placed out-of-home; and
     (4) The number of families that refused the offer of either family preservation services or intensive family preservation services.

Sec. 4   RCW 26.44.030 and 1999 c 267 s 20 and 1999 c 176 s 30 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1)(a) When any practitioner, county coroner or medical examiner, law enforcement officer, professional school personnel, registered or licensed nurse, social service counselor, psychologist, pharmacist, licensed or certified child care providers or their employees, employee of the department, juvenile probation officer, placement and liaison specialist, responsible living skills program staff, HOPE center staff, or state family and children's ombudsman or any volunteer in the ombudsman's office has reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect, he or she shall report such incident, or cause a report to be made, to the proper law enforcement agency or to the department as provided in RCW 26.44.040.
     (b) The reporting requirement also applies to department of corrections personnel who, in the course of their employment, observe offenders or the children with whom the offenders are in contact. If, as a result of observations or information received in the course of his or her employment, any department of corrections personnel has reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect, he or she shall report the incident, or cause a report to be made, to the proper law enforcement agency or to the department as provided in RCW 26.44.040.
     (c) The reporting requirement shall also apply to any adult who has reasonable cause to believe that a child who resides with them, has suffered severe abuse, and is able or capable of making a report. For the purposes of this subsection, "severe abuse" means any of the following: Any single act of abuse that causes physical trauma of sufficient severity that, if left untreated, could cause death; any single act of sexual abuse that causes significant bleeding, deep bruising, or significant external or internal swelling; or more than one act of physical abuse, each of which causes bleeding, deep bruising, significant external or internal swelling, bone fracture, or unconsciousness.
     (d) The report must be made at the first opportunity, but in no case longer than forty-eight hours after there is reasonable cause to believe that the child has suffered abuse or neglect. The report must include the identity of the accused if known.
     (2) The reporting requirement of subsection (1) of this section does not apply to the discovery of abuse or neglect that occurred during childhood if it is discovered after the child has become an adult. However, if there is reasonable cause to believe other children are or may be at risk of abuse or neglect by the accused, the reporting requirement of subsection (1) of this section does apply.
     (3) Any other person who has reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect may report such incident to the proper law enforcement agency or to the department of social and health services as provided in RCW 26.44.040.
     (4) The department, upon receiving a report of an incident of alleged abuse or neglect pursuant to this chapter, involving a child who has died or has had physical injury or injuries inflicted upon him or her other than by accidental means or who has been subjected to alleged sexual abuse, shall report such incident to the proper law enforcement agency. In emergency cases, where the child's welfare is endangered, the department shall notify the proper law enforcement agency within twenty-four hours after a report is received by the department. In all other cases, the department shall notify the law enforcement agency within seventy-two hours after a report is received by the department. If the department makes an oral report, a written report must also be made to the proper law enforcement agency within five days thereafter.
     (5) Any law enforcement agency receiving a report of an incident of alleged abuse or neglect pursuant to this chapter, involving a child who has died or has had physical injury or injuries inflicted upon him or her other than by accidental means, or who has been subjected to alleged sexual abuse, shall report such incident in writing as provided in RCW 26.44.040 to the proper county prosecutor or city attorney for appropriate action whenever the law enforcement agency's investigation reveals that a crime may have been committed. The law enforcement agency shall also notify the department of all reports received and the law enforcement agency's disposition of them. In emergency cases, where the child's welfare is endangered, the law enforcement agency shall notify the department within twenty-four hours. In all other cases, the law enforcement agency shall notify the department within seventy-two hours after a report is received by the law enforcement agency.
     (6) Any county prosecutor or city attorney receiving a report under subsection (5) of this section shall notify the victim, any persons the victim requests, and the local office of the department, of the decision to charge or decline to charge a crime, within five days of making the decision.
     (7) The department may conduct ongoing case planning and consultation with those persons or agencies required to report under this section, with consultants designated by the department, and with designated representatives of Washington Indian tribes if the client information exchanged is pertinent to cases currently receiving child protective services. Upon request, the department shall conduct such planning and consultation with those persons required to report under this section if the department determines it is in the best interests of the child. Information considered privileged by statute and not directly related to reports required by this section must not be divulged without a valid written waiver of the privilege.
     (8) Any case referred to the department by a physician licensed under chapter 18.57 or 18.71 RCW on the basis of an expert medical opinion that child abuse, neglect, or sexual assault has occurred and that the child's safety will be seriously endangered if returned home, the department shall file a dependency petition unless a second licensed physician of the parents' choice believes that such expert medical opinion is incorrect. If the parents fail to designate a second physician, the department may make the selection. If a physician finds that a child has suffered abuse or neglect but that such abuse or neglect does not constitute imminent danger to the child's health or safety, and the department agrees with the physician's assessment, the child may be left in the parents' home while the department proceeds with reasonable efforts to remedy parenting deficiencies.
     (9) Persons or agencies exchanging information under subsection (7) of this section shall not further disseminate or release the information except as authorized by state or federal statute. Violation of this subsection is a misdemeanor.
     (10) Upon receiving reports of alleged abuse or neglect, the department or law enforcement agency may interview children. The interviews may be conducted on school premises, at day-care facilities, at the child's home, or at other suitable locations outside of the presence of parents. Parental notification of the interview must occur at the earliest possible point in the investigation that will not jeopardize the safety or protection of the child or the course of the investigation. Prior to commencing the interview the department or law enforcement agency shall determine whether the child wishes a third party to be present for the interview and, if so, shall make reasonable efforts to accommodate the child's wishes. Unless the child objects, the department or law enforcement agency shall make reasonable efforts to include a third party in any interview so long as the presence of the third party will not jeopardize the course of the investigation.
     (11) Upon receiving a report of alleged child abuse and neglect, the department or investigating law enforcement agency shall have access to all relevant records of the child in the possession of mandated reporters and their employees.
     (12) The department shall maintain investigation records and conduct timely and periodic reviews of all cases constituting abuse and neglect. The department shall maintain a log of screened-out nonabusive cases.
     (13) The department shall use a risk assessment process when investigating alleged child abuse and neglect referrals. The department shall present the risk factors at all hearings in which the placement of a dependent child is an issue. Substance abuse must be a risk factor. The department shall, within funds appropriated for this purpose, offer enhanced community-based services to persons who are determined not to require further state intervention.
     ((The department shall provide annual reports to the legislature on the effectiveness of the risk assessment process.))
     (14) Upon receipt of a report of alleged abuse or neglect the law enforcement agency may arrange to interview the person making the report and any collateral sources to determine if any malice is involved in the reporting.
     (15) The department shall make reasonable efforts to learn the name, address, and telephone number of each person making a report of abuse or neglect under this section. The department shall provide assurances of appropriate confidentiality of the identification of persons reporting under this section. If the department is unable to learn the information required under this subsection, the department shall only investigate cases in which: (a) The department believes there is a serious threat of substantial harm to the child; (b) the report indicates conduct involving a criminal offense that has, or is about to occur, in which the child is the victim; or (c) the department has, after investigation, a report of abuse or neglect that has been founded with regard to a member of the household within three years of receipt of the referral.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
     (1) RCW 74.09.310 (Chemical dependency treatment -- Provision of birth control services, information, and counseling -- Report) and 1998 c 314 s 34;
     (2) RCW 74.09.320 (Chemical dependency treatment -- Provision of birth control services, information, and counseling -- Report) and 1998 c 314 s 35;
     (3) RCW 13.40.430 (Disparity in disposition of juvenile offenders--Data collection -- Annual report) and 1993 c 373 s 2; and
     (4) RCW 72.23.450 (Annual report to the legislature) and 2000 c 22 s 8.