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, 74.14C.070, 13.40.030, 70.96A.420, 70.96A.520, 74.13.017, 74.14A.050, and 13.40.430; amending 2001 2nd sp.s. c 7 s 202 (uncodified); amending 2001 2nd sp.s. c 7 s 205 (uncodified); amending 2001 2nd sp.s. c 7 s 207 (uncodified); reenacting and amending RCW 26.44.030; and repealing RCW 71.24.820, 71.24.830, 74.09.310, 74.09.320, 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.

Sec. 5   RCW 13.40.030 and 1996 c 232 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The secretary shall submit guidelines pertaining to the nature of the security to be imposed on youth placed in his or her custody based on the age, offense(s), and criminal history of the juvenile offender. Such guidelines shall be submitted to the legislature for its review no later than November 1st of each year. ((At the same time the secretary shall submit a report on security at juvenile facilities during the preceding year. The report shall include the number of escapes from each juvenile facility, the most serious offense for which each escapee had been confined, the number and nature of offenses found to have been committed by juveniles while on escape status, the number of authorized leaves granted, the number of failures to comply with leave requirements, the number and nature of offenses committed while on leave, and the number and nature of offenses committed by juveniles while in the community on minimum security status; to the extent this information is available to the secretary.)) The department shall include security status definitions in the security guidelines it submits to the legislature pursuant to this section.
     (2) The permissible ranges of confinement resulting from a finding of manifest injustice under RCW 13.40.0357 are subject to the following limitations:
     (a) Where the maximum term in the range is ninety days or less, the minimum term in the range may be no less than fifty percent of the maximum term in the range;
     (b) Where the maximum term in the range is greater than ninety days but not greater than one year, the minimum term in the range may be no less than seventy-five percent of the maximum term in the range; and
     (c) Where the maximum term in the range is more than one year, the minimum term in the range may be no less than eighty percent of the maximum term in the range.

Sec. 6   RCW 70.96A.420 and 2001 c 242 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The department, in consultation with opiate substitution treatment service providers and counties and cities, shall establish statewide treatment standards for certified opiate substitution treatment programs. The department shall enforce these treatment standards. The treatment standards shall include, but not be limited to, reasonable provisions for all appropriate and necessary medical procedures, counseling requirements, urinalysis, and other suitable tests as needed to ensure compliance with this chapter.
     (2) The department, in consultation with opiate substitution treatment programs and counties, shall establish statewide operating standards for certified opiate substitution treatment programs. The department shall enforce these operating standards. The operating standards shall include, but not be limited to, reasonable provisions necessary to enable the department and counties to monitor certified and licensed opiate substitution treatment programs for compliance with this chapter and the treatment standards authorized by this chapter and to minimize the impact of the opiate substitution treatment programs upon the business and residential neighborhoods in which the program is located.
     (3) The department shall establish criteria for evaluating the compliance of opiate substitution treatment programs with the goals and standards established under this chapter. As a condition of certification, opiate substitution programs shall submit an annual report to the department and county legislative authority, including data as specified by the department necessary for outcome analysis. The department shall analyze and evaluate the data submitted by each treatment program and take corrective action where necessary to ensure compliance with the goals and standards enumerated under this chapter.
     (((4) Before January 1st of each year, the secretary shall submit a report to the legislature and governor. The report shall include the number of persons enrolled in each treatment program during the period covered by the report, the number of persons who leave each treatment program voluntarily and involuntarily, and an outcome analysis of each treatment program. For purposes of this subsection, "outcome analysis" shall include but not be limited to: The number of people who, as a result of participation in the program, are able to abstain from opiates; reduction in use of opiates; reduction in criminal conduct; achievement of economic independence; and reduction in utilization of health care. The report shall include information on an annual and cumulative basis beginning on July 22, 2001.))

Sec. 7   RCW 70.96A.520 and 1997 c 338 s 28 are each amended to read as follows:
     The department shall prioritize expenditures for treatment provided under RCW 13.40.165. The department shall provide funds for inpatient and outpatient treatment providers that are the most successful, using the standards developed by the University of Washington under section 27, chapter 338, Laws of 1997. The department may consider variations between the nature of the programs provided and clients served but must provide funds first for those programs that demonstrate the greatest success in treatment within categories of treatment and the nature of the persons receiving treatment.
     ((The department shall, not later than January 1st of each year, provide a report to the governor and the legislature on the success rates of programs funded under this section.))

Sec. 8   RCW 74.13.017 and 2001 c 265 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     The department shall undertake the process of accreditation with the goal of completion by July 2006. ((The department, in conjunction with a national independent accreditation entity, shall report to the appropriate legislative committees its progress towards complete accreditation on an annual basis, starting December 2001.))

Sec. 9   RCW 74.14A.050 and 2001 c 255 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     The secretary shall:
     (1)(a) Consult with relevant qualified professionals to develop a set of minimum guidelines to be used for identifying all children who are in a state-assisted support system, whether at-home or out-of-home, who are likely to need long-term care or assistance, because they face physical, emotional, medical, mental, or other long-term challenges;
     (b) The guidelines must, at a minimum, consider the following criteria for identifying children in need of long-term care or assistance:
     (i) Placement within the foster care system for two years or more;
     (ii) Multiple foster care placements;
     (iii) Repeated unsuccessful efforts to be placed with a permanent adoptive family;
     (iv) Chronic behavioral or educational problems;
     (v) Repetitive criminal acts or offenses;
     (vi) Failure to comply with court-ordered disciplinary actions and other imposed guidelines of behavior, including drug and alcohol rehabilitation; and
     (vii) Chronic physical, emotional, medical, mental, or other similar conditions necessitating long-term care or assistance;
     (2) Develop programs that are necessary for the long-term care of children and youth that are identified for the purposes of this section. Programs must: (a) Effectively address the educational, physical, emotional, mental, and medical needs of children and youth; and (b) incorporate an array of family support options, to individual needs and choices of the child and family. The programs must be ready for implementation by January 1, 1995;
     (3) Conduct an evaluation of all children currently within the foster care agency caseload to identify those children who meet the criteria set forth in this section. All children entering the foster care system must be evaluated for identification of long-term needs within thirty days of placement;
     (4) As a result of the passage of chapter 232, Laws of 2000, the department is conducting a pilot project to do a comparative analysis of a variety of assessment instruments to determine the most effective tools and methods for evaluation of children. The pilot project may extend through August 31, 2001. The department shall report to the appropriate committees in the senate and house of representatives by September 30, 2001, on the results of the pilot project. The department shall select an assessment instrument that can be implemented within available resources. The department shall complete statewide implementation by December 31, 2001. The department shall report to the appropriate committees in the senate and house of representatives on how the use of the selected assessment instrument has affected department policies, by no later than December 31, 2002, December 31, 2004, and December 31, 2006;
     (5) Use the assessment tool developed pursuant to subsection (4) of this section in making out-of-home placement decisions for children;
     (6) ((By region, report to the legislature on the following using aggregate data every six months beginning December 31, 2000:
     (a) The number of children evaluated during the first thirty days of placement as required in subsection (3) of this section;
     (b) The tool or tools used to evaluate children, including the content of the tool and the method by which the tool was validated;
     (c) The findings from the evaluation regarding the children's needs;
     (d) How the department used the results of the evaluation to provide services to the foster child to meet his or her needs; and
     (e) Whether and how the evaluation results assisted the department in providing appropriate services to the child, matching the child with an appropriate care provider early on in the child's placement and achieving the child's permanency plan in a timely fashion;
     (7))) Each region of the department shall make the appropriate number of referrals to the foster care assessment program to ensure that the services offered by the program are used to the extent funded pursuant to the department's contract with the program. The department shall report to the legislature by November 30, 2000, on the number of referrals, by region, to the foster care assessment program. If the regions are not referring an adequate number of cases to the program, the department shall include in its report an explanation of what action it is or has taken to ensure that the referrals are adequate;
     (((8))) (7) The department shall report to the legislature by December 15, 2000, on how it will use the foster care assessment program model to assess children as they enter out-of-home care;
     (((9))) (8) The department is to accomplish the tasks listed in subsections (4) through (((8))) (7) of this section within existing resources;
     (((10))) (9) Study and develop a comprehensive plan for the evaluation and identification of all children and youth in need of long-term care or assistance, including, but not limited to, the mentally ill, developmentally disabled, medically fragile, seriously emotionally or behaviorally disabled, and physically impaired;
     (((11))) (10) Study and develop a plan for the children and youth in need of long-term care or assistance to ensure the coordination of services between the department's divisions and between other state agencies who are involved with the child or youth;
     (((12))) (11) Study and develop guidelines for transitional services, between long-term care programs, based on the person's age or mental, physical, emotional, or medical condition; and
     (((13))) (12) Study and develop a statutory proposal for the emancipation of minors.

Sec. 10   2001 2nd sp.s. c 7 s 202 (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:
FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES--CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES PROGRAM
General Fund--State Appropriation (FY 2002) . . . . . . . . . . . . $225,789,000
General Fund--State Appropriation (FY 2003) . . . . . . . . . . . . $239,013,000
General Fund--Federal Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . $372,408,000
General Fund--Private/Local Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . $400,000
Public Safety and Education Account--
     State Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . $987,000
Violence Reduction and Drug Enforcement Account--
     State Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,702,000
          TOTAL APPROPRIATION . . . . . . . . . . . . $844,299,000

     The appropriations in this section are subject to the following conditions and limitations:
     (1) $2,237,000 of the fiscal year 2002 general fund--state appropriation, $2,288,000 of the fiscal year 2003 general fund--state appropriation, and $1,590,000 of the general fund--federal appropriation are provided solely for the category of services titled "intensive family preservation services."
     (2) $685,000 of the general fund--state fiscal year 2002 appropriation and $701,000 of the general fund--state fiscal year 2003 appropriation are provided to contract for the operation of one pediatric interim care facility. The facility shall provide residential care for up to thirteen children through two years of age. Seventy-five percent of the children served by the facility must be in need of special care as a result of substance abuse by their mothers. The facility shall also provide on-site training to biological, adoptive, or foster parents. The facility shall provide at least three months of consultation and support to parents accepting placement of children from the facility. The facility may recruit new and current foster and adoptive parents for infants served by the facility. The department shall not require case management as a condition of the contract.
     (3) $524,000 of the general fund--state fiscal year 2002 appropriation and $536,000 of the general fund--state fiscal year 2003 appropriation are provided for up to three nonfacility-based programs for the training, consultation, support, and recruitment of biological, foster, and adoptive parents of children through age three in need of special care as a result of substance abuse by their mothers, except that each program may serve up to three medically fragile nonsubstance-abuse-affected children. In selecting nonfacility-based programs, preference shall be given to programs whose federal or private funding sources have expired or that have successfully performed under the existing pediatric interim care program.
     (4) $1,260,000 of the fiscal year 2002 general fund--state appropriation, $1,248,000 of the fiscal year 2003 general fund--state appropriation, and $4,196,000 of the violence reduction and drug enforcement account appropriation are provided solely for the family policy council and community public health and safety networks. The funding level for the family policy council and community public health and safety networks represents a 25 percent reduction below the funding level for the 1999-2001 biennium. Funding levels shall be reduced 25 percent for both the family policy council and network grants. Reductions to network grants shall be allocated so as to maintain current funding levels, to the greatest extent possible, for projects with the strongest evidence of positive outcomes and for networks with substantial compliance with contracts for network grants.
     (5) $2,215,000 of the fiscal year 2002 general fund--state appropriation, $4,394,000 of the fiscal year 2003 general fund--state appropriation, and $5,604,000 of the general fund--federal appropriation are provided solely for reducing the average caseload level per case-carrying social worker. Average caseload reductions are intended to increase the amount of time social workers spend in direct contact with the children, families, and foster parents involved with their open cases. The department shall use some of the funds provided in several local offices to increase staff that support case-carrying social workers in ways that will allow social workers to increase direct contact time with children, families, and foster parents. To achieve the goal of reaching an average caseload ratio of 1:24 by the end of fiscal year 2003, the department shall develop a plan for redeploying 30 FTEs to case-carrying social worker and support positions from other areas in the children and family services budget. The FTE redeployment plan shall be submitted to the fiscal committees of the legislature by December 1, 2001.
     (6) $1,000,000 of the fiscal year 2002 general fund--state appropriation and $1,000,000 of the fiscal year 2003 general fund--state appropriation are provided solely for increasing foster parent respite care services that improve the retention of foster parents and increase the stability of foster placements. ((The department shall report quarterly to the appropriate committees of the legislature progress against appropriate baseline measures for foster parent retention and stability of foster placements.))
     (7) $1,050,000 of the general fund--federal appropriation is provided solely for increasing kinship care placements for children who otherwise would likely be placed in foster care. These funds shall be used for extraordinary costs incurred by relatives at the time of placement, or for extraordinary costs incurred by relatives after placement if such costs would likely cause a disruption in the kinship care placement. $50,000 of the funds provided shall be contracted to the Washington institute for public policy to conduct a study of kinship care placements. The study shall examine the prevalence and needs of families who are raising related children and shall compare services and policies of Washington state with other states that have a higher rate of kinship care placements in lieu of foster care placements. The study shall identify possible changes in services and policies that are likely to increase appropriate kinship care placements.
     (8) $3,386,000 of the fiscal year 2002 general fund--state appropriation, $7,671,000 of the fiscal year 2003 general fund--state appropriation, and $20,819,000 of the general fund--federal appropriation are provided solely for increases in the cost per case for foster care and adoption support. $16,000,000 of the general fund--federal amount shall remain unalloted until the office of financial management approves a plan submitted by the department to achieve a higher rate of federal earnings in the foster care program. That plan shall also be submitted to the fiscal committees of the legislature and shall indicate projected federal revenue compared to actual fiscal year 2001 levels. Within the amounts provided for foster care, the department shall increase the basic rate for foster care to an average of $420 per month on July 1, 2001, and to an average of $440 per month on July 1, 2002. The department shall use the remaining funds provided in this subsection to pay for increases in the cost per case for foster care and adoption support. The department shall seek to control rate increases and reimbursement decisions for foster care and adoption support cases such that the cost per case for family foster care, group care, receiving homes, and adoption support does not exceed the amount assumed in the projected caseload expenditures plus the amounts provided in this subsection.
     (9) $1,767,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2002, $2,461,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2003, and $1,485,000 of the general fund--federal appropriation are provided solely for rate and capacity increases for child placing agencies. Child placing agencies shall increase their capacity by 15 percent in fiscal year 2002 and 30 percent in fiscal year 2003.
     (10) The department shall provide secure crisis residential facilities across the state in a manner that: (a) Retains geographic provision of these services; and (b) retains beds in high use areas.
     (11) $125,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2002 and $125,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2003 are provided solely for a foster parent retention program. This program is directed at foster parents caring for children who act out sexually, as described in House Bill No. 1525 (foster parent retention program).

Sec. 11   2001 2nd sp.s. c 7 s 205 (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:
FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES--DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES PROGRAM

     (1) COMMUNITY SERVICES
General Fund--State Appropriation (FY 2002) . . . . . . . . . . . . $231,693,000
General Fund--State Appropriation (FY 2003) . . . . . . . . . . . . $242,347,000
General Fund--Federal Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . $396,151,000
Health Services Account--State
     Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . $741,000
          TOTAL APPROPRIATION . . . . . . . . . . . . $870,932,000

     The appropriations in this subsection are subject to the following conditions and limitations:
     (a) The health services account appropriation and $753,000 of the general fund--federal appropriation are provided solely for health care benefits for home care workers with family incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level who are employed through state contracts for twenty hours per week or more. Premium payments for individual provider home care workers shall be made only to the subsidized basic health plan. Home care agencies may obtain coverage either through the basic health plan or through an alternative plan with substantially equivalent benefits.
     (b) $902,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2002, $3,372,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2003, and $4,056,000 of the general fund--federal appropriation are provided solely for community services for residents of residential habilitation centers (RHCs) who are able to be adequately cared for in community settings and who choose to live in those community settings. The department shall ensure that the average cost per day for all program services other than start-up costs shall not exceed $280. If the number and timing of residents choosing to move into community settings is not sufficient to achieve the RHC cottage consolidation plan assumed in the appropriations in subsection (2) of this section, the department shall transfer sufficient appropriations from this subsection to subsection (2) of this section to cover the added costs incurred in the RHCs. The department shall report to the appropriate committees of the legislature, within 45 days following each fiscal year quarter, the number of residents moving into community settings and the actual expenditures for all community services to support those residents.
     (c) $1,440,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2002, $3,041,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2003, and $4,311,000 of the general fund--federal appropriation are provided solely for expanded community services for persons with developmental disabilities who also have community protection issues or are diverted or discharged from state psychiatric hospitals. The department shall ensure that the average cost per day for all program services other than start-up costs shall not exceed $275. The department shall report to the appropriate committees of the legislature, within 45 days following each fiscal year quarter, the number of persons served with these additional community services, where they were residing, what kinds of services they were receiving prior to placement, and the actual expenditures for all community services to support these clients.
     (d) $1,005,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2002, $2,262,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2003, and $2,588,000 of the general fund--federal appropriation are provided solely for increasing case/resource management resources to improve oversight and quality of care for persons enrolled in the medicaid home and community services waiver for persons with developmental disabilities. The department shall not increase total enrollment in home and community based waivers for persons with developmental disabilities except for increases assumed in additional funding provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section. ((Prior to submitting to the health care financing authority any additional home and community based waiver request for persons with developmental disabilities, the department shall submit a summary of the waiver request to the appropriate committees of the legislature. The summary shall include eligibility criteria, program description, enrollment projections and limits, and budget and cost effectiveness projections that distinguish the requested waiver from other existing or proposed waivers.))
     (e) $1,000,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2002 and $1,000,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2003 are provided solely for employment, or other day activities and training programs, for young adults with developmental disabilities who complete their high school curriculum in 2001 or 2002. These services are intended to assist with the transition to work and more independent living. Funding shall be used to the greatest extent possible for vocational rehabilitation services matched with federal funding. In recent years, the state general fund appropriation for employment and day programs has been underspent. These surpluses, built into the carry forward level budget, shall be redeployed for high school transition services.
     (f) $369,000 of the fiscal year 2002 general fund--state appropriation and $369,000 of the fiscal year 2003 general fund--state appropriation are provided solely for continuation of the autism pilot project started in 1999.
     (g) $4,049,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2002, $1,734,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2003, and $5,369,000 of the general fund--federal appropriation are provided solely to increase compensation by an average of fifty cents per hour for low-wage workers providing state-funded services to persons with developmental disabilities. These funds, along with funding provided for vendor rate increases, are sufficient to raise wages an average of fifty cents and cover the employer share of unemployment and social security taxes on the amount of the wage increase. In consultation with the statewide associations representing such agencies, the department shall establish a mechanism for testing the extent to which funds have been used for this purpose, and report the results to the fiscal committees of the legislature by February 1, 2002.

     (2) INSTITUTIONAL SERVICES
General Fund--State Appropriation (FY 2002) . . . . . . . . . . . . $71,977,000
General Fund--State Appropriation (FY 2003) . . . . . . . . . . . . $69,303,000
General Fund--Federal Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . $145,641,000
General Fund--Private/Local Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . $10,230,000
          TOTAL APPROPRIATION . . . . . . . . . . . . $297,151,000

     The appropriations in this subsection are subject to the following conditions and limitations: Pursuant to RCW 71A.12.160, if residential habilitation center capacity is not being used for permanent residents, the department may make residential habilitation center vacancies available for respite care and any other services needed to care for clients who are not currently being served in a residential habilitation center and whose needs require staffing levels similar to current residential habilitation center residents. Providing respite care shall not impede the department's ability to consolidate cottages as assumed in the appropriations in this subsection.

     (3) PROGRAM SUPPORT
General Fund--State Appropriation (FY 2002) . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,601,000
General Fund--State Appropriation (FY 2003) . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,623,000
General Fund--Federal Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,413,000
          TOTAL APPROPRIATION . . . . . . . . . . . . $7,637,000

     The appropriations in this subsection are subject to the following conditions and limitations: $50,000 of the fiscal year 2002 general fund--state appropriation and $50,000 of the fiscal year 2003 general fund--state appropriation are provided solely for increasing the contract amount for the southeast Washington deaf and hard of hearing services center due to increased workload.

     (4) SPECIAL PROJECTS
General Fund--Federal Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . $11,995,000

Sec. 12   2001 2nd sp.s. c 7 s 207 (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:
FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES--ECONOMIC SERVICES PROGRAM
General Fund--State Appropriation (FY 2002) . . . . . . . . . . . . $436,440,000
General Fund--State Appropriation (FY 2003) . . . . . . . . . . . . $424,870,000
General Fund--Federal Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,356,351,000
General Fund--Private/Local Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . $31,788,000
          TOTAL APPROPRIATION . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,249,449,000

     The appropriations in this section are subject to the following conditions and limitations:
     (1) $282,081,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2002, $278,277,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2003, $1,254,197,000 of the general fund--federal appropriation, and $29,352,000 of the general fund--local appropriation are provided solely for the WorkFirst program and child support operations. WorkFirst expenditures include TANF grants, diversion services, subsidized child care, employment and training, other WorkFirst related services, allocated field services operating costs, and allocated economic services program administrative costs. Within the amounts provided in this subsection, the department shall:
     (a) Continue to implement WorkFirst program improvements that are designed to achieve progress against outcome measures specified in RCW 74.08A.410. Valid outcome measures of job retention and wage progression shall be developed ((and reported quarterly to appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the legislature for families who leave assistance, measured after 12 months, 24 months, and 36 months)). An increased attention to job retention and wage progression is necessary to emphasize the legislature's goal that the WorkFirst program succeed in helping recipients gain long-term economic independence and not cycle on and off public assistance. ((The wage progression measure shall report the median percentage increase in quarterly earnings and hourly wage after 12 months, 24 months, and 36 months. The wage progression report shall also report the percent with earnings above one hundred percent and two hundred percent of the federal poverty level. The report shall compare former WorkFirst participants with similar workers who did not participate in WorkFirst. The department shall also report the percentage of families who have returned to temporary assistance for needy families after 12 months, 24 months, and 36 months.))
     (b) Develop informational materials that educate families about the difference between cash assistance and work support benefits. These materials must explain, among other facts, that the benefits are designed to support their employment, that there are no time limits on the receipt of work support benefits, and that immigration or residency status will not be affected by the receipt of benefits. These materials shall be posted in all community service offices and distributed to families. Materials must be available in multiple languages. When a family leaves the temporary assistance for needy families program, receives cash diversion assistance, or withdraws a temporary assistance for needy families application, the department of social and health services shall educate them about the difference between cash assistance and work support benefits and offer them the opportunity to begin or to continue receiving work support benefits, so long as they are eligible. The department shall provide this information through in-person interviews, over the telephone, and/or through the mail. Work support benefits include food stamps, medicaid for all family members, medicaid or state children's health insurance program for children, and child care assistance. ((The department shall report annually to the legislature the number of families who have had exit interviews, been reached successfully by phone, and been sent mail. The report shall also include the percentage of families who elect to continue each of the benefits and the percentage found ineligible by each substantive reason code. A substantive reason code shall not be "other." The report shall identify barriers to informing families about work support benefits and describe existing and future actions to overcome such barriers.))
     (c) From the amounts provided in this subsection, provide $50,000 from the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2002 and $50,000 from the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2003 to the Washington institute for public policy for continuation of the WorkFirst evaluation database.
     (d) Submit a report by December 1, 2001, to the fiscal committees of the legislature containing a spending plan for the WorkFirst program. The plan shall identify how spending levels in the 2001-2003 biennium will be adjusted by June 30, 2003, to be sustainable within available federal grant levels and the carryforward level of state funds.
     (2) $48,341,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2002 and $48,341,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2003 are provided solely for cash assistance and other services to recipients in the general assistance--unemployable program. Within these amounts, the department may expend funds for services that assist recipients to reduce their dependence on public assistance, provided that expenditures for these services and cash assistance do not exceed the funds provided.
     (3) $5,632,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2002 and $5,632,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2003 are provided solely for the food assistance program for legal immigrants. The level of benefits shall be equivalent to the benefits provided by the federal food stamp program.
     (4) $48,000 of the general fund--state appropriation for fiscal year 2002 is provided solely to implement chapter 111, Laws of 2001 (veterans/Philippines).
     (5) The department shall apply the provisions of RCW 74.04.005(10) to simplify resource eligibility policy, make such policy consistent with other federal public assistance programs, and achieve the budgetary savings assumed in this section.

Sec. 13   RCW 13.40.430 and 1993 c 373 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     The ((department)) administrator for the courts shall ((within existing funds)) collect such data as may be necessary to monitor any disparity in processing or disposing of cases involving juvenile offenders due to economic, gender, geographic, or racial factors that may result from implementation of section 1, chapter 373, Laws of 1993. ((Beginning December 1, 1993, the department shall report annually to the legislature on economic, gender, geographic, or racial disproportionality in the rates of arrest, detention, trial, treatment, and disposition in the state's juvenile justice system. The report shall cover the preceding calendar year. The annual report shall identify the causes of such disproportionality and shall specifically point out any economic, gender, geographic, or racial disproportionality resulting from implementation of section 1, chapter 373, Laws of 1993.)) The administrator for the courts may, in consultation with juvenile courts, determine a format for the collection of such data and a schedule for the reporting of such data and shall keep a minimum of five years of data at any given time.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 14   The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
     (1) RCW 71.24.820 (Mental health system review -- Implementation of status reports) and 2001 c 334 s 3; and
     (2) RCW 71.24.830 (Mental health system review -- Content of status reports) and 2001 c 334 s 4.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 15   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; and
     (3) RCW 72.23.450 (Annual report to the legislature) and 2000 c 22 s 8.