ESSB 5872 -
By Committee on Children & Family Services
NOT ADOPTED 04/07/2005
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 Under the direction of the joint task force
created in section 2 of this act, the Washington state institute for
public policy shall conduct a study to determine the most appropriate
and effective administrative structure for delivery of social and
health services to the children and families of the state, including
how best to ensure that an administrative structure has defined lines
of responsibility for delivering services to children and families in
need and the best means for the public to hold government accountable
for delivery of those services. The institute shall compare the
effectiveness of: Including social and health services to children and
families within an umbrella agency, such as the current department of
social and health services; establishing a separate agency for social
and health services to children and families whose administrator
reports directly to the governor; or creating a children and family
services cabinet reporting directly to the governor. The institute
shall, as part of the comparison, examine the administrative structures
used in other states to deliver social and health services to children
and families.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 (1) A joint task force is created to
determine the most appropriate and effective administrative structure
for delivery of social and health services to the children and families
of the state. The joint task force shall direct the study conducted by
the Washington state institute for public policy pursuant to this act.
Membership of the joint task force shall consist of the following:
(a) The dean of the school of social work at the University of
Washington or an academic professor from a list recommended by the
dean, jointly appointed by the chairs of the house children and family
services committee and the senate human services and corrections
committee;
(b) Two members of the house of representatives appointed by the
speaker of the house of representatives, one of whom shall be a member
of the majority caucus and one of whom shall be a member of the
minority caucus, and two members of the senate appointed by the
president of the senate, one of whom shall be a member of the majority
caucus and one of whom shall be a member of the minority caucus;
(c) The secretary of the department of social and health services
or the secretary's designee;
(d) An individual with previous experience as an administrator of
a public agency providing services to children and families, jointly
appointed by the chairs of the house children and family services
committee and the senate human services and corrections committee;
(e) A juvenile court administrator, jointly appointed by the chairs
of the house children and family services committee and the senate
human services and corrections committee;
(f) A family superior court judge, jointly appointed by the chairs
of the house children and family services committee and the senate
human services and corrections committee;
(g) The director of the office of the family and children's
ombudsman;
(h) A social worker with experience in the public sector serving
children and families, jointly appointed by the chairs of the house
children and family services committee and the senate human services
and corrections committee; and
(i) Two representatives of community-based providers serving
children and families, jointly appointed by the chairs of the house
children and family services committee and the senate human services
and corrections committee.
(2) The dean of the school of social work at the University of
Washington or the academic professor, jointly appointed by the chairs
of the house children and family services committee and the senate
human services and corrections committee, shall be the chair of the
joint task force.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 (1) The Washington state institute for
public policy shall make recommendations concerning which
administrative structure or structures would best realize efficiencies
in administration and best achieve positive outcomes for children and
families, including, but not limited to, the following:
(a) Reducing the number of children at risk for abuse or neglect
and increasing the safety and well-being of children;
(b) Increasing the ability of families to care for their own
children and reducing the number of children in foster care;
(c) Increasing placement stability and permanency for children in
out-of-home care and reducing unsafe and inappropriate placements;
(d) Delivering appropriate and timely mental health services;
(e) Providing adequate and appropriate staff training and
education;
(f) Promoting foster parent recruitment, training, and retention;
(g) Reducing the frequency and duration of sibling separation;
(h) Delivering adequate and timely services to adolescents; and
(i) Increasing responsibility and accountability for achieving
goals.
(2) The institute shall also make recommendations concerning the
costs, benefits, savings, or reductions in services associated with the
various administrative structures considered in the study.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 The institute shall report its
recommendations to the joint task force created in section 2 of this
act by December 1, 2005."
Correct the title.
EFFECT: Requires the Washington State Institute for Public Policy
(WSIPP), under the direction of the joint task force created in the
bill, to conduct a study to determine the most appropriate and
effective administrative structure for delivery of social and health
services to the children and families of the state, including how best
to ensure that an administrative structure has defined lines of
responsibility for delivering services to children and families in need
and the best means for the public to hold government accountable for
delivery of those services.
Requires the WSIPP to compare the effectiveness of: Including
social and health services to children and families within an umbrella
agency, such as the current department of social and health services;
establishing a separate agency for social and health services to
children and families whose administrator reports directly to the
governor; or creating a children and family services cabinet reporting
directly to the governor. Requires the WSIPP, as part of the
comparison, to examine the administrative structures used in other
states to deliver social and health services to children and families.
Creates a joint task force to determine the most appropriate and
effective administrative structure for delivery of social and health
services to the children and families of the state. Requires the joint
task force to direct the study conducted by the WSIPP pursuant to the
bill. Membership of the task force is to consist of the following:
The Dean of the School of Social Work at the University of
Washington or an academic professor from a list recommended by the
Dean, jointly appointed by the Chairs of the House Children and Family
Services Committee and the Senate Human Services and Corrections
Committee;
Two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be a member
of the majority caucus and one of whom shall be a member of the
minority caucus, and two members of the Senate appointed by the
President of the Senate, one of whom shall be a member of the majority
caucus and one of whom shall be a member of the minority caucus;
The Secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services or
the Secretary's designee;
An individual with previous experience as an administrator of a
public agency providing services to children and families, jointly
appointed by the Chairs of the House Children and Family Services
Committee and the Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee;
A juvenile court administrator, jointly appointed by the Chairs of
the House Children and Family Services Committee and the Senate Human
Services and Corrections Committee;
A family superior court judge, jointly appointed by the Chairs of
the House Children and Family Services Committee and the Senate Human
Services and Corrections Committee;
The Director of the Office of the Family and Children's Ombudsman;
A social worker with experience in the public sector serving
children and families, jointly appointed by the Chairs of the House
Children and Family Services Committee and the Senate Human Services
and Corrections Committee; and
Two representatives of community-based providers serving children
and families, jointly appointed by the Chairs of the House Children and
Family Services Committee and the Senate Human Services and Corrections
Committee.
Provides that the Dean of the School of Social Work at the
University of Washington or the academic professor jointly appointed by
the Chairs of the House Children and Family Services Committee and the
Senate Human Services and Corrections Committee is to be the chair of
the joint task force.
Requires the WSIPP to make recommendations concerning which
administrative structure or structures would best realize efficiencies
in administration and best achieve positive outcomes for children and
families, including, but not limited to, the following:
Reducing the number of children at risk for abuse or neglect and
increasing the safety and well-being of children;
Increasing the ability of families to care for their own children
and reducing the number of children in foster care;
Increasing placement stability and permanency for children in out-
of-home care and reducing unsafe and inappropriate placements;
Delivering appropriate and timely mental health services;
Providing adequate and appropriate staff training and education;
Promoting foster parent recruitment, training, and retention;
Reducing the frequency and duration of sibling separation;
Delivering adequate and timely services to adolescents; and
Increasing responsibility and accountability for achieving goals.
Requires the WSIPP to make recommendations concerning the costs,
benefits, savings, or reductions in services associated with the
various administrative structures considered in the study.
Requires the WSIPP to report its recommendations to the joint task
force created in the bill by December 1, 2005.