HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 2189
As Amended by the Senate
Title: An act relating to the safety of child protective services and child welfare services staff.
Brief Description: Establishing a work group to address safety of child protective services and child welfare services staff.
Sponsors: By Representatives Kagi, Hinkle, Dickerson, Roberts, Darneille, Simpson, Moeller, Morrell and Santos.
Brief History:
Children & Family Services: 2/28/05, 3/2/05 [DP].
Floor Activity:
Passed House: 3/9/05, 97-0.
Senate Amended.
Passed Senate: 4/14/05, 47-0.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES
Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 9 members: Representatives Kagi, Chair; Roberts, Vice Chair; Hinkle, Ranking Minority Member; Walsh, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Darneille, Dickerson, Dunn, Haler and Pettigrew.
Staff: Cynthia Forland (786-7152).
Background:
Child Protective Services (CPS) within the Department of Social and Health Services
(DSHS) provides 24-hour, seven-day-a-week intake, screening, and investigative services for
reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. The CPS social workers investigate reports of
child abuse and neglect to assess the safety and protection needs of children, and, when
necessary, intervene by providing services designed to increase safety and protect children
from further harm. When it appears that a child is in danger of being harmed or has already
been seriously abused or neglected, the CPS, with a police officer or court order putting the
child in protective custody, places the child with a relative or in foster care.
Child Welfare Services (CWS) within the DSHS provides both permanency planning and
intensive treatment services to children and families who may need help with chronic or
serious problems that interfere with their ability to protect or parent children, such as
on-going abuse and neglect or intensive medical needs. Services through the CWS are
provided to children and families when longer-term services are needed. Most children
served through the CWS are dependents of the state, in out-of-home care, or legally free for
adoption.
Summary of Bill:
The DSHS is required to establish a work group to develop policies and protocols to address
the safety of the CPS and the CWS staff.
Membership of the work group must include the following: representatives of the Children's
Administration of the DSHS, including representatives of CPS staff and CWS staff; law
enforcement; and prosecuting attorneys.
The DSHS must provide the developed policies and protocols to the Governor and the
appropriate committees of the Legislature by December 1, 2005.
EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S):
Requires the Department of Social and Health Services to make recommendations regarding
training to address recognition of highly volatile, hostile, and/or threatening situations and
de-escalation and preventive safety measures.
Requires that representatives of Child Protective Services and Child Welfare Services staff to
be included in the membership of the work group must be from Community Services Offices
in largely rural areas of the state as well as urban areas.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is
passed.
Testimony For: (In support) This bill is greatly appreciated.
(With amendments) The bill should be amended to provide for local engagement with law
enforcement and the DSHS staff. Local workgroups would then provide recommendations to
the Assistant Secretary of the Children's Administration to establish policies and protocols to
address worker safety.
Testimony Against: (In support) This bill assumes that public employees are in danger. It
assumes criminal behavior that does not exist. It ought to be a fair, two-sided bill. Input
from people who might be considered a threat, with reasoning as to why they might be
motivated to be a threat, should be included. The bill is unacceptable without amendments.
Persons Testifying: Bev Hermanson, Washington Federation of State Employees.
(With amendments) David Del Villar Fox, Office of Children's Administration.
(Opposed) Dave Wood, American Family Rights Association.