Brief Description: Regarding the joint task force on the administration and delivery of services to children.

Sponsors: Senators Stevens, Hargrove, Carrell, Brandland and Rasmussen.

Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections
House Committee on Children & Family Services

Background: The Children's Administration (CA) and the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration (JRA) are currently two separate administrations within a larger agency, the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). CA and JRA are each led by an assistant secretary who reports to the Secretary of DSHS. CA provides and oversees services to families with children regarding their safety and placement. JRA operates the state's juvenile rehabilitation facilities and related functions.

DSHS was created in 1970 to combine the powers, duties, and functions vested in the existing Departments of Public Assistance, Institutions, Veterans Rehabilitation Council, and Vocational Rehabilitation. DSHS currently provides services to other needy populations through the Aging and Disability Services Administration (providing residential, home, and community services for these populations), the Economic Services Administration (providing financial assistance through public assistance and employment programs, child support, and child care), the Health and Rehabilitative Services Administration (providing mental health, alcohol and substance abuse, deaf and hard of hearing, vocational rehabilitation, and civil commitment services) and the Medical Assistance Administration (providing medicaid, medicare, and related services).

In 2005, the Legislature created a task force to determine the most appropriate and effective administrative structure for delivery of social and health services to children and families. This task force was to compare the effectiveness of service delivery as part of an umbrella agency as well as service delivery as a separate entity and examine administrative structures used to deliver the same services in other states. The task force met several times over the interim. The task force requested an extension of the deadline to report findings to the Governor and the Legislature and an expansion of its membership.

Summary: Membership of the task force created to examine the delivery of services to children and families is expanded to include representatives of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Office of Public Defense. Representatives of the House Office of Program Research and Senate Committee Services must provide staff support and may provide consultation services to the task force. The task force must report its recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature by December 1, 2006.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      45   0
House      98   0   (House amended)
Senate      48   0   (Senate concurred)

Effective: June 7, 2006