| Passed by the House April 19, 2005 Yeas 96 ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate April 14, 2005 Yeas 47 ________________________________________ President of the Senate | I, Richard Nafziger, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is HOUSE BILL 2189 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
| Approved ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 59th Legislature | 2005 Regular Session |
Read first time 02/22/2005. Referred to Committee on Children & Family Services.
AN ACT Relating to the safety of child protective services and child welfare services staff; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that efforts to
protect children from abuse and neglect and support families are
dependent upon the efforts of staff in the field who work directly with
the children and families of this state. Child protective services
staff investigate reports of suspected child abuse and neglect and,
when necessary, intervene by providing services designed to increase
children's safety and protect them from further harm. Child welfare
services staff provide longer-term services to families, including
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.
The legislature determines that in order to perform their work, the
safety of child protective services and child welfare services staff
must be addressed.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 (1) The department of social and health
services shall establish a work group to develop policies and protocols
to address the safety of child protective services and child welfare
services staff.
(2) The department of social and health services shall make
recommendations regarding training to address recognition of highly
volatile, hostile, and/or threatening situations and de-escalation and
preventive safety measures.
(3) Membership of the work group shall include the following:
Representatives of the children's administration of the department of
social and health services, including representatives of child
protective services staff and child welfare services staff from
community service offices in largely rural areas of the state as well
as urban areas; law enforcement; and prosecuting attorneys.
(4) The department of social and health services shall provide the
developed recommendations, policies, and protocols to the governor and
the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2005.