BILL REQ. #:  S-0981.2 

Read first time 01/28/2005.   Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.

     AN ACT Relating to older children who are victims of abuse or neglect; adding a new section to chapter 26.44 RCW; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 26.44 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The department shall develop a curriculum designed to train the staff of the department's children's administration on how to screen and respond to referrals to child protective services when those referrals may involve victims of abuse or neglect between the ages of eleven and eighteen. At a minimum, the curriculum developed pursuant to this section shall include:
     (a) Review of relevant laws and regulations, including the requirement that the department investigate complaints if a parent's or caretaker's actions result in serious physical or emotional harm or present an imminent risk of serious harm to any person under eighteen;
     (b) Review of policies of the department's children's administration that require assessment and screening of abuse and neglect referrals on the basis of risk and not age;
     (c) Explanation of safety assessment and risk assessment models;
     (d) Case studies of situations in which the department has received reports of alleged abuse or neglect of older children and adolescents;
     (e) Discussion of best practices in screening and responding to referrals involving older children and adolescents; and
     (f) Discussion of how abuse and neglect referrals related to adolescents are investigated and when law enforcement must be notified.
     (2) As it develops its curriculum pursuant to this section, the department shall request that the office of the family and children's ombudsman review and comment on its proposed training materials. The department shall consider the comments and recommendations of the office of the family and children's ombudsman as it develops the curriculum required by this section.
     (3) The department shall complete the curriculum materials required by this section no later than April 30, 2005.
     (4) The department shall use the curriculum required by this section to train all staff employed by the children's administration by August 31, 2005.
     (5) The department shall include the curriculum in its training of all new employees of children's administration.
     (6) The department shall keep a record of all of the employees who have attended the training required by this section.
     (7) The department shall review all screening decisions by child protective services related to children between the ages of eleven and eighteen on a quarterly basis through December 31, 2006. The department shall use the results of the quarterly reviews required by this section to identify employees who are not assessing and screening referrals pursuant to the law, regulations, and department policy. The results of the quarterly screening may also be used to improve the curriculum required by this section.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.