Brief Description: Establishing a permanency and postadoption services pilot program.

Sponsors: Representatives Pettigrew, Haler, Walsh, Hinkle, Dickerson, Roberts, Kenney and Ormsby.

Hearing Date: 2/22/07

Staff: Sydney Forrester (786-7120).

Background:

The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) reports that in 2003, 1204 adoptions of children from the state's foster care system were completed, with many children still awaiting adoptive homes. Approximately 2,000 children in Washington currently are eligible for adoption out of foster care. These children are legally free and eligible for adoption because the parental rights of their parents have been terminated by a court of law.

Children adopted out of the foster care system frequently have special needs as a result of having been abused and/or neglected. These children may have medical, mental, or physical health needs, developmental delays, and/or developmental disabilities. Families adopting children with special needs from the foster care system usually qualify for a monthly cash payment, or an adoption subsidy, to help pay some of the expenses of raising a child with special needs. Adoptive families also may receive some limited training related to the child's needs prior to placement. Other than the adoption subsidy and limited training, however, there is no statewide program of coordinated permanency and post-adoption support for children with special needs and their adoptive families.

Adoption disruption occurs after a child has been placed with an adoptive family but before the adoption has been finalized. The disruption means the child is returned to foster care either permanently or until the child is returned to the adoptive home or is placed in another adoptive home. Adoption dissolution or termination occurs when a child is returned to foster care after the adoption has been finalized. Various studies of nationwide trends indicate that adoption disruption rates range between 8 percent and 16 percent. Research on adoption dissolutions indicates between 1 percent and 7 percent of adoptions are terminated after being finalized.

Risk factors associated with adoption disruption include: age of child; severity of abuse or neglect; disabilities and behavior problems; ethnicity, family structure, and socio-demographics; and family and child characteristics.

Summary of Bill:

The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is directed to contract with community-based organizations in two or more pilot sites for delivery of post-adoption services to children who have been adopted out of foster care and their adoptive families. The pilots must be designed to gather data regarding the effectiveness of the coordination and delivery of services in reducing adoption disruptions and terminations and in increasing the number of potential adoptive families.

Contracted providers at the pilot sites must coordinate interventions and supports designed to prevent disruption of adoptive placements, improve parent-child relationships, and strengthen family functioning. Services to be coordinated at the pilot sites include intensive services, such as child assessments; case management; parent-to-parent mentoring; planned respite; and crisis management; as well as less intensive services, such as parent education, information, and referral.

By January 2008, the DSHS must provide the Legislature a progress report on implementation of the pilot sites. Beginning in January 2009 and through January 2001, the DSHS will brief the Legislature on the operation of the pilot program, including the data regarding the effectiveness of the coordination and delivery of services in reducing adoption disruptions and terminations and increasing the number of potential adoptive families. The pilot program expires in January 2012.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 21, 2007.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.