SENATE BILL REPORT

SHB 2346

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.

Signed by Senators Prentice, Chair; Fraser, Vice Chair, Capital Budget Chair; Tom, Vice Chair, Operating Budget; Zarelli, Ranking Minority Member; Fairley, Hobbs, Honeyford, Keiser, Kline, Kohl-Welles, McDermott, Pridemore, Regala, Rockefeller and Schoesler.

Minority Report: That it be referred without recommendation.

Signed by Senators Brandland, Parlette and Pflug.

Background: Crisis residential centers (CRCs) and secure crisis residential centers (SCRCs) are state-funded facilities available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and provide a maximum five-day placement for runaway youth or youth in conflict with their families. Staff at the CRCs and SCRCs work to stabilize the youth by referring them and their families to counseling and treatment services. The maximum length of time a child can stay in a semi-secure or secure crisis residential center is 5 days.

The SCRCs are designed and operated to prevent youth from leaving the facility without parental or staff permission. Law enforcement officers may transport runaway youth or youth determined to be in dangerous situations to a SCRC. These facilities have locking doors, locking windows, and a secured perimeter designed to prevent the youth from leaving.

Summary of Bill (Recommended Amendments): Youth may remain at a semi-secure CRC for a maximum of 15 days per admission. The aggregate time a youth may spend at both a secure and semi-secure CRC may not exceed 15 days, and in no event may a youth's stay in a secure CRC exceed five days.

In the event a runaway youth appears at a Department of Social and Health Services office, the caseworker may take the youth to a secure CRC after notifying the youth's parents of the youth's whereabouts. The caseworker may not take a youth to a secure CRC if the caseworker has reasonable cause to believe the reason for the youth's runaway status is due to abuse or neglect.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: The time limits on CRCs are dated. The five-day maximum is an insufficient time to stabilize youth, provide counseling, and convene the community treatment programs. This five-day time period requires centers to move children for the sake of moving them. This bill extends that time frame and will not result in additional costs to the state.