E2SHB 2536 -
By Committee on Ways & Means
ADOPTED 03/01/2012
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 (1) The legislature recognizes that the use
of evidence-based practices plays a very important role in the delivery
of services to children and juveniles. Especially in times of
diminished resources, it is critical to fund practices which are known
to provide desired outcomes rather than continue to expend moneys on
programs that may be familiar but less effective.
(2) Evidence-based practices or programs are those that are
cost-effective and include at least two randomized or statistically
controlled evaluations demonstrating that the program or practice is
effective in obtaining improved outcomes for its intended population.
(3) The legislature intends that prevention and intervention
services delivered to children and juveniles in the areas of mental
health, child welfare, and juvenile justice must be primarily
evidence-based, and it is anticipated that such services will be
provided in a manner that is culturally competent.
(4) The legislature also acknowledges that baseline information is
not presently available regarding the extent to which evidence-based
practices are presently available and in use in the areas of mental
health, child welfare, and juvenile justice; the cost of those
practices; their effectiveness relative to other standard treatment
protocols upon which statistically controlled evaluations have not been
completed; and the most effective strategies and appropriate time
frames for expecting their broader use. Thus, it would be unwise to
establish specific requirements and time frames for widespread
implementation without further analysis and discussion.
(5) It is the intent of the legislature that the department of
social and health services will ensure that an expansion of the use of
evidence-based practices be accomplished to the extent possible with
existing resources by coordinating the purchase of evidence-based
services, the development of a trained workforce and the implementation
of a system of care that supports evidence-based practices by the
juvenile rehabilitation administration, the division of behavioral
health and recovery services, and the children's administration.
(6) The legislature recognizes that in order to effectively provide
evidence-based practices, contractors must have a workforce trained in
these programs, and there must be an evaluation of the outcomes from
their use. For purposes of this act, "contractors" does not include
county probation staff that provide evidence-based programs.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 The department of social and health services
shall accomplish the following in consultation and collaboration with
the Washington state institute for public policy, the evidence-based
practice institute at the University of Washington, a university-based
child welfare partnership and research entity, other national experts
in the delivery of evidence-based services, and organizations
representing Washington practitioners in each of the service areas:
(1) By September 30, 2012, the department shall publish descriptive
definitions of evidence-based and research-based practices in the areas
of child welfare, juvenile rehabilitation, and children's mental health
services.
(2) By June 30, 2013, the department shall complete a baseline
assessment of the extent to which evidence-based and research-based
practices are in place in the state in the areas of child welfare,
juvenile rehabilitation, and children's mental health services. The
assessment shall include estimates of (a) the number of children
receiving each service; (b) the total amount of state and federal funds
expended on the service; (c) the relative availability of the service
in the various regions of the state; and (d) the number of children
served by state programs who would significantly benefit from but who
do not presently have access to the service.
(3) By December 1, 2013, the department shall report to the
governor and to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the
legislature on recommended strategies, timelines, and costs for
increasing availability of evidence-based and research-based practices
in each of the identified areas."
E2SHB 2536 -
By Committee on Ways & Means
ADOPTED 03/01/2012
On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "juveniles;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "and creating new sections."