FINAL BILL REPORT
SHB 1697
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. |
C 160 L 11
Synopsis as Enacted
Brief Description: Providing for unannounced visits to homes with dependent children.
Sponsors: House Committee on Early Learning & Human Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Roberts, Seaquist, Goodman, Orwall, Dickerson and Kenney).
House Committee on Early Learning & Human Services
Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections
Background:
The Department of Social and Health Services, Children's Administration (CA) is required to monitor children who are placed in out-of-home care or who reside with their parents on in-home dependencies. Case workers conduct visits with children to ensure they are safe and receive quality care. Case workers are required to conduct private, face-to-face visits with children on a monthly basis and are authorized to conduct unannounced visits.
Legislation enacted in 2009 established supervising agencies as part of a two-phase process to reform child welfare services. A supervising agency is defined as an agency licensed by the state or a federally recognized Indian tribe that has entered into a performance-based contract with the CA to provide case management for the delivery of child welfare services. During phase one of the process, the CA is required to consolidate and convert contracts to performance-based contracts. In phase two, supervising agencies will perform case management in selected demonstration sites.
Summary:
The CA and supervising agencies must randomly select no less than 10 percent of the caregivers currently providing care (both out-of-home placements and in-home dependencies) to receive one unannounced face-to-face visit in the caregiver's home per year. No caregiver will receive an unannounced visit for two consecutive years. If the caseworker makes a good faith effort to conduct the randomly selected unannounced visit and is unable to do so, that month's visit to the caregiver need not be unannounced. The CA and the supervising agencies are encouraged to group visits to caregivers by geographic area so that in the event an unannounced visit cannot be completed, the caseworker may complete other required monthly visits located in that vicinity.
Votes on Final Passage:
House | 82 | 15 | |
Senate | 49 | 0 | (Senate amended) |
House | 77 | 19 | (House concurred) |
Effective: | July 22, 2011 |