SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5163

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.

Brief Description: Requiring that child protective service workers be licensed as social workers and bonded.

Background: According to a report issued in 2008 by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee entitled "Children's Administration Social Worker Qualifications," The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS)has four caseworker classifications. A master's degree in social work or an allied field is desired at each level but is not required. A bachelor's degree in a social or human services field is the minimum requirement. The amount of experience depends on the classification level, but case-carrying caseworkers are required to have at least two years of experience, one of which consists of full-time paid experience assessing risk and safety to children and providing direct family-centered practice services.

Summary of Bill: A child protective services worker must be licensed in good standing by the Department of Health in a social worker classification under RCW Title 18.225, and bonded. These requirements apply if the worker is directly engaged in:

the investigation of reports of alleged child abuse or neglect;
the assessment of risk of abuse or neglect to children; or
the provision of or referral to services designed to remedy the conditions that endanger the health, safety, and welfare of children.