H-1474.1

HOUSE BILL 2026

ByRepresentatives Corry, McCaslin, Dent, Griffey, Graham, Van Werven, and Eslick

AN ACT Relating to relatives of a child placed in out-of-home care; and adding a new section to chapter 74.13 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 74.13 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The department shall conduct an extensive search for relatives of a child beginning at the time the child is placed in out-of-home care to fulfill the requirements of this chapter and the requirements under chapter 13.34 RCW.

(2) The department shall make every effort to identify all possible relative placement options no later than six months after the child's placement in out-of-home care. After six months have passed since the child's placement in out-of-home care, the department shall no longer make efforts to identify all possible relative placement options. The efforts made by the department during the first six months following a child's placement in out-of-home care must be considered ongoing relative search efforts.

(3) The department shall make every effort to place a child in an identified relative placement no later than one year after a child's placement in out-of-home care. The department shall not place a child in a relative placement, unless ordered by a court under chapter 13.34 RCW, after one year if it is in the best interest of the child to remain with a stable long-term caregiver. However, if the identified relative placement is not able to be a placement resource after one year of a child's placement in out-of-home care but may be able to be a placement resource in the near future, a transition plan that includes a visitation between the child and the potential relative placement provider and a time line for possible placement must be created by the department.

(4) For the purposes of this section, "relatives" includes those persons referred to in RCW 74.15.020(2)(a) (i) through (vi).

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