HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1345

BYRepresentatives Belcher, Brough, Leonard, Grimm, Rust, Cole, Locke, Hargrove, Unsoeld, Miller, Hine, Peery, Taylor, Wineberry, Wang, Vekich, Holm, Haugen, Rayburn, Sprenkle, Walk, Cantwell, Jacobsen, Lux, P. King, Winsley, Basich, May, Brekke, Rasmussen, Appelwick, Cooper, K. Wilson and Todd

Providing for counseling for sexually abused teen parents.

House Committe on Human Services

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (9)

      Signed by Representatives Brekke, Chair; Scott, Vice Chair; Anderson, Leonard, Moyer, Padden, H. Sommers, Sutherland and Winsley.

House Staff:Jean Wessman (786-7132)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES FEBRUARY 2, 1988

BACKGROUND:

The Children's Defense Fund has found that for too many poor children and youths, teen pregnancy is one symptom of a pervasive lack of hope and too few positive life options. Teen pregnancy contributes to child and family poverty that currently victimizes thirteen million American children (l out of every 5). Too often teens who become pregnant and decide to keep the child are doing so out of complex reasons including their own level of self-esteem, having someone who will always love them, having company, and fulfilling the needs that may not be met from within the teen's own family. There is some evidence that a number of these teen parents have been subjected to child abuse and neglect and are from dysfunctional families.  Since child abuse and neglect has an extremely strong tendency to continue on through future generations if intervention is not provided, it is suggested that counseling needs to be made available to this population of teen parents.

SUMMARY:

The Legislature intends to provide counseling to assist abused and/or molested teen parents who have been identified by a state survey of teen parent student programs. The Secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) shall report back on the program by December 31, 1988.

The sum of $10,000 is appropriated for DSHS to contract with two agencies, one on the western side of the state and one on the eastern side, to provide counseling to the forty-nine teen parent school programs.

Appropriation:    $10,000.

Fiscal Note:      Requested January 14, 1988.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Representative Jennifer Belcher, Prime Sponsor; Joyce Hopson, Department of Social and Health Services; Wendy Kaeser, Heather Ringstead, Terry Cousins all of Discovery, Teen Parent Program; and Mary Ann LaFazia, Washington Alliance Concerned With School Aged Parents.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    If these young parents are not counseled about the experiences they went through as children, they are extremely likely to abuse their own children.  In order to assist them to continue in school and develop the skills to become good parents, good employees and productive citizens, it is necessary that counseling be available to overcome the dysfunctional effects of abuse and neglect suffered earlier in their lives.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.