HOUSE BILL REPORT
ESHB 1858
BYHouse Committee on Human Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Sprenkle, Ferguson, Brekke, P. King, Winsley, Leonard, Sutherland, Locke and Anderson)
Requiring consideration of minority race or minority ethnic heritage in adoptions and foster care placements.
House Committe on Human Services
Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. (5)
Signed by Representatives Brekke, Chair; Scott, Vice Chair; Anderson, Leonard and Sutherland.
Minority Report: Do not pass. (4)
Signed by Representatives Moyer, Padden, H. Sommers and Winsley.
House Staff:Jean Wessman (786-7132)
AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 12, 1988
BACKGROUND:
Minority children comprise about 27 to 31 percent of all children who are placed in out-of-home care. This rate is three times the prevalence of minorities in the general population and over twice the amount of minority homes available for foster care or adoption. The Department of Social and Health Services reports a growing shortage of appropriate foster care and adoptive families for minority children.
The department's current recordkeeping methods do not contain data necessary to determine the amount of services to minority children and for reports to the federal government necessary for funding purposes.
SUMMARY:
A state policy is declared to serve the best interests of children by considering a child's race, ethnic and cultural heritage, and religious preference in making foster care and adoptive placements.
The statutes related to adoption, foster care placements and families in conflict are modified to require the Department of Social and Health Services and other child-placing agencies to give preference to a child's race or ethnic and cultural heritage, and religious preference in making placements unless there is good cause to the contrary. When a family of a different racial or ethnic heritage is chosen, the child-placing agency shall consider the family's willingness and capability to educate and expose the child to his or her racial, ethnic and cultural heritage. The custodial parent or the child if 13 or older may designate the child's racial, ethnic, cultural or religious heritage preference, unless there is compelling reason to use another preference.
Child-placing agencies are required to use special efforts to recruit placement homes from among the child's relatives or among families of the same ethnic, racial or religious heritage of the child.
The duty to compile statistical information on placement preference regarding race and ethnic heritage is added to the list of duties the department has in providing child welfare service.
Intercountry adoptions are defined as being between the United States and another sovereign nation.
Fiscal Note: Requested January 25, 1988.
House Committee ‑ Testified For: Representative Art Sprenkle, Prime Sponsor; Jon LeVeque, Alliance for Children, Youth and Families; Katherine Briar and Joyce Hopson, Department of Social and Health Services; Robin Prentice, Good News for Black Children; and Vergie Burks, Medina Children's Service.
House Committee - Testified Against: None Presented.
House Committee - Testimony For: This legislation is necessary to place in statute the state's commitment to consideration of its cultural and ethnic minorities and the religious preferences of persons who become involved in its child welfare systems. Such a policy statement is very important in improving the recruitment of minority homes for both adoption and foster care. Such homes are becoming part of the growing shortage of homes in the overall system and extensive media campaigns are necessary to recruit minority homes in particular. The consideration of a child's cultural and ethnic heritage as well as religious preference is not mandated by the legislation but requires the Department to consider it in foster care placements, adoptions, and placements under the families in conflict statute.
House Committee - Testimony Against: None Presented.