SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 6098
BYSenator Kiskaddon
Establishing a department of children and family services.
Senate Committee on Children & Family Services
Senate Hearing Date(s):January 13, 1988; February 2, 1988
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6098 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.
Signed by Senators Kiskaddon, Chairman; Bailey, Vice Chairman; Garrett, McDonald, Stratton.
Senate Staff:Jean Soliz (786-7755)
February 4, 1988
AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES, FEBRUARY 2, 1988
BACKGROUND:
For over ten years children's advocates and legislators have been seeking to improve the children's services delivery system years within the Department of Social and Health Services, the state's social service umbrella agency.
In 1977 juvenile code revisions were enacted to develop services and avoid institutionalizing non-offender juveniles. Although runaways are no longer treated as criminals, alternative residential programs have not been created. Many adolescents are on the streets or in temporary care, with little chance of permanent placement.
The Child Protective Services and Child Welfare Services divisions of the Department of Social and Health Services are extremely overloaded and emphasize crisis intervention instead of prevention and treatment. The result is an ever-increasing caseload and a correlative decrease in effectiveness.
The Legislature has made numerous revisions to achieve more efficiency in the provision of services to children, but these measures have not resulted in an improvement to the overall system.
SUMMARY:
A Department of Children and Family Services is created as of July 1, 1989, after a plan is approved by the Legislature in 1989. The new department will include the existing Division of Children and Family Services, the Division of Juvenile Rehabilitation, and the Divisions of Mental Health, Health and Alcohol and Substance Abuse to the extent that they serve children.
A Secretary of Children and Family Services will be appointed by the governor, after consultation with the State Children's Advisory Committee.
The Children's Advisory Committee is temporarily expanded to plan the structure of the new Department of Children and Family Services. Each caucus of each house of the Legislature is required to appoint one legislator to the Children's Advisory Committee and a representative from the Governor's Commission on Children shall be appointed by the governor.
A plan recommending a new administrative structure and a transition plan will be submitted by the Children's Advisory Committee to the Legislature by December 1, 1988. Staffing will be provided by the Department of Social and Health Services and Advisory Committee members shall have their expenses paid.
In creating the new administrative structure proposal, the Advisory Committee is required to hold a public hearing in each of the six DSHS administrative regions to seek community opinion. The Advisory Committee is also required to consult with department staff from all levels of program operation in a manner which enables them to speak freely. The Advisory Committee may create task forces in pursuit of staff or other information as the Committee deems appropriate.
The Advisory Committee shall include the concept of localized planning and delivery of services and shall reserve to the state the right to audit and monitor all programs. The plan shall comply with relevant federal laws.
The Office of Management and Budget shall prepare an appropriations transition plan which ensures that program appropriations are not reduced as a result of the transition. A report shall be submitted to the Legislature by December 1, 1988.
The new secretary is given the same statutory authority as currently held by the Secretary of Social and Health Services over relevant divisions of the department.
An emergency is declared regarding certain sections of the act.
EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:
Reports are to be given to the children's advisory committee by the Department of Social and Health Services on models for unified practice and service delivery strategies, ways to promote better utilization of case managers, increasing transfer or service strategies and communication among programs, and practice strategies that involve entire families.
The advisory committee is instructed to plan the new department with a structure that includes county contracting for local services which are currently contracted for by the state. Counties are required to submit biennial needs assessments on which the secretary will base appropriations within funds provided by the legislature. The counties will monitor local service providers.
The new plan for the department should include a mechanism which provides equalized funding for service providers which serve children and families from other counties, and the advisory committee will study the advisability of including the administration of the Aid for Dependent Children program in the new department.
The new administrative structure is to include an office of children's advocacy to investigate and respond to complaints from children or their families. The office shall have access to files and may trigger case reviews.
Appropriation: none
Revenue: none
Fiscal Note: requested January 5, 1988
Effective Date:The bill contains an emergency clause and sections 1, 2, 5 and 6 take effect immediately.
Appointments by Legislature Required: Each caucus of both houses is required to appoint one representative to the Children's Advisory Committee for calendar year 1988 only.
Senate Committee - Testified: Marianne Murphy, Director, Spokane Youth Help Association; Katharine Briar, David Brenna, Department of Social and Health Services; Don Knapp, Foster Parents Association of Washington State; Jon Leveque, Alliance for Children, Youth & Families; Larry Fehr, Washington Council on Crime and Delinquency; Mike Curtis, Washington Association of Juvenile Justice Administrators; Margaret Casey, Washington State Catholic Conference; Charles Langdon, Children's Home Society; Kathleen Burgoyne, Private Practitioner; Ronald Dear, citizen