H-4013              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1589

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Representatives K. Wilson, Ferguson, Walk, Winsley, Crane, Haugen, Cantwell, Scott, Wineberry and Armstrong

Read first time 1/20/88 and referred to Committee on Human Services. Referred to Committee on Ways & Means 2/5/88.

AN ACT Relating to dependency of high-risk youths; adding a new section to chapter 13.34 RCW; 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 13.34 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) Children age fifteen or under shall be found to be dependent if their conduct places them at high risk of substantial damage to their physical or mental health.  A child shall be found dependent under this category if she or he has a significant history of chemical dependence, chronic truancy or runaway, serious family conflict, homelessness, or suicidal behavior.

          (2) The court may order that a child found to be dependent under this section be placed in a secure facility created in accordance with section 2 of this act.  Before a child may be placed in a secure treatment and evaluation setting, a court shall find that it is highly probable that failure of the child to participate in or successfully complete a required treatment program would constitute a clear and present danger to the child's own physical or emotional welfare and that there is no viable, less-restrictive alternative to such placement or that the youth has refused less-restrictive placement.

          (3) The child shall be placed in a secure treatment and evaluation setting for as brief a period as possible and in any event not longer than forty-five days, and such placement may occur only once in each year.  Further, secure placement facilities shall not be part of juvenile court detention.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 74.13 RCW to read as follows:

          The department of social and health services shall develop a juvenile plan for each county which includes a facility to meet the needs of high-risk dependent youth as defined by section 1 of this act.  The facility shall provide a continuum of early intervention services including comprehensive evaluation and treatment services and multidisciplinary mediation teams.  The facility shall also provide protection and treatment to children in crisis and shall exhibit a clear preference for the least-restrictive alternatives.  The department shall report annually to the legislature on the plan, progress, and current need.