HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1160

BYRepresentatives Leonard, Miller, Cole, Holland, Belcher, Winsley, Prentice, Wang, Valle, Pruitt, Sprenkle, Basich, Rasmussen, Nelson, Rust, Jones, Wineberry, Dorn, Bristow, Cantwell, Ebersole, Brooks, Scott, Hine, Moyer, Brekke, Jacobsen, R. King, Kremen, Todd, G. Fisher, Doty, P. King, O'Brien, Locke, Phillips, Crane and Fraser

Dealing with community-based family support centers.

House Committe on Human Services

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (7)

      Signed by Representatives Bristow, Chair; Scott, Vice Chair; Moyer, Ranking Republican Member; Anderson, Leonard, Raiter and Winsley.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (3)

      Signed by Representatives Tate, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Hargrove and Padden.

House Staff:Jean Wessman (786-7133)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  The substitute bill by Committee on Human Services be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. (22)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Belcher, Braddock, Brekke, Bristow, Brough, Dorn, Ebersole, Ferguson, Holland, May, McLean, Peery, Rust, Sayan, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang and Wineberry.

Minority Report:  Do not pass. (4)

      Signed by Representatives Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Bowman, Nealey and Padden.

House Staff:      Sandi Gray (786-7136)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS MARCH 5, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Early intervention and prevention programs have proven to be a cost- effective method of assisting families and children. In 1985, the State of Maryland began a program of Family Support Centers and currently has eight community-based and operated centers. Located in the local neighborhood, they offer easy access to young parents especially those who might not turn to more formalized institutions.

A two-year evaluation of the Maryland Family Support Centers indicates that the centers are very successful particularly in reducing dramatically the rate of repeat pregnancies among adolescents from approximately 30 percent to 9.5 percent. Eleven percent of the teenaged mothers were employed when they became part of the program. After six months the number had doubled and by the end of 12 months, 31 percent were employed. No out-of-home placements have occurred among the children of clients of the program. Within six months of involvement with the program, 50 percent of the adolescent mothers were enrolled in school or training. Within one year, 80 percent of the adolescent mothers were enrolled in the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL: The Washington Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect shall contract for the operation of up to 10 community-based family support center programs.

Applicants for a contract shall be community interagency teams of at least two private nonprofit or public agencies who are currently providing at least one of the required services.

The program shall operate in an easily accessible location in the community and develop a marketing plan that will ensure its usage by the community. Services to be provided shall include transportation and child care to ensure access to the center, and services that provide support to families. Some of the support services that may be provided are parenting education, information and referral to other services in the community, counseling, health and nutrition education, and child development assessments.

The Council shall provide technical assistance relating to the design and implementation of the centers.

There is an appropriation of $500,000.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL: Teen pregnancy prevention and support to pregnant and parenting teens is not required as a component of a family support center.

CHANGES PROPOSED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS:  None.

Appropriation:    $500,000 to the Washington Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Human Services) Donna L. C. Fish, Teen Parent Advocate, Scriber Lake High School; Natalie Pitts, Teen Parent Program, Scriber Lake High School; Angelina Bacon, Teen Parent Program, Scriber Lake High School; Kip Tokuda, Washington Council for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect; Katharine Briar, Assistant Secretary, Department of Social and Health Services, and John Van Rooy, Olympia Schools Project, DSHS.

(Appropriations) Representative Leonard.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Human Services) None Presented.

(Appropriations) None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Human Services) Family support centers have proven very successful in Maryland at ameliorating some of the health and social risks of families without adequate support systems. Early intervention and prevention services provided in a nonthreatening neighborhood environment have increased employment, school attendance, and nutrition. They have also decreased the rate of repeat pregnancies among teens and out-of-home placement of their children.

(Appropriations) Same as for Human Services Committee.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Human Services) None Presented.

(Appropriations) None Presented.