HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1372

BYRepresentatives Rector, Jacobsen, Scott, Brekke, Dellwo, Day, Wineberry, Prentice, Leonard and Wang

Establishing the center for children and family studies.

House Committe on Higher Education

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (14)

      Signed by Representatives Jacobsen, Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Van Luven, Ranking Republican Member; Basich, Doty, Fraser, Heavey, Inslee, Jesernig, Miller, H. Myers, Prince, Rector and Wood.

House Staff:Susan Hosch (786-7120)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION FEBRUARY 27, 1989

BACKGROUND:

From time to time, the Legislature has assigned statutory academic and research responsibilities to a designated college or university.  Academic responsibilities which are assigned by statute to the University of Washington include courses of instruction in law, medicine, forest products, logging engineering, library sciences, aeronautic engineering, and fisheries.  Both the University of Washington and Washington State University have statutory responsibility for courses in pharmacy; architecture; civil, electrical, mechanical, and chemical engineering; and forest management.

Because the University of Washington is one of the country's premier research universities, the Legislature has also assigned to it special research and management responsibilities.  By statute, the University of Washington is responsible for the management of the Washington High-Technology Center, a Children's Center for Research and Training in Mental Retardation, an occupational and environmental research facility within the school of medicine, and a university hospital.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL: The Legislature finds that a need exists for a university center to compile data on issues related to child development and to dysfunctions affecting children and their families.  A need also exists to provide training in children and family issues to professionals engaged in many fields.

A Center for Children and Family Studies is established at the University of Washington.  The Center will conduct research and collect data on a variety of issues affecting children and their families.  The Center will evaluate existing programs and available methods currently in use to help alleviate problems faced by children and their families.  The Center will also research new methods for solving problems faced by children.

The Center will examine barriers that inhibit the formulation of cohesive problem solving strategies among various academic disciplines and service providers involved in helping address issues affecting children and their families.  The Center will provide information, education, training, job exchanges, and other educational and occupational opportunities to professionals dealing with these issues. The Center will also provide cost-benefit analyses on program funding alternatives available from public and private funding sources.

The center may collaborate with other schools and departments within the University.  The Center must collaborate, cooperate, and consult with other institutions of higher education possessing needed expertise. The center must subcontract with other departments of social work when those departments have expertise in areas not readily available at the center.  The center must also collaborate with state agencies that serve children and their families.

The Center will report to the Legislature biennially on the center's programs, activities, results, and on legislative proposals that the Center's personnel believe can alleviate the problems faced by children and their families.  The report will include information on collaborative projects.

The Center may receive funds from any source, and may charge reasonable fees for workshops, conferences, publications and materials.

The sum of $500,000 is appropriated to the University of Washington for the purposes of this act.  The act shall expire on June 30, 1993.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL: Language on the collaborative nature of the center is strengthened. The Center is required to collaborate with state agencies and institutions of higher education that have needed expertise.  The center may collaborate with departments and schools within the University of Washington.  A biennial, rather than annual report is required.  The sum of $500,000 is appropriated for the 1989-91 biennium.  The act will expire in 1993 rather than 1991.

Appropriation:    $500,000 to the University of Washington for the 1989- 91 biennium.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Scott Briar and Anthony Ishisaka, University of Washington; Bill Horner, Eastern Washington University; Cecily McKelvey-Creed; Judy Kopp and Karen Tvedt, Department of Social and Health Services; T.K. Bentler, Alliance for Children, Youth and Families.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    This legislation creates positive, proactive ways of addressing problems facing children and their families.  Creating a center will harness the research and educational resources of the University of Washington and other institutions to address the complex difficulties plaguing American families.  The center will build collaborative relationships with state agencies and other colleges and universities. It will evaluate cost-effective methods of addressing problems and recommend effective alternatives to the Legislature. It will provide a needed statewide data base and lead to better research on children and family problems facing citizens living in rural areas and small communities.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.