HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1521

BYRepresentatives Leonard, Moyer, Hargrove, Ferguson, Wineberry, Winsley, Anderson, P. King, Brekke, Cole, Raiter, Scott, Prentice and Spanel

Considering minority and ethnic heritage factors in adoption and foster care placement.

House Committe on Human Services

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (11)

      Signed by Representatives Bristow, Chair; Scott, Vice Chair; Moyer, Ranking Republican Member; Tate, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Anderson, Brekke, Hargrove, Leonard, Padden, Raiter and Winsley.

House Staff:Jean Wessman (786-7132)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES FEBRUARY 20, 1989

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:

SUBSTITUTE BILL: A state policy is declared to serve the best interests of children by considering a child's race, ethnic and cultural heritage, and parental preference in making adoptive placements and giving a high priority to those factors in foster care or alternative residential placement.

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 thirteen or older, may designate the child's racial, ethnic and cultural 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 and cultural or racial heritage of the child.

The duty to compile information on the requirements of this act 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.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  A high priority shall be given to race, ethnic and cultural heritage, or parental preference when making foster care or alternative residential placements.  Religious preference is replaced by both giving consideration to and giving a high priority to parental preference, which may include religious preference.

Fiscal Note:      Requested January 30, 1989.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Representative Leonard; Eric Pettigrew, Washington State Alliance For Children Youth and Families; Joyce Hopson, Department of Social and Health Services; Michelle Aguilar, Governor's Office, Indian Affairs; Bob Watt, Parent, Alliance for Children Youth and Families; Joyce Tanner, Good News For Black Children; Laurie Lippold, Children's Home Society; Penny Vederoff, Interacial Family Association; Kristin McMullen, Independent; Shirley Caldwell, Alliance for Children Youth and Families, Minority Initiative Chair; Anita Dixon-Thomas, Washington Association of Black Social Workers and Robin Prentice, Medina Children's Service.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    All possible attempts should be made to place children with families of like race or ethnic and cultural heritage.  Parental preference in placement is also important when taking a child out of the home and subjecting them to the trauma of foster care in particular.  Foster care is intended to be only temporary with reunification of the natural family the ultimate goal. As a temporary placement, whatever measures that will ameliorate the stress on the child should be required.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.