HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2819

BYRepresentatives Brekke, Hargrove, Padden, Sayan, Jones, Tate, Valle, Prentice, Rayburn, Day, P. King, May, Winsley, Leonard, Walker, Scott, H. Myers, Rector, Cooper, Rasmussen and Van Luven 

Creating a children's ombuds.

House Committe on Human Services

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

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

House Staff:Dave Knutson (786-7146)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  The substitute bill by Committee on Human Services be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (20)

      Signed by Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Youngsman, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Belcher, Bowman, Brekke, Dorn, Doty, Ebersole, Hine, Inslee, May, McLean, Nealey, Peery, Rust, Sprenkle, Valle and Wineberry.

House Staff:      Michelle Hauth (786-7384)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS FEBRUARY 5, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The Division of Children and Family Services within the Department of Social and Health Services receives more citizen complaints than any other organization in the agency.  It is difficult to investigate and resolve many of these complaints brought by parents.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  The director of the Department of Community Development will appoint a person to investigate complaints and resolve disputes involving child welfare services provided by the Department of Social and Health Services and any citizen bringing a complaint. The person appointed to investigate and resolve complaints will maintain a toll-free hotline, have access to records, maintain the confidentiality of records where required by federal or state law, interview appropriate people, and prepare recommendations to resolve complaints.  The person appointed to investigate and resolve complaints is designated a mandatory reporter for allegations of child abuse and neglect.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  Chapters of the Revised Code of Washington relating to child welfare services are included in the children's ombuds authority to investigate complaints.  The location of the ombuds office is shifted from the state auditor to the Department of Community Development.  The ombuds' ability to disclose confidential information is constrained by federal and state statute.  The ombuds is designated a mandatory reporter for allegations of child abuse and neglect.  The ombuds is authorized to interview parents involved in allegations of improper administrative acts, but not children.

CHANGES PROPOSED BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS:  None.

Appropriation:    $90,000 to the Department of Community Development.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Human Services)  Malcom Ward and Margie Kranz.

(Appropriations)  Representative Joanne Brekke, prime sponsor; and Margie Kranz.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Human Services)  Katharine Briar, Department of Social and Health Services.

(Appropriations)  No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Human Services)  An independent person to investigate complaints and provide resolution services for child welfare cases is needed.  The Department of Social and Health Services cannot be trusted to investigate itself.

(Appropriations)  This bill would provide an objective review of complaints about the Department of Social and Health Services when a child is taken or not taken out of the home.  This establishes an outside entity to review the processes and make recommendations.  The cost of this program would be covered by the savings in legislative and department staff time investigating complaints.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Human Services)  The Department of Social and Health Services should continue to investigate child welfare complaints made against it. This will help improve management of child welfare programs.

(Appropriations)  None.