SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6226

BYSenators Bailey, Rinehart, Metcalf, Bender, Madsen, Murray, Talmadge, Lee, Saling, Warnke, Patrick, Fleming, Johnson, Sutherland, Wojahn, Hansen, Conner and Kreidler

Creating a child abuse prevention program.

Senate Committee on Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 16, 1990; January 25, 1990

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6226 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

      Signed by Senators Bailey, Chairman; Lee, Vice Chairman; Bender, Benitz, Fleming, Gaspard, Metcalf, Murray, Rinehart.

Senate Staff:Susan Mosborg (786-7439)

                  January 29, 1990

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 25, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The Legislature has recognized that teachers and other school personnel are in a unique position to identify abused and neglected children.  Professional school personnel are required to report suspected instances of child abuse and neglect.  School districts are required to develop written policies regarding prevention of child abuse and neglect, and, to establish, within available resources, child abuse and neglect prevention programs.

SUMMARY:

A task force is appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop an integrated service delivery program for child abuse prevention in the schools.  The task force must include representatives of teachers, principals, superintendents, parents, local health departments, school nurses, school counselors, Child Protective Services, and the Washington Association of Child Abuse Council.  A task force report to the Legislature is due December 15, 1990.

A cadre of child abuse prevention and education specialists is created to provide training and leadership to local school districts statewide.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction identifies and trains the specialists, and monitors their work with local school districts.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction may award grants to local school districts for training child abuse prevention specialists, and for educational program needs identified by the districts.  Program activities eligible for funding include but are not limited to: (1) training school personnel in identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect; (2) teaching students personal safety; (3) working with families; (4) training staff in counseling skills for work with abused and neglected children; (5) training staff in working with abused and neglected children in the classroom; and (6) training staff to teach parenting and pre-parenting skills.

Legislative intent to prohibit corporal punishment as a means of discipline in the schools is declared.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

Declared intent to prohibit corporal punishment is deleted.

The task force is deleted.

Use of grant funds is linked to the child abuse and neglect primary prevention program (28A.03.514) and to the requirement that school districts develop child abuse prevention policies (28A.58.255).

Teacher training in positive discipline skills is established as a grant funding priority.

Grants may be awarded to ESDs and to two or more districts applying jointly.

Appropriation:    $1,000,000 to OSPI

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested

Senate Committee - Testified: FOR:  Kip Tokuda, Washington Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect; Don Johnson, Ruth Harms, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; Carol Mason, Washington Association of Child Abuse Councils; Bev Emery, Washington Association of Sexual Assault Programs; Kris Van Gorkom, Washington Association of School Administrators; Margaret Casey, Alliance for Children, Youth and Families