AN ACT Relating to the center for children and family studies; adding new sections to chapter 28B.20 RCW; creating a new section; making an appropriation; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that child abuse, child neglect, and family violence are problems of increasing magnitude in this state. The legislature further finds that corresponding issues involving adolescent and childhood development, child-parent interaction, and difficulties due to the stress of everyday life, when exacerbated by employment problems and financial uncertainty, affect the health, happiness, and welfare of children and adults in the state of Washington. The legislature finds that while efforts exist to provide information and education on these serious problems, these efforts are fragmented and inadequate given the magnitude of the problems. The legislature declares that a need exists for a center that provides high quality training in children and family service issues to professionals engaged in medicine, law, and children and family service issues and to professionals engaged in law enforcement and other human service areas. The legislature further declares that a need exists for a center to compile data on such issues, to formulate state-of-the-art approaches to dealing with these issues, and to incorporate these approaches into new or existing theories and programs after evaluation of the effectiveness of existing programs so that the professionals involved can act most effectively in performing the functions necessary to remedy the problems and improve the quality of life of citizens of this state. The legislature intends that the center carry out its functions in concert with other public agencies and institutions of higher education in the state so that the special areas of expertise in existence at those agencies and institutions will be utilized.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28B.20 RCW to read as follows:

There is established at the University of Washington a center for children and family studies which shall be administered by the board of regents of the University of Washington.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28B.20 RCW to read as follows:

The general purposes of the center for children and family studies shall be:

(1) To conduct research and collect data on children and family issues, including but not limited to child abuse and treatment, child neglect, domestic violence, child-parent conflict, teen-parent conflict, children's mental health, the cause of rising dysfunction in children and families, caregiver stress, the problems of juggling career and family, problems of single parents, family poverty problems, and family conflict resulting from causes such as financial strain, employment burden and anxiety, and alcohol and drug abuse;

(2) To identify those professionals who are faced with or can be most effective in solving the problems identified in subsection (1) of this section, such as medical care providers, law enforcement officers, juvenile court and detention workers, lawyers, judges, social workers, mental health workers, educators, crisis care providers, and other human services providers, and to provide a resource for those professionals to use in attempting to alleviate the problems specified in subsection (1) of this section;

(3) To evaluate the programs which presently exist and the methods available to deal with the problems specified in subsection (1) of this section, and the skills and knowledge of the professionals who work with individuals affected by those problems;

(4) To study and develop a state-of-the-art approach to solving those problems specified in subsection (1) of this section or minimizing the effect of those problems on the children of this state;

(5) To provide information, education, training, internships, seminars, post-doctoral work, sabbaticals, rotations, and job exchanges between faculty, child welfare workers, and other professionals working in the field of children and family issues;

(6) To examine the existing barriers which inhibit the formulation of cohesive service strategies among various providers and disciplines, and to address methods for elimination of those barriers and the development of cohesive services and technology which transcend the various disciplines involved;

(7) To examine the cost-benefit ratio of various funding alternatives from federal, state, and local governmental agencies and from private sources;

(8) To report biannually to the legislature, prior to the odd-numbered year legislative session, on the activities, programs, results, and proposals for legislation which the center believes can improve the situation of those suffering from the problems specified in subsection (1) of this section. The center's report shall include subsections reported by collaborative projects with other institutions and agencies; and

(9) To collaborate with state agencies that serve children and families in identifying objectives and in facilitating access for use and collection of data needed for the center's projects.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 28B.20 RCW to read as follows:

The center may collaborate with other schools and departments in the university that have expertise in child and family issues, including but not limited to: Nursing, public health, public affairs, and medicine. The center shall collaborate, cooperate, and consult with other institutions of higher education possessing expertise needed by the center. The institute shall subcontract with other departments of social work, at other institutions of higher education, when the departments have expertise in areas not readily available at the center.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 28B.20 RCW to read as follows:

The center for children and family studies may receive such gifts, grants, and endowments from private or public sources as may be made from time to time, in trust or otherwise, for the use and benefit of the purpose of the center and expend the same or any income therefrom according to the terms of the gifts, grants, or endowments. The center may charge reasonable fees, or other appropriate charges, for attendance at workshops and conferences, for various publications and other materials which it is authorized to prepare and distribute for the purpose of defraying all or part of the costs of those activities and materials.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The sum of five hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1991, from the general fund to the University of Washington center for children and family studies, to carry out the purposes of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. This act shall expire on June 30, 1993.