WSR 97-23-080

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

DEPARTMENT OF

SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES

(Economic Services Administration)

(Public Assistance)

[Filed November 19, 1997, 11:10 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: The Department of Social and Health Services rules related to the WorkFirst program. Most of these rules appear in Title 388 WAC and are developed and adopted by the Economic Services Administration (ESA). Current rules may need to be amended or repealed, or the Department of Social and Health Services may need to adopt new rules.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: ESA receives statutory authority to adopt rules from many sources, including: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.08.090, 74.08A.030, 74.08A.040, 74.08A.220, 74.04.005, 74.08A.320, 74.13.0903, 74.20A.320, 74.20.040, 74.20A.350, 74.20.360, 26.23.045, 26.23.030, 26.23.120, 26.21.016, 26.23.035, 70.58.080, 74.20A.055, 74.20A.056, and 26.23.040. Specific statutory authority will be provided for each rule filing that follows from this Preproposal Statement of Inquiry.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The WorkFirst program is legislatively mandated in response to state and federal changes to the delivery of services that used to be called Assistance to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). New WorkFirst rules went into effect in late 1997. As the program is implemented, further changes may be required. ESA intends to follow the Department of Social and Health Services policy and the Administrative Procedure Act in making those changes.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, Employment Security Department, the Social Security Administration and other administrations within the Department of Social and Health Services may need to be involved, depending on the particular rule. ESA will include all affected agencies in mailings, invitations to participate in meetings and other development activities, as needed. Whenever possible, announcements of opportunities to collaborate will be published in the Washington State Register.

Process for Developing New Rule: Agency study; and ESA will not make any changes to WorkFirst rules without involving other agencies, stakeholders, advocates and the public as much as possible through meeting invitations and inclusion on mailing lists for public comment. Whenever possible, we will announce these opportunities through publication in the Washington State Register and/or the Internet. Each rule will be developed and adopted as required by the Department of Social and Health Services policy and the Administrative Procedure Act.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Roxanne Lowe, Project Manager for Welfare Reform Implementation, Economic Services Administration, Lacey Government Center, Olympia, WA 98504-5400, phone (360) 413-3010, e-mail lowerf@dshs.wa.gov, FAX (360) 407-0605, TDY (360) 413-3001.

November 18, 1997

Merry A. Kogut, Manager