H-1973.1                  _______________________________________________

                                             SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1693

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State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By House Committee on Human Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Thibaudeau, Leonard and King)

Read first time 03/03/93.

Authorizing issuance of credit cards to foster parents for expenses relating to care and support of foster children.

          AN ACT Relating to foster parents; adding a new section to chapter 74.13 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that foster parents are often required to spend their own money on the care and treatment of foster children because the department of social and health services reimburses foster parents retrospectively for expenses incurred.  This places an additional burden on foster parents who are currently experiencing more difficult children for placement, low reimbursement rates, and demands for increased training and service outcomes.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 74.13 RCW under the subchapter heading "Foster Care" to read as follows:

          The department of social and health services shall develop a system for providing foster parents with prospective reimbursement for expenses incurred related to the care and treatment of foster children.  The department may issue credit cards, use electronic benefit transfer technology, or other methods to address this problem.

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