1417-S2 AMH WOLF H2471.3

1417-S2 AMH WOLF H2471.3

2SHB 1417 - H AMDS 259 ADOPTED 3/10/95

By Representatives Wolfe and Carrell

On page 3, line 29, after "(5)" insert ""Multidisciplinary team" means those persons involved in helping a child who meets the definition of an at-risk youth. This group shall include the parent, guardian, or custodian, a department case worker, a representative of the counties, and a member of the following disciplines: Mental health and substance abuse. This group may include, but is not limited to the following persons: Educators, law enforcement personnel, probation officers, employers, church persons, tribal members, a member of the child's cultural community, therapists, medical personnel, social service providers, placement providers, and extended family members. Team members shall be volunteers who do not receive compensation for team activities unless an individual team member's employer chooses to provide such compensation.

(6)"

2SHB 1417 - H AMDS

By Representative Wolfe

On page 4, after line 10, insert the following:

"Sec. 5. RCW 13.32A.040 and 1994 c 304 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

Families who are in conflict or who are experiencing problems with at-risk youth may request family reconciliation services from the department. The department shall involve the local multidisciplinary teams in determining the services to be provided and in providing those services, if a local multidisciplinary team exists. Such services shall be provided to alleviate personal or family situations which present a serious and imminent threat to the health or stability of the child or family and to maintain families intact wherever possible. Family reconciliation services shall be designed to develop skills and supports within families to resolve problems related to at-risk youth or family conflicts and may include but are not limited to referral to services for suicide prevention, psychiatric or other medical care, or psychological, welfare, legal, educational, or other social services, as appropriate to the needs of the child and the family. Upon a referral by a school or other appropriate agency, family reconciliation services may also include training in parenting, conflict management, and dispute resolution skills.

Sec. 6. RCW 13.32A.130 and 1994 sp.s. c 7 s 508 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) A child admitted to a crisis residential center under this chapter who is not returned to the home of his or her parent or who is not placed in an alternative residential placement under an agreement between the parent and child, shall, except as provided for by RCW 13.32A.140 and 13.32A.160(2), reside in the placement under the rules established for the center for a period not to exceed five consecutive days from the time of intake, except as otherwise provided by this chapter. Crisis residential center staff shall make ((~~a concerted~~)) every reasonable effort to protect the child and achieve a reconciliation of the family. If a reconciliation, using family reconciliation services, and voluntary return of the child has not been achieved within forty-eight hours from the time of intake, and if the person in charge of the center does not consider it likely that reconciliation will be achieved within the five-day period, then the ((person in charge shall inform the parent and child of (1) the availability of counseling services; (2) the right to file a petition for an alternative residential placement, the right of a parent to file an at-risk youth petition, and the right of the parent and child to obtain assistance in filing the petition; and (3) the right to request a review of any alternative residential placement)) facility administrator or his or her designee shall immediately convene the multidisciplinary team, if one exists.

At no time shall information regarding a parent's or child's rights be withheld if requested. The department shall develop and distribute to all law enforcement agencies and to each crisis residential center administrator a written statement delineating the services and rights. Every officer taking a child into custody shall provide the child and his or her parent(s) or responsible adult with whom the child is placed with a copy of the statement. In addition, the administrator of the facility or his or her designee shall provide every resident and parent with a copy of the statement.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. A new section is added to chapter 13.32A RCW to read as follows:

(1) Each county shall have the authority to assemble a multidisciplinary team. To the extent possible, the multidisciplinary team shall draw upon existing community resources.

(2) The multidisciplinary team, if one exists, shall make every reasonable effort to protect the child and achieve a reconciliation of the family whenever possible. If a crisis residential center administrator or his or her designee makes a referral, the team must respond as soon as possible but no later than twelve hours after the referral is made. The team shall have the authority to assess the juvenile, and family members, if appropriate and agreed to, and shall:

(a) With parental input, develop a plan of appropriate available services and assist the family in obtaining those services;

(b) Make a referral to the designated chemical dependency specialist or the county designated mental health professional, if appropriate;

(c) Recommend no further intervention because the juvenile and his or her family have resolved the problem causing the family conflict; or

(d) With the family's consent, work with the family on a longer-term basis to achieve reconciliation of the child and family, whenever possible.

(3) To the maximum extent possible, the members of the multidisciplinary team shall include members who are representative of the cultures in the family's community.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. A new section is added to chapter 13.32A RCW to read as follows:

(1) The purpose of the multidisciplinary team is to coordinate and communicate about services offered to the child and family.

(2) At the first meeting of the multidisciplinary team, it shall choose a member to act as case manager for the family. The parent member of the multidisciplinary team must agree with the choice of case manager. Thereafter, the team shall meet periodically.

Sec. 9. RCW 13.32A.140 and 1990 c 276 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:

((~~The department shall~~)) A juvenile, his or her parent, guardian, or custodian, or the case manager of the multidisciplinary team may file a petition to approve an alternative residential placement on behalf of a child under any of the following sets of circumstances:

(1) The child has been admitted to a crisis residential center or has been placed with a responsible person other than his or her parent, and:

(a) The parent has been notified that the child was so admitted or placed;

(b) Seventy-two hours, including Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, have passed since such notification;

(d) No petition requesting approval of an alternative residential placement has been filed by either the child or parent or legal custodian;

(e) The parent has not filed an at-risk youth petition; and

(f) The child has no suitable place to live other than the home of his or her parent.

(2) The child has been admitted to a crisis residential center and:

(a) Seventy-two hours, including Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, have passed since such placement;

(b) The staff, after searching with due diligence, have been unable to contact the parent of such child; and

(3) An agreement between parent and child made pursuant to RCW 13.32A.090(2)(e) or pursuant to RCW 13.32A.120(1) is no longer acceptable to parent or child, and:

(a) The party to whom the arrangement is no longer acceptable has so notified the department;

(b) Seventy-two hours, including Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, have passed since such notification;

(d) No petition requesting approval of an alternative residential placement has been filed by either the child or the parent;

(e) The parent has not filed an at-risk youth petition; and

(f) The child has no suitable place to live other than the home of his or her parent.

Under the circumstances of subsections (1), (2), or (3) of this section, the child shall remain in a licensed child care facility, including but not limited to a crisis residential center, or in any other suitable residence to be determined by the department until an alternative residential placement petition filed by the department on behalf of the child is reviewed by the juvenile court and is resolved by such court. The department may authorize emergency medical or dental care for a child placed under this section. The state, when the department files a petition for alternative residential placement under this section, shall be represented as provided for in RCW 13.04.093.

Sec. 10. RCW 13.32A.150 and 1992 c 205 s 208 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section the juvenile court shall not accept the filing of an alternative residential placement petition by the child or the parents or the filing of an at-risk youth petition by the parent, unless verification is provided that a family assessment has been completed by the department. The family assessment provided by the department shall involve the multidisciplinary team as provided in RCW 13.32A.040, if one exists. The family assessment or plan of services developed by the multidisciplinary team shall be aimed at family reconciliation, reunification, and avoidance of the out-of-home placement of the child. If the department is unable to complete an assessment within two working days following a request for assessment the child or the parents may proceed under subsection (2) of this section or the parent may proceed under subsection (3) of this section.

(2) A child or a child's parent may file with the juvenile court a petition to approve an alternative residential placement for the child outside the parent's home. The department shall, when requested, assist either a parent or child in the filing of the petition. The petition shall only ask that the placement of a child outside the home of his or her parent be approved. The filing of a petition to approve such placement is not dependent upon the court's having obtained any prior jurisdiction over the child or his or her parent, and confers upon the court a special jurisdiction to approve or disapprove an alternative residential placement.

(3) A child's parent may file with the juvenile court a petition in the interest of a child alleged to be an at-risk youth. The department shall, when requested, assist the parent in filing the petition. The petition shall be filed in the county where the petitioning parent resides. The petition shall set forth the name, age, and residence of the child and the names and residence of the child's parents and shall allege that:

(a) The child is an at-risk youth as defined in this chapter;

(b) The petitioning parent has the right to legal custody of the child;

(c) Court intervention and supervision are necessary to assist the parent to maintain the care, custody, and control of the child; and

(d) Alternatives to court intervention have been attempted or there is good cause why such alternatives have not been attempted.

The petition shall set forth facts that support the allegations in this subsection and shall generally request relief available under this chapter. The petition need not specify any proposed disposition following adjudication of the petition. The filing of an at-risk youth petition is not dependent upon the court's having obtained any prior jurisdiction over the child or his or her parent and confers upon the court the special jurisdiction to assist the parent in maintaining parental authority and responsibility for the child. An at-risk youth petition may not be filed if the court has approved an alternative residential placement petition regarding the child or if the child is the subject of a proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW. A petition may be accepted for filing only if alternatives to court intervention have been attempted. Juvenile court personnel may screen all at-risk youth petitions and may refuse to allow the filing of any petition that lacks merit, fails to comply with the requirements of this section, or fails to allege sufficient facts in support of allegations in the petition.

Sec. 11. RCW 13.50.010 and 1994 sp.s. c 7 s 541 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) For purposes of this chapter:

(a) "Juvenile justice or care agency" means any of the following: Police, diversion units, court, prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, detention center, attorney general, the multidisciplinary team formed under chapter 13.32A RCW, the department of social and health services and its contracting agencies, schools; and, in addition, persons or public or private agencies having children committed to their custody;

(b) "Official juvenile court file" means the legal file of the juvenile court containing the petition or information, motions, memorandums, briefs, findings of the court, and court orders;

(d) "Records" means the official juvenile court file, the social file, and records of any other juvenile justice or care agency in the case.

(2) Each petition or information filed with the court may include only one juvenile and each petition or information shall be filed under a separate docket number. The social file shall be filed separately from the official juvenile court file.

(3) It is the duty of any juvenile justice or care agency to maintain accurate records. To this end:

(a) The agency may never knowingly record inaccurate information. Any information in records maintained by the department of social and health services relating to a petition filed pursuant to chapter 13.34 RCW that is found by the court, upon proof presented, to be false or inaccurate shall be corrected or expunged from such records by the agency;

(b) An agency shall take reasonable steps to assure the security of its records and prevent tampering with them; and

(c) An agency shall make reasonable efforts to insure the completeness of its records, including action taken by other agencies with respect to matters in its files.

(4) Each juvenile justice or care agency shall implement procedures consistent with the provisions of this chapter to facilitate inquiries concerning records.

(5) Any person who has reasonable cause to believe information concerning that person is included in the records of a juvenile justice or care agency and who has been denied access to those records by the agency may make a motion to the court for an order authorizing that person to inspect the juvenile justice or care agency record concerning that person. The court shall grant the motion to examine records unless it finds that in the interests of justice or in the best interests of the juvenile the records or parts of them should remain confidential.

(6) A juvenile, or his or her parents, or any person who has reasonable cause to believe information concerning that person is included in the records of a juvenile justice or care agency may make a motion to the court challenging the accuracy of any information concerning the moving party in the record or challenging the continued possession of the record by the agency. If the court grants the motion, it shall order the record or information to be corrected or destroyed.

(7) The person making a motion under subsection (5) or (6) of this section shall give reasonable notice of the motion to all parties to the original action and to any agency whose records will be affected by the motion.

(8) The court may permit inspection of records by, or release of information to, any clinic, hospital, or agency which has the subject person under care or treatment. The court may also permit inspection by or release to individuals or agencies, including juvenile justice advisory committees of county law and justice councils, engaged in legitimate research for educational, scientific, or public purposes. The court may also permit inspection of, or release of information from, records which have been sealed pursuant to RCW 13.50.050(11). Access to records or information for research purposes shall be permitted only if the anonymity of all persons mentioned in the records or information will be preserved. Each person granted permission to inspect juvenile justice or care agency records for research purposes shall present a notarized statement to the court stating that the names of juveniles and parents will remain confidential.

(9) Juvenile detention facilities shall release records to the juvenile disposition standards commission under RCW 13.40.025 upon request. The commission shall not disclose the names of any juveniles or parents mentioned in the records without the named individual's written permission."

Renumber the remaining sections consecutively, correct any internal references accordingly, and correct the title.