HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2807

                  As Amended by the Senate

Title:  An act relating to authorizing blended funding projects for youth.

Brief Description:  Authorizing blended funding projects for youth.

Sponsors:  Representatives Kagi, Boldt, Wolfe, Ruderman, D. Sommers, Tokuda, Lovick, Kenney and Santos.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Children & Family Services:  1/31/00 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  2/9/00, 97-0.

Senate Amended.

Passed Senate:  3/2/00, 45-0.

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$Authorizes and facilitates blended funding programs for children with complex needs.

$Directs the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to transfer appropriated funds to support blended funding projects.

$Defines a child's eligibility for such programs as a child eligible for and in need of  services from multiple service systems designed to address behavioral, mental, emotional, or substance abuse issues.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 9 members:  Representatives D. Sommers, Republican Co-Chair; Tokuda, Democratic Co-Chair; Boldt, Republican Vice Chair; Kagi, Democratic Vice Chair; Campbell; Dickerson; Eickmeyer; Kastama and Pflug.

Staff:  Deborah Frazier (786-7152).

Background:

Serving children with serious emotional disturbances, who require intensive services from multiple service systems, has typically been accomplished by each service system funding and providing services separately, with little or no coordination or collaboration with the other service systems.  The service systems usually involved with these children are education, child welfare, mental health, alcohol and drug, and juvenile rehabilitation.

This approach places parents, guardians, or custodians of the child in the position of trying to understand multiple funding streams, eligibility requirements and program limitations, and managing relationships with multiple entities.

Pilot programs are underway in the states to address the complex needs of these children through blended funding.  Under this approach, each service system for which the child is eligible contributes funding to the care of the child.  The total funding is managed by an administrative services entity that works with each service system's administrative requirements.  In theory, blended funding frees the child, parent and providers to focus on serving the child and achieving better outcomes.

Summary of Bill:

House Bill 2807 adds the responsibility to authorize and facilitate blended funding for children with complex needs to children and family services statutes.

The bill directs the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the secretary of the DSHS to transfer appropriated funds to support blended funding projects for youth. 

Children eligible for blended funding are defined as those eligible for, and requiring, services provided through the DSHS or a local school district that is designed to address a behavioral, mental, emotional, or substance abuse issue.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S):  Requires that proposed blended funding projects seek input from the community networks, rather than obtaining approval. Requires  the networks to submit recommendations on the project to the family policy council. 

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  The bill takes effect on July 1, 2000.

Testimony For:  The bill provides necessary administrative support for blended funding programs.  Blended funding reduces costs by providing better coordination of services for the child and family.  Children and families have better outcomes as a result.

Testimony Against:  Transferring appropriated funds from the state office level rather than local school districts or regional support networks cuts these entities out of the decision making process.

Testified:  (In support)  Representative Ruth Kagi, prime sponsor; Dr. Mick Moore, Puget Sound Educational Service District; Bob Jones, King County Blended Funding Project; Tess Thomas, Thomas House; Anthony Lanphear, Dependency Court Appointed Special Advocate Program; Bonnie Rivero; and Rosa Rivero.

(Opposed)  Jake Romo, Department of Social and Health Services.

(Concerns)  Ken Kanikeberg, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.