HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 3029

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                 Children & Family Services

Title:  An act relating to contracting for family development services.

Brief Description:  Contracting for family development services.

Sponsors:  Representatives Mastin, Barlean, Regala, Grant, Santos, Crouse, McMorris, Boldt, Kessler, Anderson, Cox, Lambert, D. Sommers, Van Luven and Mitchell.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Children & Family Services:  2/3/00 [DP].

                 Brief Summary of Bill

$Creates a Family Development Program within the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (DCTED).  

$Requires the DCTED to contract with community based organizations to assist TANF recipients to achieve job readiness.

$The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is instructed to transfer Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) block grant funding to DCTED for this purpose.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives D. Sommers, Republican Co-Chair; Tokuda, Democratic Co-Chair; Boldt, Republican Vice Chair; Kagi, Democratic Vice Chair; Campbell; Carrell; Dickerson; Eickmeyer; Kastama and Pflug.

Staff:  Deborah Frazier (786-7152).

Background:

Community Action Agencies (CAA) have contracts with the Private Industry Councils (PIC), funded by federal Welfare to Work monies, to help TANF recipients achieve job readiness.

The CAAs employ a Family Development model that provides intensive, one-on-one service to TANF recipients who have multiple challenges to their ability to go to work.

The federal Welfare to Work funding has been reduced, and will be phased out.  Consequently, the contracts with the CAAs working with this population will also be phased out.

Summary of Bill:

House Bill 3029 creates a Family Development Program within the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (DCTED).  The department is instructed to contract, with community-based organizations that have certified family development specialists, for family development services.

The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is instructed to transfer TANF block grant funding to the DCTED for this purpose.  The transfer amount is specified as the annual amount allocated in 1998-1999 for the PIC contracts with community-based organizations.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Working with community organizations serving people in need is not a new idea.  This approach has proven to be effective for people in our local communities.  Federal funding for this purpose is not going to be reauthorized.  Without this bill, this work will end.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  (In support) Representative Dave Mastin, prime sponsor; and Majken Ryherd, Washington State Association of Community Action Agencies.