Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Children & Family Services Committee

HB 2574

Brief Description:  Establishing a demonstration site for a statewide children's system of care.

Sponsors:  Representatives Ogden, Dunn, Tokuda, Hankins, O'Brien, Jarrett, Fromhold, Santos, Schual‑Berke and Kenney.

Brief Summary of Bill

$Requires the secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services to establish a demonstration site for a system of care for children with emotional and behavioral disorders.

$Requires the secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services to assure the collaboration of providers of state operated and contracted services with the site.

$Requires the safety net oversight committee to consider the collaboration of local school districts with the demonstration site when determining additional allocations to special education.

$Requires an evaluation of the demonstration site and reports to legislative committees.

Hearing Date:  1/31/02

Staff:  Deborah Frazier (786‑7152).

Background:

The Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program of the federal Center for Mental Health Services provides grants to states, communities, territories, and Indian tribes and tribal organizations to improve and expand systems of care to meet the needs of children and adolescents, with serious emotional disturbance, and their families. The program supports at least 45 sites across the country, including Clark County, Washington.

This federal program promotes the development of service delivery systems through a "system of care" approach.  A "system of care" is a coordinated network of agencies and providers that make comprehensive mental health and support services available to children and their families. Decisions about services are made based on the strengths and needs of the family as a whole, as well as the individual child with a mental health problem.  Among the other child‑serving systems that may participate in a system of care are: special education, substance abuse, juvenile justice, developmental disabilities and child welfare.

The system of care model is based on three main concepts:

$the mental health service system must be driven by the needs and the preferences of the child and family;

$the management of services must be within a multiagency collaborative environment, within a strong community base; and

$the services offered, the agencies participating, and the programs generated must be responsive to children's different cultural backgrounds.

The state safety net oversight committee was established in the 2001‑03 operating budget to award additional special education funding to districts with a demonstrated need.

Summary of Bill:

The secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services is required to establish a demonstration site for a system of care for children with emotional and behavioral disorders.  Criteria for site selection are provided.  "Children's system of care" is defined.

The goals of the children's system of care are set forth.  Among these goals are: multiagency collaboration, expansion of system capacity, strengthening the role of families in system implementation, changes in financing and contracting, and, cost effectiveness.

The secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services is required to assure the collaboration of providers of state operated and contracted services with the site.

The safety net oversight committee is required to consider the collaboration of local school districts with the demonstration site when determining additional allocations to special education.

Evaluation criteria for the children's system of care are to be created, by a citizens' advisory board and the demonstration site's participating agencies, within 60 days of passage of this measure.  The evaluation criteria must be consistent with the demonstration site goals.  The evaluating entity is required to submit an interim report to the House Children & Family Services Committee and to the Human Services and Corrections Committee of the Senate by December 1, 2002.  A final report is due to the legislative committees by December 1, 2003.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on 1/22/02.

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