Sponsors: Representatives Pettigrew, Boldt, Moeller, Kagi, Lovick, Orcutt, Dickerson, Chase, Darneille, Eickmeyer, O'Brien, Roach, Armstrong, Flannigan, Jarrett, Clibborn, Lantz, Kenney, Benson, Shabro, Nixon, Morrell, Mielke and Haigh.

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

• Requires the Department of Social and Health Services to: develop a relative search process; seek to establish kinship care navigator pilot projects; and establish an oversight committee on kinship care.

• Establishes a kinship caregiver’s authorization affidavit.

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 9 members: Representatives Kagi, Chair; Darneille, Vice Chair; Boldt, Ranking Minority Member; Roach, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Bailey, Dickerson, Miloscia, Pettigrew and Shabro.

In 2001 the Legislature directed the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) to study the prevalence and needs of families who are raising related children. In June 2002 the WSIPP issued a report describing the prevalence and characteristics of kinship care, needs of kinship care providers in the state, policies and services available in Washington and other states, and policy options that may increase appropriate kinship care placements.

In anticipation of the release of the WSIPP report, the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) was required to convene a kinship caregivers workgroup to review the report and develop a briefing for the Legislature identifying the policy issues related to kinship caregivers, the federal and state statutes associated with these issues, and options to address the issues.

The Kinship Care Workgroup, which the DSHS formed in response, reported to the Legislature in November 2002 with recommendations identifying a number of steps that could be taken by the Legislature or by the DSHS that encompassed the following areas related to kinship care: financial needs; service delivery and practice; legal issues; social services; and issues for federal action.

The Kinship Care Workgroup put forth a total of 16 high priority recommendations, including the following:

• The Children's Administration of the DSHS should strengthen elements of the relative search process that would increase the number of children placed with willing and able relatives when out-of-home placement is required;

• The DSHS should train and establish "Kinship Care Navigators" in each DSHS region;

• The state should adopt a Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit, modeled on one that has operated successfully in California since 1994, which would authorize relative caregivers to enroll a child in school and obtain medical care for the child; and

• The Legislature should mandate and fund an ongoing committee of relative caregivers and others to oversee the implementation of the recommendations in this report and continue future work on kinship care in the state.

The DSHS must implement strategies to increase the number of children placed with willing and able relatives when out-of-home placement is required. At a minimum, the DSHS must:

• Develop a standardized, statewide protocol to be used for relative search activities; and

• Develop a policy for conducting active outreach efforts to identify and locate relatives during initial and ongoing searches.

The DSHS must collaborate with one or more nonprofit community-based agencies to develop a grant proposal to establish a minimum of two kinship care navigator pilot projects, to assist kinship caregivers with understanding and navigating the system of services for children in out-of-home care.

A kinship caregiver's authorization affidavit is created that could be used to authorize a kinship caregiver to enroll a minor in school and consent to school-related medical care on behalf of a minor in his or her care, and to authorize a kinship caregiver to consent to medical care and dental care on behalf of a minor in his or her care.

The DSHS must establish an oversight committee to monitor, guide, and report on kinship care recommendations and implementation activities.

Within the relative search process, the DSHS must increase use of both family group conferences and other appropriate case consultations upon determining that a child is likely to remain in foster care for more than 60 days. The DSHS is required to collaborate with one or more nonprofit community-based agencies to develop a grant proposal for submission to potential funding sources in order to establish the kinship care navigator pilot projects. Implementation of the pilot projects is contingent upon receipt of non-state or private funding for that purpose. The definition of "extended family member" from the Federal Indian Child Welfare Act is included within the term "qualified relative," for the purposes of the kinship caregiver’s authorization affidavit. Representatives of Washington Indian tribes are included in the membership of the oversight committee on kinship care.

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

Testimony For: (Original bill) Kinship care provides children with stability and continuity. The relative search process will provide an initial connection with family. Kinship caregivers are faced with numerous difficulties, including limited financial means, unanticipated costs, and limited supports. Kinship caregivers should be supported by the state, even beyond what is provided for in this bill. Kinship care is cheaper for the state than placing a child in foster care. The kinship care navigators will provide an important service to kinship caregivers around the state by connecting them to valuable services and supports, as has been evidenced by individuals already working in that capacity in the state. Many children, upon entering the home of a kinship caregiver, are in great need of medical care. With the kinship caregiver's authorization affidavit, a kinship caregiver can consent to that medical care. The oversight committee on kinship care can be important in the future in relation to supports and services for kinship caregivers not provided in this bill.

(Neutral) This bill relates to some of the issues covered in the WSIPP report titled, ‟Kinship Care in Washington State: Prevalence, Policy and Needs.”

Testified: (In support) Representative Pettigrew, prime sponsor; Kip Tokuda, City of Seattle; Sherry Castro and Alan Brown, Catholic Community Services; Annie Harding, grandma; Viola Hansel, Parents Again; Kristie Lund, Kinship Care Providers - Relatives As Parents; Darlene Flowers, Foster Parents Association of Washington State; Delight Roberts, Children’s Alliance; Edith Owen, Pierce County Relatives Raising Children; Phyllis Lowe, Department of Social and Health Services; Laurie Lippold, Children’s Home Society; and Howard Winkler, citizen.

(Neutral) Jim Mayfield and Annie Pennucci, Washington State Institute for Public Policy.