BILL REQ. #: H-4579.1
| State of Washington | 58th Legislature | 2004 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/02/04.
AN ACT Relating to collaboration among public and private providers of child welfare services; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that both the
department of social and health services and community-based agencies
play integral roles in protecting and supporting vulnerable children
and youth throughout the state. By strengthening collaboration on
decision making and service delivery, the department and community-based agencies can improve services for families by ensuring consistent
availability and implementation of programs throughout the state and
can ensure the best utilization of available funds to meet the needs of
Washington's families.
It is the intent of the legislature to establish a process to
ensure collaboration of department of social and health services staff
and community-based agency staff in the provision of services to
families involved in the child welfare system across the state.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 (1) The department of social and health
services shall convene regional and local department staff and
community-based agency staff to develop recommended policies and
protocols concerning collaborative decision making relating to both
administrative processes and services provided to families, including,
but not limited to, contracting practices, referral practices, and
resource allocation.
(2) The department of social and health services shall submit its
recommended policies and protocols developed pursuant to subsection (1)
of this section to the governor and the appropriate committees of the
legislature by December 1, 2004.