BILL REQ. #:  S-3526.3 

Read first time 01/18/2006.   Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.

     AN ACT Relating to a pilot program for family counseling; creating new sections; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature declares that:
     (1) There is credible evidence that children of divorce are at greater risk for observable behavior and adjustment problems; parental divorce has been found to predict unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, drug use, and poor psychological adjustment; and children of divorced parents face a greater mortality risk than people whose parents remained married until they reached age twenty-one;
     (2) Strong family relationships result in stronger communities and place less of a fiscal burden on the state; and
     (3) Relationship skills can be learned, and once learned these skills can facilitate communication and assist couples in avoiding conflict. In addition, effective relationship skills are utilized in parenting, the workplace, schools, neighborhoods, and other relationships.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) The secretary of the department of health shall establish a pilot program to provide merit checks of no more than one hundred dollars to no more than four hundred fifty couples who complete a family preparation course. Matching funds may be used to increase the number of participants in the pilot program. The pilot program must begin no later than January 1, 2007, and continue for no more than five years, in a county with a population between seven hundred twenty thousand and one million. Under the pilot program, a man and a woman who intend to apply for a marriage license may, together or separately, complete a family preparation course of not less than four hours with a family preparation course provider registered with the clerk of the county. The county auditor shall provide to couples interested in applying for a marriage license in the county, or to a qualified instructor, certificate of completion forms for the family preparation course and information that includes a brief explanation of the course of required instruction, the required length of time of the course, and an explanation of the qualified instructor requirements. Upon applying for a marriage license, either applicant may verify completion of a family preparation course by filing with the county auditor a valid certificate of completion from a registered course provider. Completed forms must include names and addresses of participants, the name and work address of the course provider, signatures of participants attesting to the completion of the required coursework and the required length of instruction, and the signature of the qualified instructor attesting to being a qualified instructor and providing the required coursework and time requirement for the participants.
     (2) For the purposes of this section, a family preparation course must include instruction regarding:
     (a) Conflict management;
     (b) Communication skills;
     (c) Financial responsibilities in a marriage; and
     (d) Children and parenting responsibilities.
     (3) The family preparation course must be at least four hours in length and must be taken from a qualified instructor who is a:
     (a) Licensed psychologist;
     (b) Certified social worker;
     (c) Certified marriage and family therapist;
     (d) Certified mental health counselor;
     (e) Registered counselor with relevant training or coursework;
     (f) Provider designated by a family court judge or commissioner; or
     (g) Official representative of a religious institution, if the representative has relevant training.
     (4) Any costs of the family preparation course must be paid by the applicant. Upon receipt of a certificate of completion by the county auditor, the county auditor shall forward along with the marriage certificate the individual's name and address and a copy of the certificate of completion to the department of health's statistics center for the purposes of issuing merit checks as provided under this section. The county auditor shall also send to the department of health's statistics center information on divorced or annulled couples who had previously participated in a family preparation course.
     (5) When the department of health receives a marriage certificate from the county auditor that includes a certificate of completion of a family preparation course issued by a qualified instructor consistent with this section, the department shall, within sixty days, issue a merit check to the couple, not to exceed one hundred dollars per married couple.
     (6) The department of health shall report to the appropriate committees of the legislature five years after the completion of the pilot program. The committees shall make recommendations on whether the program should be initiated statewide based on the results of the number of participants who are still married as opposed to the average divorce rate.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   The sum of forty-five thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 2007, from the general fund to the department of health for the purposes of this act.