READ FIRST TIME 03/04/05.   

     AN ACT Relating to dependency and termination of parental rights; creating a new section; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) A joint task force on child safety for children in child protective services or child welfare services is established. The joint task force shall consist of the following members:
     (a) One member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate;
     (b) One member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
     (c) A representative from the Washington council for prevention of child abuse and neglect;
     (d) One representative from each of the four most recent child fatality review committees;
     (e) The secretary of the department of social and health services or the secretary's designee;
     (f) The executive director of the office of public defense or the executive director's designee;
     (g) The director of the office of family and children's ombudsman or the director's designee;
     (h) A representative of the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs;
     (i) The secretary of the department of health or the secretary's designee;
     (j) A representative of the office of attorney general;
     (k) A representative of the superior court judges association;
     (l) One representative each from social workers for child protective services and social workers for child welfare services, appointed by the secretary of the department of social and health services; and
     (m) The following members, jointly appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate:
     (i) A representative from a statewide foster parents association and a foster parent not affiliated with the statewide foster parents association;
     (ii) A representative from a statewide birth parent organization or a birth parent who has been involved in the child welfare system;
     (iii) Two representatives of Washington state Indian tribes as defined under the federal Indian welfare act (25 U.S.C. Sec. 1901 et seq.); and
     (iv) One representative each from two different organizations that primarily provide services to children and families involved with the child welfare system.
     (2) Two of the legislative members shall serve as cochairs of the task force.
     (3) The task force shall review and make recommendations to the legislature and the governor on improving the health, safety, and welfare of Washington children in child protective services or child welfare services. In preparing the recommendations, the committee shall, at a minimum, review the following issues:
     (a) State and federal statutes regarding child safety, placement, removal from the home, termination of parental rights, and reunification with parents;
     (b) Current and ongoing department of social and health services work groups or work plans regarding child safety, placement, removal from the home, termination of parental rights, and reunification with parents;
     (c) The purpose and value of child protection teams and determine whether any changes should be made;
     (d) Best practices regarding children removed from parents at birth and placed in out-of-home care, transition services for families with children in out-of-home placement for an extended period of time, and standards for return to home placement when a child has been placed out-of-home including situations where a child has been placed out-of-home and returned to home multiple times;
     (e) The training that is offered to social workers regarding child development and determine whether any changes should be made;
     (f) Best practices regarding sharing of accurate, complete, and relevant medical, mental health, and substance abuse information between case workers, supervisors, the courts, child protection teams, counsel, guardians, parents, and other relevant participants in child placement decisions;
     (g) Best practices for assessing and addressing chemical dependency issues of parents;
     (h) The effectiveness of current home-based service providers currently used and determine whether any changes should be made;
     (i) Best practices addressing family cultural and tribal issues and the role, if any, of social worker training or bias in safety assessment and placement decisions; and
     (j) Other issues deemed relevant to improving child safety outcomes.
     (4) The task force, where feasible, may consult with individuals from the public and private sector.
     (5) The task force shall use legislative facilities and staff from senate committee services and the house office of program research.
     (6) The task force shall report its preliminary findings and recommendations to the legislature by December 31, 2005, and a final report on its findings and recommendations by September 1, 2006.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   This act expires October 1, 2006.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.