BILL REQ. #:  S-4264.1 

Read first time 01/17/08.   Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.

     AN ACT Relating to screening and treating children with attachment disorders; creating new sections; making appropriations; and providing expiration dates.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature recognizes many children in state care have suffered physical, mental, and emotional abuse and neglect, resulting in an inability to trust or develop healthy relationships with others, a condition referred to as reactive attachment disorder.
     It is the intent of this act to create a single county pilot project that will deliver a comprehensive and integrated approach to the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of reactive attachment disorder. The goal of the pilot project is to develop an intake tool and evidence-based intervention services to permit early recognition and treatment of children with reactive attachment disorder served by the children and family services division of the department of social and health services.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The department shall institute a pilot program providing the services required by this act. The pilot program shall be conducted within the confines of Clark county, providing services to children served by the children and family services division of the department within that county.
     For purposes of this act, the following definitions apply:
     (1) "Department" means the department of social and health services.
     (2) "Provider" means a private child development program provider with experience in the diagnosis and treatment of children with reactive attachment disorder.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   (1) The department shall contract with a provider to develop an intake tool for screening and assessing reactive attachment disorder in children served by the department's children and family services division.
     (2) The intake tool shall be developed no later than September 1, 2008.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   (1) The department shall contract with the provider selected in section 3 of this act for screening children served by the department's children and family services division for reactive attachment disorder using the intake tool.
     (2) Children under the age of nine entering the foster care system shall be screened and assessed for reactive attachment disorder.
     (3) Additional children may be referred by the department for screening based upon available resources.
     (4) In addition to the services in subsection (1) of this section, the provider shall provide training to enable the intake tool to be effectively and properly utilized by appropriate department personnel.
     (5) The department shall pay for the screening services provided to a child under this section.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   (1) The department shall contract with the provider selected in section 3 of this act for the provision of integrated and evidence-based intervention services for children diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder.
     (2) In addition to services in subsection (1) of this section, the provider shall provide training to enable the intervention services to be effectively and properly utilized by appropriate department personnel.
     (3) The department shall pay for the intervention services provided to a child under this section.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   The joint legislative audit and review committee shall conduct a study of the pilot program. The study shall evaluate the effectiveness of the intake tool and treatment service model provided in the pilot program. The committee shall provide a report and recommendations to the legislature no later than December 1, 2010.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   (1) The sum of one million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, from the general fund to the department of social and health services for the purposes of this act.
     (2) The sum of one million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2010, from the general fund to the department of social and health services for the purposes of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8   (1) Sections 1 through 5 and 7 of this act expire June 30, 2010.
     (2) Section 6 of this act expires December 1, 2010.