Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Human Services & Early Learning Committee

SSB 5096

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

Allows short-term case aides who provide temporary assistance for foster parents to be volunteers with the nonprofit community-based organization contracted by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families to establish this support, not just employees.
Delays the date that the Washington State Institute for Public Policy final report on short-term case aides is due to the Legislature by one year so that it is due on June 30, 2021.

Background:

Short-Term Case Aides.

Short-term case aides provide temporary assistance to foster parents as needed with the overall goal of supporting the parental efforts of foster parents. Short-term case aides do not provide overnight support. The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is required to contract with nonprofit community-based organizations in each region to provide a statewide pool of individuals who provide short-term case aide support. Short-term case aides must be hired by the nonprofit community-based organization and have the appropriate training, background checks, and qualifications determined by the DCYF.

Short-term case aides must be available to all foster parents as funding is available. A foster parent may request a short-term case aide, and if the demand for this support exceeds the funding available, the nonprofit organization providing the short-term case aides has discretion to determine the assignment of case aides. The nonprofit organization must report all short-term case aide support provided to the DCYF.

Two community-based agencies in northwest Washington began offering short-term case aide services in June 2018. Contracts were provided to Skookum Kids to provide services in Whatcom County and to Secret Harbor to provide services in Skagit County. Both are nonprofit community-based child placing agencies. From June through September 2018, a total of 13 families requested, and eight families received, a range of support services through this program.

Reports on Short-Term Case Aides.

The Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) is evaluating the impact of the short-term case aide program on foster home retention and foster youth placement stability and calculate the return on investment to the state. The WSIPP published a preliminary report on short-term case aides in November 2018, and a final report is due to the Governor and the Legislature in June 2020.

Summary of Bill:

Short-term case aides who provide temporary assistance for foster parents may be volunteers with the nonprofit community-based organization contracted by the DCYF to establish this support, not just employees.

The date that the WSIPP final report on short-term case aides is required to be submitted to the Legislature is delayed from June 30, 2020, to June 30, 2021.