HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2174

BYRepresentative Leonard

Revising which families qualify for family reconciliation services.

House Committe on Human Services

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (11)

      Signed by Representatives Bristow, Chair; Scott, Vice Chair; Moyer, Ranking Republican Member; Tate, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Anderson, Brekke, Hargrove, Leonard, Padden, Raiter and Winsley.

House Staff:Jean Wessman (786-7132)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES MARCH 1, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Washington completely rewrote its juvenile justice code in 1979 as part of a national trend to decriminalize status offenders.  Status offenses for juveniles are those actions that would not be considered crimes for an adult. Prior to the rewrite of the juvenile code, juveniles were incarcerated for status offenses such as running away, truancy, sexual activity, or incorrigibility, often in adult facilities. The Families in Conflict statute set up a system of alternative residential placements, crisis residential centers, and family reconciliation services to attempt to ameliorate situations which had previously resulted in juvenile incarceration.  One of those services, family reconciliation services, has proven to be a successful intervention tool in preventing out-of-home placements and reunifying families.

Family reconciliation services are currently only available to persons seeking services under the Families in Conflict statute. Because it replaced laws allowing incarceration of juveniles for status offenses, it is intended to apply only to youth down to age nine and is generally only used for adolescents.

SUMMARY:

The duty of the Department of Social and Health Services to offer family reconciliation services to families in conflict is expanded to allow services to be offered to families being served under the child abuse and neglect and dependency statutes. Family reconciliation services, as available, shall also be offered to families not receiving other services from the department.

Fiscal Note:      Requested February 26, 1989.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Representative Leonard, Sponsor.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Family reconciliation services (FRS) has proved that it can be a very effective tool in early intervention for families under stress. Without FRS, many of the children in these families would end up in foster care or even on the streets. It should not be limited to families with just adolescents. Families with younger children could also benefit from FRS and the even more harmful effects of out-of-home placement on young children could potentially be avoided.  Families should not have to be receiving other services from the department in order to qualify to receive FRS.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.