Revised Code of Washington - RCW Title 74 Public Assistance - Chapter 74.13 Child Welfare Services

74.13.010 Declaration of purpose
The purpose of this chapter is to safeguard, protect and contribute to the welfare of the children of the state, through a comprehensive and coordinated ...

74.13.013 Finding -- Accreditation of children's services
The legislature finds that accreditation of children's services by an independent entity can significantly improve the quality of services provided to children and families. Accreditation ...

74.13.017 Accreditation -- Completion date
The department shall undertake the process of accreditation with the goal of completion by July 2006.[2003 c 207 § 8; 2001 c 265 § 2.] ...

74.13.020 Definitions -- "Child," "child welfare services" -- Duty to provide services to homeless families with children
As used in Title 74 RCW, child welfare services shall be defined as public social services including adoption services which strengthen, supplement, or substitute for, ...

74.13.021 Developmentally disabled child -- Defined
As used in this chapter, "developmentally disabled child" is a child who has a developmental disability as defined in RCW 71A.10.020 and whose parent, guardian, ...

74.13.025 Counties may administer and provide services under RCW 13.32A.197 -- Plan for at-risk youth required
Any county or group of counties may make application to the department of social and health services in the manner and form prescribed by the ...

74.13.031 Duties of department -- Child welfare services -- Children's services advisory committee
The department shall have the duty to provide child welfare services and shall: (1) Develop, administer, supervise, and monitor a coordinated and comprehensive plan that ...

74.13.0311 Provided under deferred prosecution order
The department or its contractors may provide child welfare services pursuant to a deferred prosecution plan ordered under chapter 10.05 RCW. Child welfare services provided ...

74.13.032 Crisis residential centers -- Establishment -- Staff -- Duties -- Semi-secure facilities -- Secure facilities
(1) The department shall establish, by contracts with private or public vendors, regional crisis residential centers with semi-secure facilities. These facilities shall be structured group ...

74.13.0321 Crisis residential centers -- Limit on reimbursement or compensation
No contract may provide reimbursement or compensation to a crisis residential center's secure facility for any service delivered or provided to a resident child after ...

74.13.033 Crisis residential centers -- Removal from -- Services available -- Unauthorized leave
(1) If a resident of a center becomes by his or her behavior disruptive to the facility's program, such resident may be immediately removed to ...

74.13.034 Crisis residential centers -- Removal to another center or secure facility -- Placement in secure juvenile detention facility
(1) A child taken into custody and taken to a crisis residential center established pursuant to RCW 74.13.032 may, if the center is unable to ...

74.13.035 Crisis residential centers -- Annual records, contents -- Multiple licensing
Crisis residential centers shall compile yearly records which shall be transmitted to the department and which shall contain information regarding population profiles of the children ...

74.13.036 Implementation of chapters 13.32A and 13.34 RCW -- Report to legislature
(1) The department of social and health services shall oversee implementation of chapter 13.34 RCW and chapter 13.32A RCW. The oversight shall be comprised of ...

74.13.037 Transitional living programs for youth in the process of being emancipated -- Rules
Within available funds appropriated for this purpose, the department shall establish, by contracts with private vendors, transitional living programs for youth who are being assisted ...

74.13.039 Runaway hot line
The department of social and health services shall maintain a toll-free hot line to assist parents of runaway children. The hot line shall provide parents ...

74.13.040 Rules and regulations for coordination of services
See RCW 74.12.280. ...

74.13.042 Petition by the department for order compelling disclosure of record or information
If the department is denied lawful access to records or information, or requested records or information is not provided in a timely manner, the department ...

74.13.045 Complaint resolution process
The department shall develop and implement an informal, nonadversarial complaint resolution process to be used by clients of the department, foster parents, and other affected ...

74.13.050 Day care -- Rules and regulations governing the provision of day care as a part of child welfare services
See RCW 74.12.340. ...

74.13.055 Foster care -- Length of stay -- Cooperation with private sector
The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 34.05 RCW which establish goals as to the maximum number of children who will remain in foster ...

74.13.060 Secretary as custodian of funds of person placed with department -- Authority -- Limitations -- Termination
The secretary or his designees or delegatees shall be the custodian without compensation of such moneys and other funds of any person which may come ...

74.13.065 Out-of-home care -- Social study required
(1) The department, or agency responsible for supervising a child in out-of-home care, shall conduct a social study whenever a child is placed in out-of-home ...

74.13.070 Moneys in possession of secretary not subject to certain proceedings
None of the moneys or other funds which come into the possession of the secretary under chapter 169, Laws of 1971 ex. sess. shall be ...

74.13.075 Sexually aggressive youth -- Defined -- Expenditure of treatment funds -- Tribal jurisdiction
(1) For the purposes of funds appropriated for the treatment of sexually aggressive youth, the term "sexually aggressive youth" means those juveniles who: (a) Have ...

74.13.077 Sexually aggressive youth -- Transfer of surplus funds for treatment
The secretary of the department of social and health services is authorized to transfer surplus, unused treatment funds from the civil commitment center operated under ...

74.13.080 Group care placement -- Prerequisites for payment
The department shall not make payment for any child in group care placement unless the group home is licensed and the department has the custody ...

74.13.085 Child care services -- Declaration of policy
It shall be the policy of the state of Washington to: (1) Recognize the family as the most important social and economic unit of society ...

74.13.0902 Child care partnership employer liaison
An employer liaison position is established in the department of early learning to be colocated with the department of community, trade, and economic development. The ...

74.13.095 Child care expansion grant fund
(1) The legislature recognizes that a severe shortage of child care exists to the detriment of all families and employers throughout the state. Many workers ...

74.13.096 Representation of children of color -- Advisory committee
(1) The secretary of the department of social and health services shall convene an advisory committee to analyze and make recommendations on the disproportionate representation ...

74.13.100 Adoption support -- State policy enunciated
It is the policy of this state to enable the secretary to charge fees for certain services to adoptive parents who are able to pay ...

74.13.103 Prospective adoptive parent's fee for cost of adoption services
When a child proposed for adoption is placed with a prospective adoptive parent the department may charge such parent a fee in payment or part ...

74.13.106 Adoption services -- Disposition of fees -- Use -- Federal funds -- Gifts and grants
All fees paid for adoption services pursuant to RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13.100 through 74.13.145 shall be credited to the general fund. Expenses incurred in connection ...

74.13.109 Adoption support program administration -- Rules and regulations -- Disbursements from general fund, criteria
The secretary shall issue rules and regulations to assist in the administration of the program of adoption support authorized by RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13.100 through ...

74.13.112 Factors determining payments or adjustment in standards
The factors to be considered by the secretary in setting the amount of any payment or payments to be made pursuant to RCW 26.33.320 and ...

74.13.115 Both continuing payments and lump sum payments authorized
To carry out the program authorized by RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13.100 through 74.13.145, the secretary may make continuing payments or lump sum payments of adoption ...

74.13.116 Application -- 1996 c 130
Chapter 130, Laws of 1996 applies to adoption support payments for eligible children whose eligibility is determined on or after July 1, 1996. Chapter 130, ...

74.13.118 Review of support payments
At least once every five years, the secretary shall review the need of any adoptive parent or parents receiving continuing support pursuant to RCW 26.33.320 ...

74.13.121 Adoptive parent's financial information
So long as any adoptive parent is receiving support pursuant to RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13.100 through 74.13.145 he or she shall, upon request, file with ...

74.13.124 Agreements as contracts within state and federal Constitutions -- State's continuing obligation
An agreement for adoption support made pursuant to *RCW 26.32.115 before January 1, 1985, or RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13.100 through 74.13.145, although subject to review ...

74.13.127 Voluntary amendments to agreements -- Procedure when adoptive parties disagree
Voluntary amendments of any support agreement entered into pursuant to RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13.100 through 74.13.145 may be made at any time. In proposing any ...

74.13.130 Nonrecurring adoption expenses
The secretary may authorize the payment, from the appropriations available from the general fund, of all or part of the nonrecurring adoption expenses incurred by ...

74.13.133 Records -- Confidentiality
The secretary shall keep such general records as are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the program of adoption support authorized by RCW 26.33.320 and ...

74.13.136 Recommendations for support of the adoption of certain children
Any child-caring agency or person having a child in foster care or institutional care and wishing to recommend to the secretary support of the adoption ...

74.13.139 "Secretary" and "department" defined
As used in RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13.100 through 74.13.145 the following definitions shall apply: (1) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department of social and ...

74.13.145 Short title -- 1971 act
RCW 26.33.320 and 74.13.100 through 74.13.145 may be known and cited as the "Adoption Support Demonstration Act of 1971".[1985 c 7 § 146; 1971 ex.s. ...

74.13.150 Adoption support reconsideration program
(1) The department of social and health services shall establish, within funds appropriated for the purpose, a reconsideration program to provide medical and counseling services ...

74.13.152 Interstate agreements for adoption of children with special needs -- Findings
The legislature finds that: (1) Finding adoptive families for children for whom state assistance under RCW 74.13.100 through 74.13.145 is desirable and assuring the protection ...

74.13.153 Interstate agreements for adoption of children with special needs -- Purpose
The purposes of RCW 74.13.152 through 74.13.159 are to: (1) Authorize the department to enter into interstate agreements with agencies of other states for the ...

74.13.154 Interstate agreements for adoption of children with special needs -- Definitions
The definitions in this section apply throughout RCW 74.13.152 through 74.13.159 unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. (1) "Adoption assistance state" means the state that ...

74.13.155 Interstate agreements for adoption of children with special needs -- Authorization
The department is authorized to develop, participate in the development of, negotiate, and enter into one or more interstate compacts on behalf of this state ...

74.13.156 Interstate agreements for adoption of children with special needs -- Required provisions
A compact entered into pursuant to the authority conferred by RCW 74.13.152 through 74.13.159 must have the following content: (1) A provision making it available ...

74.13.157 Interstate agreements for adoption of children with special needs -- Additional provisions
A compact entered into pursuant to the authority conferred by RCW 74.13.152 through 74.13.159 may contain provisions in addition to those required under RCW 74.13.156, ...

74.13.158 Interstate agreements for adoption of children with special needs -- Medical assistance for children residing in this state -- Penalty for fraudulent claims
(1) A child with special needs who resides in this state and is the subject of an adoption assistance agreement with another state is entitled ...

74.13.159 Interstate agreements for adoption of children with special needs -- Adoption assistance and medical assistance in state plan
Consistent with federal law, the department, in connection with the administration of RCW 74.13.152 through 74.13.158 and any pursuant compact shall include in any state ...

74.13.165 Home studies for adoption -- Purchase of services from nonprofit agencies
The secretary or the secretary's designee may purchase services from nonprofit agencies for the purpose of conducting home studies for legally free children who have ...

74.13.170 Therapeutic family home program for youth in custody under chapter 13.34 RCW
The department of social and health services may implement a therapeutic family home program for up to fifteen youth in the custody of the department ...

74.13.200 Demonstration project for protection, care, and treatment of children at-risk of abuse or neglect
The department of social and health services shall conduct a two-year demonstration project for the purpose of contracting with an existing day care center to ...

74.13.210 Project day care center -- Definition
For the purposes of RCW 74.13.200 through 74.13.230 "day care center" means an agency, other than a residence, which regularly provides care for children for ...

74.13.220 Project services
The services provided through this project shall include: (1) Transportation to and from the child's home; (2) Daily monitoring of the child's physical and emotional ...

74.13.230 Project shall utilize community services
The department of social and health services shall utilize existing community services and promote cooperation between the services in implementing the intent of RCW 74.13.200 ...

74.13.250 Preservice training
(1) Preservice training is recognized as a valuable tool to reduce placement disruptions, the length of time children are in care, and foster parent turnover ...

74.13.260 On-site monitoring program
Regular on-site monitoring of foster homes to assure quality care improves care provided to children in family foster care. An on-site monitoring program shall be ...

74.13.270 Respite care
The legislature recognizes the need for temporary short-term relief for foster parents who care for children with emotional, mental, or physical handicaps. For purposes of ...

74.13.280 Client information
(1) Except as provided in RCW 70.24.105, whenever a child is placed in out-of-home care by the department or a child-placing agency, the department or ...

74.13.283 Washington state identicards -- Foster youth
(1) For the purpose of assisting foster youth in obtaining a Washington state identicard, submission of the information and materials listed in this subsection from ...

74.13.285 Passports -- Information to be provided to foster parents
(1) Within available resources, the department shall prepare a passport containing all known and available information concerning the mental, physical, health, and educational status of ...

74.13.287 Intent -- Infant, foster family health
The legislature intends to establish a policy with the goal of ensuring that the health and well-being of both infants in foster care and the ...

74.13.288 Blood-borne pathogens -- Testing -- Report
(1) The department of health shall develop recommendations concerning evidence-based practices for testing for blood-borne pathogens of children under one year of age who have ...

74.13.289 Blood-borne pathogens -- Client information -- Training
(1) Upon any placement, the department of social and health services shall inform each out-of-home care provider if the child to be placed in that ...

74.13.290 Fewest possible placements for children
To provide stability to children in out-of-home care, placement selection shall be made with a view toward the fewest possible placements for each child. If ...

74.13.300 Notification of proposed placement changes
(1) Whenever a child has been placed in a foster family home by the department or a child-placing agency and the child has thereafter resided ...

74.13.310 Foster parent training
Adequate foster parent training has been identified as directly associated with increasing the length of time foster parents are willing to provide foster care and ...

74.13.315 Child care for foster parents attending meetings or training
The department may provide child care for all foster parents who are required to attend department-sponsored meetings or training sessions. If the department does not ...

74.13.320 Recruitment of foster homes and adoptive homes for special needs children
The legislature finds that during the fiscal years 1987 to 1989 the number of children in foster care has risen by 14.3 percent. At the ...

74.13.325 Foster care and adoptive home recruitment program
Within available resources, the department shall increase the number of adoptive and foster families available to accept children through an intensive recruitment and retention program. ...

74.13.330 Responsibilities of foster parents
Foster parents are responsible for the protection, care, supervision, and nurturing of the child in placement. As an integral part of the foster care team, ...

74.13.332 Rights of foster parents
Foster parents have the right to be free of coercion, discrimination, and reprisal in serving foster children, including the right to voice grievances about treatment ...

74.13.333 Rights of foster parents -- Complaints -- Report
A foster parent who believes that a department employee has retaliated against the foster parent or in any other manner discriminated against the foster parent ...

74.13.334 Department to respond to foster parents' complaints
The department shall develop procedures for responding to recommendations of the office of the family and children's ombudsman as a result of any and all ...

74.13.335 Foster care -- Reimbursement -- Property damage
Within available funds and subject to such conditions and limitations as may be established by the department or by the legislature in the omnibus appropriations ...

74.13.340 Foster parent liaison
Within available resources, the department shall provide a foster parent liaison position in each department region. The department shall contract with a private nonprofit organization ...

74.13.350 Developmentally disabled children -- Out-of-home placement -- Voluntary placement agreement
It is the intent of the legislature that parents are responsible for the care and support of children with developmental disabilities. The legislature recognizes that, ...

74.13.500 Disclosure of child welfare records -- Factors -- Exception
(1) Consistent with the provisions of chapter 42.56 RCW and applicable federal law, the secretary, or the secretary's designee, shall disclose information regarding the abuse ...

74.13.505 Disclosure of child welfare records -- Information to be disclosed
For purposes of RCW 74.13.500, the following information shall be disclosable: (1) The name of the abused or neglected child; (2) The determination made by ...

74.13.510 Disclosure of child welfare records -- Consideration of effects
In determining under RCW 74.13.500 whether disclosure will be contrary to the best interests of the child, the secretary, or the secretary's designee, must consider ...

74.13.515 Disclosure of child welfare records -- Fatalities
For purposes of RCW 74.13.500(1)(d), the secretary must make the fullest possible disclosure consistent with chapter 42.56 RCW and applicable federal law in cases of ...

74.13.520 Disclosure of child welfare records -- Information not to be disclosed
Except as it applies directly to the cause of the abuse or neglect of the child and any actions taken by the department in response ...

74.13.525 Disclosure of child welfare records -- Immunity from liability
The department, when acting in good faith, is immune from any criminal or civil liability, except as provided under RCW 42.56.550, for any action taken ...

74.13.530 Child placement -- Conflict of interest
(1) No child may be placed or remain in a specific out-of-home placement under this chapter or chapter 13.34 RCW when there is a conflict ...

74.13.540 Independent living services
Independent living services include assistance in achieving basic educational requirements such as a GED, enrollment in vocational and technical training programs offered at the community ...

74.13.550 Child placement -- Policy of educational continuity
It is the policy of the state of Washington that, whenever practical and in the best interest of the child, children placed into foster care ...

74.13.560 Educational continuity -- Protocol development
The administrative regions of the department shall develop protocols with the respective school districts in their regions specifying specific strategies for communication, coordination, and collaboration ...

74.13.570 Oversight committee -- Duties
(1) The department shall establish an oversight committee composed of staff from the children's administration of the department, the office of the superintendent of public ...

74.13.580 Educational stability during shelter care hearing -- Protocol development
The department shall work with the administrative office of the courts to develop protocols to ensure that educational stability is addressed during the shelter care ...

74.13.590 Tasks to be performed based on available resources
The department shall perform the tasks provided in RCW 74.13.550 through 74.13.580 based on available resources.[2003 c 112 § 6.]Notes: Findings -- Intent -- 2003 ...

74.13.600 Kinship caregivers -- Definition -- Placement of children with kin a priority -- Strategies
(1) For the purposes of this section, "kin" means persons eighteen years of age or older to whom the child is related by blood, adoption, ...

74.13.621 Kinship care oversight committee
(1) Within existing resources, the department shall establish an oversight committee to monitor, guide, and report on kinship care recommendations and implementation activities. The committee ...

74.13.630 Family decision meetings
(1) By January 1, 2005, the department shall: (a) Consider options for the use of family decision meetings in cases in which a child is ...

74.13.640 Child fatality review -- Report -- Notice to the office of the family and children's ombudsman
(1) The department of social and health services shall conduct a child fatality review in the event of an unexpected death of a minor in ...

74.13.650 Foster parent critical support and retention program
A foster parent critical support and retention program is established to retain foster parents who care for sexually reactive children, physically assaultive children, or children ...

74.13.660 Foster parent critical support and retention program -- Availability, assessment, training, referral
Under the foster parent critical support and retention program, foster parents who care for sexually reactive children, physically assaultive children, or children with other high-risk ...

74.13.670 Care provider immunity for allegation of failure to supervise a sexually reactive, physically assaultive, or physically aggressive youth -- Conditions
(1) A care provider may not be found to have abused or neglected a child under chapter 26.44 RCW or be denied a license pursuant ...

74.13.800 Intensive resource home pilot
(1) The department shall select two geographic areas with high concentrations of children with significant needs in out-of-home care for implementing an intensive resource home ...

74.13.900 Severability -- 1965 c 30
If any provision of this chapter, or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the chapter, or the application ...