"Fostering the future"

Go to www.accountabilityinchildwelfare.org for updates from the committee.

Go to http://www.dshs.wa.gov/pdf/ca/121409TDC.pdf for the slide show presented to the legislature.

The following is a summary and analysis of Second Substitute House Bill 2106 (2SHB 2106) as passed by the Washington State Legislature and signed by Governor Christine Gregoire:

By January 1, 2011, the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) must consolidate and convert its existing contracts for child welfare services to performance-based contracts. Each contract must link the contractors’ performance to the level and timing of reimbursement for services. Numerous administrative statutes relating to child welfare services and statutes governing the child dependency court processes are amended to reflect that the DSHS, as well as private contractors and Indian tribes, may provide child welfare services, including case management services, under performance based contracts. Non profit private contractors must receive primary preference over for profit contractors.

Among some researchers and quality experts, the thinking here is that when measuring outcomes, a valid statistical analysis cannot be achieved without a valid sample. 

The legislature also relied heavily on a 2007 report from the Washington State Institute for Public Policy. In their analysis, they relied heavily on similar evidence based programs including homebuilders program for intensive family preservation, parent-child interaction therapy, nurse family partnership home visitation program and parents as teachers.

Child Welfare Transformation Design Committee

A Child Welfare Transformation Design Committee (TDC) is established and charged with selecting two demonstration sites. DSHS will contract out using evidence based contracts for all child welfare services and develop a transition plan for implementation.

The TDC will include: 

• the Governor or her designee
• the Attorney General or his designee;
• the Assistant Secretary of Childrens Administration
• two regional administrators from Children’s Administration, one from regions 1 or 2 and one from regions 3-6;
• the administrator from licensed resources from Childrens Administration;
• one representative from the Office of the Family and Children Ombudsman;
• four representatives from the Indian Policy Advisory Committee convened by DSHS;
• one member of the Racially Disproportionality Advisory Committee convened by DSHS;
• the bargaining representative for the largest number of Children’s Administration employees (the Washington Federation of State Employees);
• two nationally recognized experts in performance based contracting
• parent representative with experience in the dependency process;
• Four private agencies providing child welfare service in Washington (two headquartered in eastern Washington and two headquartered in Western Washington) and (two with gross revenue of a million dollars or more and two with gross revenue of less than one million).
• A representative from Partners For Our Children;
• two elected or former superior court judges
• a foster parent.

Staff support for the TDC must be provided jointly by Parents for Our Children and legislative staff. It is expected that administrative costs for the Committee will be supported by private funds. The TDC expires July 1, 2015.

Demonstration Sites

The TDC will select the location and size of the demonstration sites to ensure adequate statistical power to assess any meaningful differences in outcomes in the demonstration sites as compared with the current service delivery system.

• Conducting child-caseworker visits;
• Arranging for family visits;
• Convening of family group conferences;
• Development and revision of case plan;
• Coordination and monitoring of services needed by the child and family;
• Performance of court related duties, including preparing court reports and attending hearings;
• Ensuring the child is progressing toward permanency within state and federal mandates, including the federal Child Welfare Act.

DSHS may not provide child welfare services in the demonstration sites except in an emergency or if DSHS is unable to contract with a private agency.

Reports and Evaluations

The TDC must report in writing to the Governor and the Legislature quarterly beginning in June 30, 2009 and semiannually from June 30, 2012 through January 1, 2015.