Public hearing on bill to create new child welfare department

 January 31, 2008 

The House Early Learning and Children’s Services Committee will hold a public hearing on House Bill 3061—sponsored by Rep. Shay Schual-Berke (D-Normandy Park)— tomorrow.  The legislation would create a new department to elevate the importance of child well-being in the child welfare system.

 The new department would be structured to achieve:

• A heightened focus on assessing and promoting child well-being in the development and delivery of child welfare programs and services;

• Greater effectiveness in preventing and responding early to child maltreatment through the use of evidence and research-based practices;

• Qualitative change in social work practice and service delivery that is supported by policy-based resource allocations;

• Improvements in organizational structure for the delivery, coordination, and contracting of child welfare services;

• A more stable balance between state control of children's services and local flexibility to deliver effective services that respond to community needs and enhance community strengths;

• Development of more collaborative partnerships with public and private entities focused on meeting a common core set of visible, cohesive, and consistent child-oriented performance measures.

Friday, February 1 @ 1:30 PM
House Hearing Room D
John L. O’Brien Building
Olympia, WA