HB 1631 — Supporting child welfare workers.

H-2244.1SUBSTITUTEH-0967.2HOUSE HOUSE BILL 1631State of Washington66th Legislature2019 Regular SessionByHouseSessionByRepresentatives Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Senn, Caldier, Entenman, Ortiz-Self, Frame, Slatter, Appleton, Corry, Goodman, Jinkins, Davis, Pollet, and Leavitt)READLeavittRead FIRSTfirst TIMEtime 03/01/19.AN01/25/19.Referred to Committee on Human Services & Early Learning.AN ACT Relating to supporting child welfare workers;

creating a new sections;section;

For these reasons, ongoing domestic violence training and consultation shall be provided to ((caseworkers))child welfare workers, including how to use the department's practice guide to domestic violence.(6) By January 1, 2021, the department shall:(a) Develop and implement an evidence-informedevidence-based curriculum for supervisors providing support to child welfare workers to better prepare candidates for effective supervisory and leadership roles within the department;(b) Develop specialized training for child welfare workers that includes simulation and coaching designed to improve clinical and analytical skills;(c) Based on the report required under section 2(2) of this act, develop and implement training for child welfare workers that incorporates trauma-informed care and reflective supervision principles.(7) For purposes of this section, "child welfare worker" means an employee of the department whose job includes supporting or providing child welfare services as defined in RCW 74.13.020 or child protective services as defined in RCW 26.44.020.NEW SECTION.  Sec.

A new section is added to chapter 43.216 RCW to read as follows:(1) The department shall providecreate childdedicated welfarepositions workersused andto thoseassist supervising child welfare workers with accessthe to:(a)caseload Aof criticalother incidentchild protocolwelfare workers that establishesneed a process for appropriately responding to traumatictake leave or higha stressreduction incidents in acaseload mannerfollowing thata providescritical employeesincident. with proper mental health and stress management support, guidance, and education;

and(b)These Peer counseling from someone trained in providing peer counseling and support.(2) The department shall systematically collect workforce data regarding child welfare workers including staff turnover,may workloadalso distribution,provide exitone-on-one interviews,coaching and regular staff surveys to assess organizational culture and psychological safety.(3) The department shall make a concerted effort to increase efficiency through the reduction of paperwork.(4) The department shall develop a scientifically based method for measuring the direct service time of child welfare workers and contracted resources.(5) The department shall convene a technical work group to develop a workload model including standardized ratios for supervisors, clerical, and other child welfare worker support staff and child welfare worker caseload ratios by case type.(a)management Theduring technicalweekends work group must include:(i) Two child welfare worker representatives, one from west of the crest of the Cascade mountain range, and oneafter fromregular eastbusiness ofhours. the crest of the Cascade mountain range;(ii) Fiscal staff from the department;(iii) Human resources staff from the department;

and(iv)The Apurpose representative from the office of financialthis management.(b)dedicated Theemployee departmentunit shallis provide a report to theallow relevantchild committeeswelfare ofworkers theto legislaturetake inleave complianceor withreduce RCWcaseloads 43.01.036following by December 1, 2019, that includes a descriptioncritical ofincident thewithout workloadincreasing model recommended by the technicalcaseload workof groupother andemployees.(2) theThe steps the department is taking to implement this model.(c) The technical work group established in this section shall continue to meet and provide anchild annualwelfare reportworkers to the relevant committees of the legislature in compliance with RCW 43.01.036 by December 1st of each year regarding any recommended modifications to the workload model and steps the department is taking to implement those changes.(6)supervising The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(a) "Child welfare worker" means an employee of the department whose job includes supporting or providing child welfare servicesworkers aswith definedaccess into:(a) RCWA 74.13.020critical includingincident thoseprotocol providingthat familyestablishes assessmenta responseprocess servicesfor asappropriately definedresponding into RCWtraumatic 26.44.020 or childhigh protectivestress servicesincidents as defined in RCWa 26.44.020.(b)manner "Criticalthat incident"provides meansemployees anwith incidentproper thatmental ishealth unusual and involvesstress amanagement perceivedsupport, orguidance, actualand threateducation; of harm to an individual which includes but is not limited to child fatalities or near fatalities.NEW SECTION.  Sec.

and(b) Peer counseling from someone trained in providing peer counseling and support.(3) The department shall systematically collect workforce data regarding child welfare workers including staff turnover, workload distribution, exit interviews, and regular staff surveys to assess organizational culture and psychological safety.(4) The department shall make a concerted effort to increase efficiency through the reduction of paperwork.(5) The department shall develop a scientifically based method for measuring the direct service time of child welfare workers and contracted resources.(6) The department shall convene a technical work group to develop a workload model including standardized ratios for supervisors, clerical, and other child welfare worker support staff and child welfare worker caseload ratios by case type.(a) The technical work group must include:(i) Two child welfare worker representatives, one from west of the crest of the Cascade mountain range, and one from east of the crest of the Cascade mountain range;(ii) Fiscal staff from the department;(iii) Human resources staff from the department;

and(iv) A representative from the office of financial management.(b) The department shall provide a report to the relevant committees of the legislature in compliance with RCW 43.01.036 by December 1, 2019, that includes a description of the workload model recommended by the technical work group and the steps the department is taking to implement this model.(c) The technical work group established in this section shall continue to meet and provide an annual report to the relevant committees of the legislature in compliance with RCW 43.01.036 by December 1st of each year regarding any recommended modifications to the workload model and steps the department is taking to implement those changes.(7) The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(a) "Child welfare worker" means an employee of the department whose job includes supporting or providing child welfare services as defined in RCW 74.13.020 including those providing family assessment response services as defined in RCW 26.44.020 or child protective services as defined in RCW 26.44.020.(b) "Critical incident" means an incident that is unusual and involves a perceived or actual threat of harm to an individual which includes but is not limited to child fatalities or near fatalities.NEW SECTION.  Sec.

A new section is added to chapter 74.14B RCW to read as follows:The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Department" means the department of children, youth, and families.(2) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department of children, youth, and families.NEWfamilies.--- SECTION.  Sec.END ---

6.

If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 2019, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.--- END ---