State efforts shall address the needs of
children and their families, including emotionally disturbed and mentally ill children, potentially dependent children, and
families-in-conflict by:
(1) Serving children and families as a unit in the least
restrictive setting available and in close proximity to the
family home, consistent with the best interests and special needs
of the child;
(2) Ensuring that appropriate social and health services are
provided to the family unit both prior to and during the removal
of a child from the home and after family reunification;
(3) Ensuring that the safety and best interests of the child
are the paramount considerations when making placement and
service delivery decisions;
(4) Recognizing the interdependent and changing nature of
families and communities, building upon their inherent strengths,
maintaining their dignity and respect, and tailoring programs to
their specific circumstances;
(5) Developing and implementing comprehensive, preventive,
and early intervention social and health services which have
demonstrated the ability to delay or reduce the need for
out-of-home placements and ameliorate problems before they become
chronic or severe;
(6) Authorizing and facilitating blended funding for
children who require services and residential treatment from
multiple services systems; including child welfare services,
mental health, alcohol and drug, and juvenile rehabilitation;
(7) Being sensitive to the family and community culture,
norms, values, and expectations, ensuring that all services are
provided in a culturally appropriate and relevant manner, and
ensuring participation of racial and ethnic minorities at all
levels of planning, delivery, and evaluation efforts;
(8)(a) Developing coordinated social and health services
which:
(i) Identify problems experienced by children and their
families early and provide services which are adequate in
availability, appropriate to the situation, and effective;
(ii) Seek to bring about meaningful change before family
situations become irreversibly destructive and before disturbed
psychological behavioral patterns and health problems become
severe or permanent;
(iii) Serve children and families in their own homes thus
preventing unnecessary out-of-home placement or
institutionalization;
(iv) Focus resources on social and health problems as they
begin to manifest themselves rather than waiting for chronic and
severe patterns of illness, criminality, and dependency to
develop which require long-term treatment, maintenance, or
custody;
(v) Reduce duplication of and gaps in service delivery;
(vi) Improve planning, budgeting, and communication among
all units of the department and among all agencies that serve
children and families; and
(vii) Utilize outcome standards for measuring the
effectiveness of social and health services for children and
families.
(b) In developing services under this subsection, local
communities must be involved in planning and developing community
networks that are tailored to their unique needs.
[2000 c 219 § 1; 1994 sp.s. c 7 § 102; 1983 c 192 § 2.]
NOTES:
Severability -- 2000 c 219: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [2000 c 219 § 3.]
Effective date -- 2000 c 219: "This act takes effect July 1, 2000." [2000 c 219 § 4.]
Finding -- Intent -- Severability -- 1994 sp.s. c 7: See notes following RCW 43.70.540.
Effective date -- 1983 c 192: "Sections 2 through 4 of this act shall take effect January 1, 1984." [1983 c 192 § 8.]