wa-law.org > bill > 2023-24 > HB 1439 > Substitute Bill
The legislature finds that the multidisciplinary team approach coordinated by children's advocacy centers improves interagency communication, increases the effectiveness of the investigation and prosecution of child abuse, and results in fewer interviews with and less trauma for the child.
The legislature finds that current language defining children's advocacy centers was written more than 20 years ago, when such centers were just beginning to develop in our state. Additionally, current language defining child forensic interviews was also written at a time when there were few, if any, designated specialized child forensic interviewers in Washington.
Children's exposure to violence in Washington state is occurring at an alarming rate and is a traumatic, adverse experience that can have severe and long-lasting consequences. This traumatic disruption of healthy development is a significant public health crisis.
Children exposed to violence can heal if given access to specialized resources, evidence-based treatment, and proper support that promotes the well‐being of them and their families.
Because research shows positive outcomes when trauma or adverse experiences are addressed early, the legislature finds that a task force to examine and recommend best practices for effective trauma-informed programs for children who are witnesses or exposed to violence would yield positive results.
Therefore, because the legislature finds children's advocacy centers employ trauma-informed, research-based, best practices that help child victims of abuse and children exposed to violence heal and reduce the risk of future abuse and other negative consequences, the legislature finds it necessary to update definitions and guidance to ensure support for children's advocacy centers by more accurately defining the work they do, and the tools necessary to support their work.
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
Statewide and regional peer review of child forensic interviews serve as quality assurance mechanisms that reinforce the methodologies utilized in child forensic interviewing and provide support and problem solving for participants.
Child forensic interview recordings of closed cases may be used as part of a structured and confidential peer review, if hosted by an accredited or developing children's advocacy center or the children's advocacy centers of Washington. Any information reviewed or discussed during the peer review process is and must remain confidential and must not be disclosed except where authorized under state or federal law. The hosting organization's policies regarding interview selection criteria and parent, guardian, or caregiver consent must be followed. All participants in a peer review must sign a confidentiality agreement that:
Prohibits verbal or written disclosure of any information received in any peer review process; and
Requires disclosure of any personal, professional, or social acquaintance with anyone associated with the case before attending a peer review session.
The legislature finds that a child exposed to violence can heal if the exposure to violence is identified early and if the child exposed to violence is given access to specialized resources, evidence-based treatment, and proper support that promotes their well-being and the well-being of their families.
A Washington state children exposed to violence task force is established. The task force shall research, review, guide, and make recommendations on the following:
Assessing data collection infrastructure for the monitoring of trends in children exposed to violence;
Identifying best practices for serving children exposed to violence or psychological trauma, including initiatives:
In other states that have improved outcomes for children exposed to violence; and
To utilize children's advocacy centers to provide and refer children exposed to violence or psychological trauma to needed voluntary services;
Compiling national best practices from handle with care sites across the country and Washington state currently utilizing the handle with care program to develop guidelines for broader implementation across the state; and
Compiling best practices for serving children exposed to violence in a manner that is not connected to law enforcement, the criminal justice system, or child protective services.
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The task force must include the following members:
The secretary of the department of social and health services or the secretary's designee;
The secretary of the department of children, youth, and families or the secretary's designee;
The superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee;
The director of the office of crime victims advocacy within the department of commerce or the director's designee;
The executive director of the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs or the executive director's designee;
The president of the association of Washington cities or the president's designee;
The president of the Washington association of county officials or the president's designee;
The president of the statewide superior court judges association or the president's designee;
ix. The executive director of the Washington association of prosecuting attorneys or the executive director's designee;
The executive director of the Washington state coalition against domestic violence or the executive director's designee;
The director of the University of Washington harborview abuse and trauma center or the director's designee;
The executive director of the Washington chapter of the national association of social workers or the executive director's designee;
The president of the urban Indian health institute or the president's designee;
The executive director of the Washington defender association or the executive director's designee;
The director of the office of public defense or the director's designee;
The director of the Washington state office of equity or the director's designee; and
The executive director of a statewide organization with a mission to uphold the rights of youth involved, or at risk of being involved, in the juvenile justice system or the executive director's designee.
The task force must also include two representatives from each of the following groups:
A national research organization on children exposed to violence;
Children's advocacy centers, with one representative from a children's advocacy center serving an urban community, and one representative from a children's advocacy center serving a rural community;
Individuals with lived experience as victims or witnesses of violence, including one who has been a defendant in the criminal justice system.
The task force shall solicit participation and feedback from nonmember groups and individuals who reflect diversity of culture, experience of acculturation, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, disability, gender, gender identity and expression, and sexual orientation, as these factors contribute to a person's lived experiences and perspectives.
By December 1, 2024, the task force shall prepare and submit final recommendations based on the requirements of subsection (2) of this section.
The attorney general's office in collaboration with the children's advocacy centers of Washington shall coordinate the task force and provide staff support.
Compensation for task force members or participants may be provided as allowed under RCW 43.03.220.
For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
"Children's advocacy center" has the same meaning as in RCW 26.44.020.
"Children's advocacy centers of Washington" has the same meaning as in RCW 26.44.020.
"Task force" means the Washington state children exposed to violence task force established under this section.
This section expires August 1, 2025.