wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 2171 > Original Bill
The legislature finds that youth in foster care experience trauma at significantly higher rates than the general population, often leading to runaway behavior and exploitation. The lack of an immediate response when foster youth go missing increases the risk for trafficking of these youth. Washington state currently lacks a unified, trauma-informed system to prevent runaways and support survivors.
The legislature intends to:
Help protect foster youth from neglect, abuse, trafficking, and disappearance while under state care;
Improve the state's ability to locate and protect missing foster youth through mandatory alerts and rapid response;
Expand mental health and empowerment programs for foster youth; and
Maintain oversight and accountability for missing and deceased foster youth.
The Washington state patrol, in partnership with the department of children, youth, and families, shall design and implement an endangered foster youth alert system consistent with the requirements of this section.
The endangered foster youth alert system created in this section must:
Issue alerts for individuals who are the subject of a dependency proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW within 24 hours of a foster youth being reported missing by the department of children, youth, and families; and
Describe a plan for cooperation between:
Local, state, tribal, and other law enforcement agencies; and
State government agencies; and
Broadcast the alert statewide using radio, television, cable, internet, and other appropriate media to enhance the public's ability to assist in finding individuals who are the subject of a dependency proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW who are reported missing by the department of children, youth, and families.
Each county shall develop a written protocol for deploying rapid response teams that respond to reports of a missing individual who is the subject of a dependency proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW as described in section 2 of this act. The purpose of the rapid response teams described in this section is to distribute information, identify appropriate individuals or entities to assist in this rapid response, and locate missing individuals who are the subject of a dependency proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW.
The rapid response teams described in this section must include law enforcement, department representatives, local advocacy groups, and other individuals or entities that the county deems appropriate.
The foster youth empowerment account is created in the state treasury.
Moneys in the foster youth empowerment account may be expended solely for providing the following services to individuals who were the subject of a dependency proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW for up to 10 years following the individual's exit from a dependency proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW:
Therapy to address trauma;
Emergency recovery support; and
Peer mentorship for former foster youth.
Revenues to the foster youth empowerment account shall consist of revenues appropriated to or deposited in the account.
Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation.
Moneys allocated under this section shall be used to supplement, not supplant, other federal, state, and local funds used for the services identified under this section.
The office of the family and children's ombuds shall establish a foster youth survivor and advocacy oversight board composed of:
Individuals who were the subject of a dependency proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW;
Experts on trauma; and
Representatives from the department of children, youth, and families.
The purpose of the foster youth survivor and advocacy oversight board created under this section is to review cases of missing or deceased individuals who were the subject of a dependency proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW when they went missing or died.
By November 1, 2026, and in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, the foster youth survivor and advocacy oversight board created under this section shall submit an annual report that:
Details any findings that may be shared regarding the cases reviewed by the board; and
Provides recommendations for improving conditions for individuals who are the subject of a dependency proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW and responding to missing individuals who are the subject of a dependency proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW.
Preservice training is recognized as a valuable tool to reduce placement disruptions, the length of time children are in care, and foster parent turnover rates. Preservice training also assists potential foster parents in making their final decisions about foster parenting and assists social service agencies in obtaining information about whether to approve potential foster parents.
Foster parent preservice training shall include information about the potential impact of placement on foster children; social service agency administrative processes; the requirements, responsibilities, expectations, and skills needed to be a foster parent; attachment, separation, and loss issues faced by birth parents, foster children, and foster parents; child management and discipline; birth family relationships; information on the limits of the adoption support program as provided in RCW 74.13A.020(4); preventing and responding to missing or runaway foster children; and helping children leave foster care. Preservice training shall assist applicants in making informed decisions about whether they want to be foster parents. Preservice training shall be designed to enable the agency to assess the ability, readiness, and appropriateness of families to be foster parents. As a decision tool, effective preservice training provides potential foster parents with enough information to make an appropriate decision, affords potential foster parents an opportunity to discuss their decision with others and consider its implications for their family, clarifies foster family expectations, presents a realistic picture of what foster parenting involves, and allows potential foster parents to consider and explore the different types of children they might serve.
Foster parents shall complete preservice training before the issuance of a foster care license, except that the department may, on a case by case basis, issue a written waiver that allows the foster parent to complete the training after licensure, so long as the training is completed within ninety days following licensure.
All components of the foster parent preservice training shall be made available online. The department shall allow individuals to complete as much online preservice training as is practicable while requiring that some preservice training be completed in person.
Child welfare workers shall meet minimum standards established by the department. Comprehensive training for child welfare workers shall be completed before such child welfare workers are assigned to case-carrying responsibilities as the sole worker assigned to a particular case. Intermittent, part-time, and standby child welfare workers shall be subject to the same minimum standards and training.
Ongoing specialized training shall be provided for child welfare workers responsible for investigating child sexual abuse. Training participants shall have the opportunity to practice interview skills and receive feedback from instructors.
The department, the criminal justice training commission, the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs, and the Washington association of prosecuting attorneys shall design and implement statewide training that contains consistent elements for persons engaged in the interviewing of children, including law enforcement, prosecution, and child protective services.
The training required by this section shall: (a) Be based on research-based practices and standards; (b) minimize the trauma of all persons who are interviewed during abuse investigations; (c) provide methods of reducing the number of investigative interviews necessary whenever possible; (d) assure, to the extent possible, that investigative interviews are thorough, objective, and complete; (e) recognize needs of special populations, such as persons with developmental disabilities; (f) recognize the nature and consequences of victimization; (g) require investigative interviews to be conducted in a manner most likely to permit the interviewed persons the maximum emotional comfort under the circumstances; (h) address record retention and retrieval; (i) address documentation of investigative interviews; (j) describe the best practices for preventing and responding to missing or runaway foster children; and (k) include self-care for child welfare workers.
The identification of domestic violence is critical in ensuring the safety of children in the child welfare system. It is also critical for child welfare workers to support victims of domestic violence while victims continue to care for their children, when possible, as domestic violence perpetrated against someone other than the child does not constitute negligent treatment or maltreatment in and of itself as provided in RCW 26.44.020. For these reasons, ongoing domestic violence training and consultation shall be provided to child welfare workers, including how to use the department's practice guide to domestic violence.
By January 1, 2021, the department shall:
Develop and implement an evidence-informed curriculum for supervisors providing support to child welfare workers to better prepare candidates for effective supervisory and leadership roles within the department;
Develop specialized training for child welfare workers that includes simulation and coaching designed to improve clinical and analytical skills;
Based on the report required under RCW 43.216.7501(3), develop and implement training for child welfare workers that incorporates trauma-informed care and reflective supervision principles.
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.
This act shall be known and cited as the foster youth safety and empowerment act.