Foster youth

AN ACT Relating to supporting foster youth; amending RCW 1
74.13.250 and 74.14B.010; adding a new section to chapter 43.43 RCW; 2
adding new sections to chapter 74.13 RCW; adding a new section to 3
chapter 43.06A RCW; and creating new sections. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that youth in 6
foster care experience trauma at significantly higher rates than the 7
general population, often leading to runaway behavior and 8
exploitation. The lack of an immediate response when foster youth go 9
missing increases the risk for trafficking of these youth. 10
Washington state currently lacks a unified, trauma-informed system to 11
prevent runaways and support survivors.12
(2) The legislature intends to: 13
(a) Help protect foster youth from neglect, abuse, trafficking, 14
and disappearance while under state care; 15
(b) Improve the state's ability to locate and protect missing 16
foster youth through mandatory alerts and rapid response;17
(c) Expand mental health and empowerment programs for foster 18
youth; and 19
(d) Maintain oversight and accountability for missing and 20
deceased foster youth. 21
H-2547.1
HOUSE BILL 2171
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Steele, Chase, Barnard, Reeves, and Dent
Prefiled 12/19/25. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on Early Learning & Human Services.
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NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.43 1
RCW to read as follows: 2
(1) The Washington state patrol, in partnership with the 3
department of children, youth, and families, shall design and 4
implement an endangered foster youth alert system consistent with the 5
requirements of this section. 6
(2) The endangered foster youth alert system created in this 7
section must: 8
(a) Issue alerts for individuals who are the subject of a 9
dependency proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW within 24 hours of a 10
foster youth being reported missing by the department of children, 11
youth, and families; and 12
(b) Describe a plan for cooperation between: 13
(i) Local, state, tribal, and other law enforcement agencies; and14
(ii) State government agencies; and 15
(c) Broadcast the alert statewide using radio, television, cable, 16
internet, and other appropriate media to enhance the public's ability 17
to assist in finding individuals who are the subject of a dependency 18
proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW who are reported missing by the 19
department of children, youth, and families. 20
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 74.13 21
RCW to read as follows: 22
(1) Each county shall develop a written protocol for deploying 23
rapid response teams that respond to reports of a missing individual 24
who is the subject of a dependency proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW 25
as described in section 2 of this act. The purpose of the rapid 26
response teams described in this section is to distribute 27
information, identify appropriate individuals or entities to assist 28
in this rapid response, and locate missing individuals who are the 29
subject of a dependency proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW.30
(2) The rapid response teams described in this section must 31
include law enforcement, department representatives, local advocacy 32
groups, and other individuals or entities that the county deems 33
appropriate. 34
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 74.13 35
RCW to read as follows: 36
(1) The foster youth empowerment account is created in the state 37
treasury. 38
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(2) Moneys in the foster youth empowerment account may be 1
expended solely for providing the following services to individuals 2
who were the subject of a dependency proceeding under chapter 13.34 3
RCW for up to 10 years following the individual's exit from a 4
dependency proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW: 5
(a) Therapy to address trauma; 6
(b) Emergency recovery support; and 7
(c) Peer mentorship for former foster youth. 8
(3) Revenues to the foster youth empowerment account shall 9
consist of revenues appropriated to or deposited in the account.10
(4) Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation.11
(5) Moneys allocated under this section shall be used to 12
supplement, not supplant, other federal, state, and local funds used 13
for the services identified under this section. 14
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 43.06A 15
RCW to read as follows: 16
(1) The office of the family and children's ombuds shall 17
establish a foster youth survivor and advocacy oversight board 18
composed of: 19
(a) Individuals who were the subject of a dependency proceeding 20
under chapter 13.34 RCW; 21
(b) Experts on trauma; and 22
(c) Representatives from the department of children, youth, and 23
families. 24
(2) The purpose of the foster youth survivor and advocacy 25
oversight board created under this section is to review cases of 26
missing or deceased individuals who were the subject of a dependency 27
proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW when they went missing or died.28
(3) By November 1, 2026, and in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, 29
the foster youth survivor and advocacy oversight board created under 30
this section shall submit an annual report that: 31
(a) Details any findings that may be shared regarding the cases 32
reviewed by the board; and 33
(b) Provides recommendations for improving conditions for 34
individuals who are the subject of a dependency proceeding under 35
chapter 13.34 RCW and responding to missing individuals who are the 36
subject of a dependency proceeding under chapter 13.34 RCW.37
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Sec. 6. RCW 74.13.250 and 2018 c 20 s 1 are each amended to read 1
as follows: 2
(1) Preservice training is recognized as a valuable tool to 3
reduce placement disruptions, the length of time children are in 4
care, and foster parent turnover rates. Preservice training also 5
assists potential foster parents in making their final decisions 6
about foster parenting and assists social service agencies in 7
obtaining information about whether to approve potential foster 8
parents. 9
(2) Foster parent preservice training shall include information 10
about the potential impact of placement on foster children; social 11
service agency administrative processes; the requirements, 12
responsibilities, expectations, and skills needed to be a foster 13
parent; attachment, separation, and loss issues faced by birth 14
parents, foster children, and foster parents; child management and 15
discipline; birth family relationships; information on the limits of 16
the adoption support program as provided in RCW 74.13A.020(4); 17
preventing and responding to missing or runaway foster children; and 18
helping children leave foster care. Preservice training shall assist 19
applicants in making informed decisions about whether they want to be 20
foster parents. Preservice training shall be designed to enable the 21
agency to assess the ability, readiness, and appropriateness of 22
families to be foster parents. As a decision tool, effective 23
preservice training provides potential foster parents with enough 24
information to make an appropriate decision, affords potential foster 25
parents an opportunity to discuss their decision with others and 26
consider its implications for their family, clarifies foster family 27
expectations, presents a realistic picture of what foster parenting 28
involves, and allows potential foster parents to consider and explore 29
the different types of children they might serve. 30
(3) Foster parents shall complete preservice training before the 31
issuance of a foster care license, except that the department may, on 32
a case by case basis, issue a written waiver that allows the foster 33
parent to complete the training after licensure, so long as the 34
training is completed within ninety days following licensure.35
(4) All components of the foster parent preservice training shall 36
be made available online. The department shall allow individuals to 37
complete as much online preservice training as is practicable while 38
requiring that some preservice training be completed in person.39
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Sec. 7. RCW 74.14B.010 and 2019 c 470 s 27 are each amended to 1
read as follows: 2
(1) Child welfare workers shall meet minimum standards 3
established by the department. Comprehensive training for child 4
welfare workers shall be completed before such child welfare workers 5
are assigned to case-carrying responsibilities as the sole worker 6
assigned to a particular case. Intermittent, part-time, and standby 7
child welfare workers shall be subject to the same minimum standards 8
and training. 9
(2) Ongoing specialized training shall be provided for child 10
welfare workers responsible for investigating child sexual abuse. 11
Training participants shall have the opportunity to practice 12
interview skills and receive feedback from instructors.13
(3) The department, the criminal justice training commission, the 14
Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs, and the 15
Washington association of prosecuting attorneys shall design and 16
implement statewide training that contains consistent elements for 17
persons engaged in the interviewing of children, including law 18
enforcement, prosecution, and child protective services.19
(4) The training required by this section shall: (a) Be based on 20
research-based practices and standards; (b) minimize the trauma of 21
all persons who are interviewed during abuse investigations; (c) 22
provide methods of reducing the number of investigative interviews 23
necessary whenever possible; (d) assure, to the extent possible, that 24
investigative interviews are thorough, objective, and complete; (e) 25
recognize needs of special populations, such as persons with 26
developmental disabilities; (f) recognize the nature and consequences 27
of victimization; (g) require investigative interviews to be 28
conducted in a manner most likely to permit the interviewed persons 29
the maximum emotional comfort under the circumstances; (h) address 30
record retention and retrieval; (i) address documentation of 31
investigative interviews; ((and)) (j) describe the best practices for 32
preventing and responding to missing or runaway foster children; and 33
(k) include self-care for child welfare workers. 34
(5) The identification of domestic violence is critical in 35
ensuring the safety of children in the child welfare system. It is 36
also critical for child welfare workers to support victims of 37
domestic violence while victims continue to care for their children, 38
when possible, as domestic violence perpetrated against someone other 39
than the child does not constitute negligent treatment or 40
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maltreatment in and of itself as provided in RCW 26.44.020. For these 1
reasons, ongoing domestic violence training and consultation shall be 2
provided to child welfare workers, including how to use the 3
department's practice guide to domestic violence. 4
(6) By January 1, 2021, the department shall: 5
(a) Develop and implement an evidence-informed curriculum for 6
supervisors providing support to child welfare workers to better 7
prepare candidates for effective supervisory and leadership roles 8
within the department; 9
(b) Develop specialized training for child welfare workers that 10
includes simulation and coaching designed to improve clinical and 11
analytical skills; 12
(c) Based on the report required under RCW 43.216.7501(3), 13
develop and implement training for child welfare workers that 14
incorporates trauma-informed care and reflective supervision 15
principles. 16
(7) For purposes of this section, "child welfare worker" means an 17
employee of the department whose job includes supporting or providing 18
child welfare services as defined in RCW 74.13.020 or child 19
protective services as defined in RCW 26.44.020. 20
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. This act shall be known and cited as the 21
foster youth safety and empowerment act.22
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