Juvenile rehab. ombuds

AN ACT Relating to expanding the duties of the office of the 1
family and children's ombuds to include juvenile rehabilitation 2
facilities operated by the department of children, youth, and 3
families; and amending RCW 43.06A.010, 43.06A.030, and 43.06A.100.4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
Sec. 1. RCW 43.06A.010 and 2013 c 23 s 71 are each amended to 6
read as follows: 7
There is hereby created an office of the family and children's 8
ombuds within the office of the governor for the purpose of promoting 9
public awareness and understanding of family , youth, and children 10
services provided by the department of children, youth, and families , 11
identifying system issues and responses for the governor and the 12
legislature to act upon, and monitoring and ensuring compliance with 13
administrative acts, relevant statutes, rules, and policies 14
pertaining to family , youth, and children's services and the 15
placement, supervision, and treatment of children , youth, and 16
individuals in the state's care or in state-licensed facilities or 17
residences and juvenile rehabilitation facilities . The ombuds shall 18
report directly to the governor and shall exercise ((his or her)) the 19
ombuds' powers and duties independently of the secretary.20
S-0059.2
SENATE BILL 5032
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators C. Wilson, Frame, Hasegawa, Nobles, Trudeau, and Wellman
Prefiled 12/10/24. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on Human Services.
p. 1 SB 5032
Sec. 2. RCW 43.06A.030 and 2018 c 58 s 77 are each amended to 1
read as follows: 2
(1) The ombuds shall perform the following duties:3
(((1))) (a) Provide information as appropriate on the rights and 4
responsibilities of individuals receiving services from the 5
department of children, youth, and families, including family, youth, 6
and children's services, juvenile justice, juvenile rehabilitation, 7
and child early learning, and on the procedures for providing these 8
services; 9
(((2))) (b) Investigate, upon ((his or her )) the ombud's own 10
initiative or upon receipt of a complaint, an administrative act by 11
the department of children, youth, and families alleged to be 12
contrary to law, rule, or policy, imposed without an adequate 13
statement of reason, or based on irrelevant, immaterial, or erroneous 14
grounds; however, the ombuds may decline to investigate any complaint 15
as provided by rules adopted under this chapter; 16
(((3))) (c) Monitor the procedures as established, implemented, 17
and practiced by the department of children, youth, and families to 18
carry out its responsibilities in delivering family , youth, and 19
children's services and juvenile rehabilitation services, with a view 20
toward appropriate preservation of families and ensuring 21
((children's)) health and safety; 22
(((4))) (d) Review periodically the facilities and procedures of 23
state institutions including juvenile rehabilitation facilities 24
serving children, youth, individuals, and families, and state-25
licensed facilities or residences; 26
(((5))) (e) Recommend changes in the procedures for addressing 27
the needs of children, youth, individuals, and families, who receive 28
care or services from the department of children, youth, and 29
families; 30
(((6))) (f) Submit annually to the oversight board for children, 31
youth, and families created in RCW 43.216.015 and to the governor by 32
November 1st a report analyzing the work of the department of 33
children, youth, and families, including recommendations;34
(((7))) (g) Grant the oversight board for children, youth, and 35
families access to all relevant records in the possession of the 36
ombuds unless prohibited by law; and 37
(((8))) (h) Adopt rules necessary to implement this chapter.38
(2) For the purposes of this section, "child, youth, or 39
individual" includes any person in the state's care or in state-40
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licensed facilities or residences and juvenile rehabilitation 1
facilities who is receiving services from the department of children, 2
youth, and families. 3
Sec. 3. RCW 43.06A.100 and 2017 3rd sp.s. c 6 s 810 are each 4
amended to read as follows: 5
(1) The department of children, youth, and families shall:6
(a) Allow the ombuds or the ombuds's designee to communicate 7
privately with any child or person in the custody of the department 8
of children, youth, and families, or any child or person who is part 9
of a near fatality investigation by the department of children, 10
youth, and families, for the purposes of carrying out its duties 11
under this chapter; 12
(b) Permit the ombuds or the ombuds designee physical access to 13
state institutions serving children, youth, and families, including 14
juvenile rehabilitation facilities and state licensed facilities or 15
residences, for the purpose of carrying out its duties under this 16
chapter; 17
(c) Upon the ombuds's request, grant the ombuds or the ombuds's 18
designee the right to access, inspect, and copy all relevant 19
information, records, or documents in the possession or control of 20
the department of children, youth, and families that the ombuds 21
considers necessary in an investigation; and 22
(d) Grant the office of the family and children's ombuds 23
unrestricted online access to the child welfare case management 24
information system , the juvenile rehabilitation case management 25
system, and the department of children, youth, and families data 26
information system for the purpose of carrying out its duties under 27
this chapter. 28
(2) For the purposes of this section((, "near)):29
(a) "Near fatality" means an act that, as certified by a 30
physician, places the child or person in serious or critical 31
condition. 32
(b) "Child, youth, or individual" includes any person in the 33
state's care or in state-licensed facilities or residences and 34
juvenile rehabilitation facilities who is receiving services from the 35
department of children, youth, and families.36
(3) Nothing in this section creates a duty for the office of the 37
family and children's ombuds under RCW 43.06A.030 as related to 38
children in the care of an early learning program described in RCW 39
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43.216.500 through 43.216.550, a licensed child care center, or a 1
licensed child care home. 2
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