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Hinkle calls second meeting
of Child Safety Task Force
Rep.
Bill Hinkle, as co-chair of the Joint Task Force for Child
Safety, has called the second meeting of the task force for Sept. 29 in
Olympia. The task force will continue its review of Department of Social
and Health Services (DSHS) policy and review problems from Child
Fatality Reviews.
“This task force is doing important work in studying the climate for
keeping kids safe in this state,” said Hinkle, R-Cle Elum. “We are
looking at all aspects of the system and I look forward to issuing our
report.”
Hinkle is ranking Republican on the Health Care Committee in addition to
his co-chair duties for the task force.
The task force, created under SHB 2156 last session, includes
legislators, members from the Washington Council for the Prevention of
Child Abuse and Neglect, DSHS staff, public defenders, judges, social
workers, foster parents, birth parents and others involved in the child
welfare system.
The bill creating the task force grew out of “Sirita’s Law” introduced
by Hinkle last session. Sirita’s Law was named after Sirita Sotelo, who
died before her fifth birthday, beaten to death at the home of her
father and stepmother. Sirita had spent most of her life in and out of
foster care, and the state had recently moved her in with her father.
Sirita’s foster father is a member of the task force.
Other issues the group is studying include: state and federal law on
child placement and termination of parental rights; when and how
children are removed from homes and reunited with parents; what
transition services are available for families; how case workers and
supervisors share information; and best practices regarding child
protection. The task force’s preliminary findings are due to the
Legislature by Dec. 31.
Hinkle also serves on the Children and Family Services and
Appropriations committees.
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For more information, contact:
John Handy, Assistant
Communications Director - (360) 786-5758
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