March 22, 2007

OLYMPIA… The House Early Learning and Children’s Services Committee heard testimony Thursday on Sen. Mike Carrell’s child welfare bill.  Senate Bill 5321 would require the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to protect families that are falsely accused of child abuse by making reasonable efforts to investigate and resolve a claim. 

“This bill passed the Senate unanimously, and I’m looking forward to the same support here,” said Carrell, R-Lakewood.  “SB 5321 is good for families and good for children, and I expect it will be received favorably by my colleagues in the House of Representatives.” 

Carrell added that DSHS currently classifies claims as founded, unfounded or inconclusive.  “It’s unfair to foster families and foster children to leave them in limbo with a black mark on their record when the state cannot find any basis to substantiate a claim,” Carrell said. 

SB 5321 would require DSHS to remove the “inconclusive” classification to eliminate any ambiguity about a claim of child abuse. 

“I can’t imagine a judge in our legal system telling someone who is accused of a crime that even though there is no evidence, he or she is going to have a criminal record anyway,” Carrell said.  “Our courts find people either guilty or not guilty, and so should DSHS.” 

Carrell said that DSHS also shares the inconclusive finding with other agencies that contract with it, and that families who want to open up their lives by fostering children are branded with a stigma that can affect them for years. 

If Senate Bill 5321 is passed by the House Early Learning and Children’s Services Committee, it would then be sent to the House Appropriations Committee for consideration.

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Sen. Mike Carrell represents the 28^th Legislative District, which includes Lakewood, Steilacoom, University Place, DuPont, Fircrest, and parts of Tacoma, Fort Lewis, and McChord Air Force Base.

For more information contact Erich R. Ebel
at (360) 786-7395