2015 Revised Code of Washington
Title 74 - PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
74.13B Child welfare system—Contracting for services.
74.13B.020 Family support and related services—Performance-based contracting.

RCW 74.13B.020 Family support and related services—Performance-based contracting.

(1) No later than July 1, 2014, the department shall enter into performance-based contracts for the provision of family support and related services. The department may enter into performance-based contracts for additional services, other than case management.

(2) The department shall conduct a procurement process to enter into performance-based contracts with one or more network administrators for family support and related services. As part of the procurement process, the department shall consult with department caseworkers, the exclusive bargaining representative for employees of the department, tribal representatives, parents who were formerly involved in the child welfare system, youth currently or previously in foster care, child welfare services researchers, and the Washington state institute for public policy to assist in identifying the categories of family support and related services that will be included in the procurement. The categories of family support and related services shall be defined no later than July 15, 2012. In identifying services, the department must review current data and research related to the effectiveness of family support and related services that mitigate child safety concerns and promote permanency, including reunification, and child well-being. Expenditures for family support and related services purchased under this section must remain within the levels appropriated in the operating budget.

(3)(a) Network administrators shall, directly or through subcontracts with service providers:

(i) Assist caseworkers in meeting their responsibility for implementation of case plans and individual service and safety plans; and

(ii) Provide the family support and related services within the categories of contracted services that are included in a child or family's case plan or individual service and safety plan within funds available under contract.

(b) While the department caseworker retains responsibility for case management, nothing in chapter 205, Laws of 2012 limits the ability of the department to continue to contract for the provision of case management services by child-placing agencies, behavioral rehabilitation services agencies, or other entities that provided case management under contract with the department prior to July 1, 2005.

(4) In conducting the procurement, the department shall actively consult with other state agencies with relevant expertise, such as the health care authority, and with philanthropic entities with expertise in performance-based contracting for child welfare services. The director of the office of financial management must approve the request for proposal prior to its issuance.

(5) The procurement process must be developed and implemented in a manner that complies with applicable provisions of intergovernmental agreements between the state of Washington and tribal governments and must provide an opportunity for tribal governments to contract for service delivery through network administrators.

(6) The procurement and resulting contracts must include, but are not limited to, the following standards and requirements:

(a) The use of family engagement approaches to successfully motivate families to engage in services and training of the network's contracted providers to apply such approaches;

(b) The use of parents and youth who are successful veterans of the child welfare system to act as mentors through activities that include, but are not limited to, helping families navigate the system, facilitating parent engagement, and minimizing distrust of the child welfare system;

(c) The establishment of qualifications for service providers participating in provider networks, such as appropriate licensure or certification, education, and accreditation by professional accrediting entities;

(d) Adequate provider capacity to meet the anticipated service needs in the network administrator's contracted service area. The network administrator must be able to demonstrate that its provider network is culturally competent and has adequate capacity to address disproportionality, including utilization of tribal and other ethnic providers capable of serving children and families of color or who need language-appropriate services;

(e) Fiscal solvency of network administrators and providers participating in the network;

(f) The use of evidence-based, research-based, and promising practices, where appropriate, including fidelity and quality assurance provisions;

(g) Network administrator quality assurance activities, including monitoring of the performance of providers in their provider network, with respect to meeting measurable service outcomes;

(h) Network administrator data reporting, including data on contracted provider performance and service outcomes; and

(i) Network administrator compliance with applicable provisions of intergovernmental agreements between the state of Washington and tribal governments and the federal and Washington state Indian child welfare act.

(7) As part of the procurement process under this section, the department shall issue the request for proposals or request for information no later than December 31, 2013, shall begin implementation of performance-based contracting no later than July 1, 2014, and shall fully implement performance-based contracting no later than July 1, 2015.

(8) Performance-based payment methodologies must be used in network administrator contracting. Performance measures should relate to successful engagement by a child or parent in services included in their case plan, and resulting improvement in identified problem behaviors and interactions. For the initial three-year period of implementation of performance-based contracting, the department may transfer financial risk for the provision of services to network administrators only to the limited extent necessary to implement a performance-based payment methodology, such as phased payment for services. However, the department may develop a shared savings methodology through which the network administrator will receive a defined share of any savings that result from improved performance. If the department receives a Title IV-E waiver, the shared savings methodology must be consistent with the terms of the waiver. If a shared savings methodology is adopted, the network administrator shall reinvest the savings in enhanced services to better meet the needs of the families and children they serve.

(9) The department must actively monitor network administrator compliance with the terms of contracts executed under this section.

(10) The use of performance-based contracts under this section must be done in a manner that does not adversely affect the state's ability to continue to obtain federal funding for child welfare-related functions currently performed by the state and with consideration of options to further maximize federal funding opportunities and increase flexibility in the use of such funds, including use for preventive and in-home child welfare services.

[2013 c 205 § 3; 2012 c 205 § 3.]

NOTES:

Findings—Reports—2013 c 205: See note following RCW 74.13.690.