Washington HB 1544: Improving the risk assessment process used when investigating alleged child abuse and neglect referrals.

Bill Text

AN ACT Relating to the risk assessment process used by the 1
department of children, youth, and families when investigating 2
alleged child abuse and neglect referrals; reenacting and amending 3
RCW 26.44.030; creating a new section; and providing an expiration 4
date.5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:6
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The department of children, youth, and 7
families shall conduct a study to improve its risks, strengths, and 8
needs assessment tool used in the risk assessment process when 9
investigating alleged child abuse and neglect referrals described in 10
RCW 26.44.030(19) to:11
(a) Identify family risks, strengths, cultural strengths, and 12
needs at the time of the initial child protective services 13
investigation or family assessment response to help inform the most 14
appropriate service path for the family;15
(b) Identify the risk of harm to a child when substance use 16
disorder is a factor in the case or high potency synthetic opioids, 17
such as fentanyl, are a condition in the home, that incorporates 18
guidance from the department of health regarding high potency 19
synthetic opioids and child safety;20
H-3166.1
SECOND SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1544
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By House Early Learning & Human Services (originally sponsored by
Representatives Rule, Hill, Davis, Reed, and Ormsby)
READ FIRST TIME 01/27/26.
p. 1 2SHB 1544

(c) Identify the risk of harm to a child when domestic violence 1
is a factor in the home;2
(d) Determine the culturally appropriate service needs of the 3
family and support caseworkers to identify and transition families to 4
culturally appropriate, available services quickly;5
(e) Support reassessment and monitoring of family progress; and6
(f) Ensure that the assessment tool incorporates evidence-based 7
practices to address cultural bias.8
(2) By November 1, 2026, and in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, 9
the department of children, youth, and families shall provide data 10
and information to the legislature on the department of children, 11
youth, and families' efforts to improve its risks, strengths, and 12
needs assessment tool based on the study required under subsection 13
(1) of this section, including feedback provided by the office of 14
tribal relations within the department of children, youth, and 15
families.16
(3) This section expires August 1, 2027.17
Sec. 2. RCW 26.44.030 and 2025 c 197 s 2 and 2025 c 192 s 2 are 18
each reenacted and amended to read as follows:19
(1)(a) When any member of the clergy, practitioner, county 20
coroner or medical examiner, law enforcement officer, professional 21
school personnel, registered or licensed nurse, social service 22
counselor, psychologist, pharmacist, employee of the department of 23
children, youth, and families, licensed or certified child care 24
providers or their employees, employee of the department of social 25
and health services, juvenile probation officer, diversion unit 26
staff, placement and liaison specialist, responsible living skills 27
program staff, HOPE center staff, state family and children's ombuds 28
or any volunteer in the ombuds' office, or host home program has 29
reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or 30
neglect, he or she shall report such incident, or cause a report to 31
be made, to the proper law enforcement agency or to the department as 32
provided in RCW 26.44.040.33
(b) When any person, in his or her official supervisory capacity 34
with a nonprofit or for-profit organization, has reasonable cause to 35
believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect caused by a person 36
over whom he or she regularly exercises supervisory authority, he or 37
she shall report such incident, or cause a report to be made, to the 38
proper law enforcement agency, provided that the person alleged to 39
p. 2 2SHB 1544

have caused the abuse or neglect is employed by, contracted by, or 1
volunteers with the organization and coaches, trains, educates, or 2
counsels a child or children or regularly has unsupervised access to 3
a child or children as part of the employment, contract, or voluntary 4
service. Except for members of the clergy, no one shall be required 5
to report under this section when he or she obtains the information 6
solely as a result of a privileged communication as provided in RCW 7
5.60.060.8
Nothing in this subsection (1)(b) shall limit a person's duty to 9
report under (a) of this subsection.10
For the purposes of this subsection, the following definitions 11
apply:12
(i) "Official supervisory capacity" means a position, status, or 13
role created, recognized, or designated by any nonprofit or for-14
profit organization, either for financial gain or without financial 15
gain, whose scope includes, but is not limited to, overseeing, 16
directing, or managing another person who is employed by, contracted 17
by, or volunteers with the nonprofit or for-profit organization.18
(ii) "