Washington HB 1659: Expanding the early childhood court program.

Bill Text

AN ACT Relating to expanding the early childhood court program; 1
amending RCW 2.30.100; and creating a new section.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that the early 4
childhood court program has federal funding through September 2027 5
and is currently not operating at capacity. Expanding access to early 6
childhood courts ensures that these funds can be used to serve more 7
families in the dependency system.8
(2) The legislature further finds that courts need clarification 9
that they may use early childhood court funding to provide upstream 10
supports, services, and resources to families at risk of entering the 11
dependency system should they elect to do so.12
(3) The legislature further finds that there is a historical and 13
ongoing impact of systemic racism within child welfare, especially as 14
it affects Black, indigenous, and marginalized families. Recognizing 15
the role of historical policies that devalue cultural and racial 16
identities, this act aims to promote family integrity and dignity 17
while supporting healthy outcomes through equitable and culturally 18
sensitive practices.19
H-0315.1
HOUSE BILL 1659
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Timmons, Reed, Ramel, and Goodman
Read first time 01/28/25. Referred to Committee on Early Learning &
Human Services.
p. 1 HB 1659

Sec. 2. RCW 2.30.100 and 2021 c 285 s 2 are each amended to read 1
as follows:2
(1)(a) A superior court may establish an early childhood court 3
program to serve the needs of infants and toddlers who are under the 4
age of ((three)) six at the time the case enters the program and 5
dependent pursuant to chapter 13.34 RCW.6
(b) An early childhood court program is a therapeutic court as 7
defined in this chapter that provides an intensive court process for 8
families with a child under age three who has been found dependent 9
pursuant to chapter 13.34 RCW. To be eligible for the early childhood 10
court program, a parent must have a child under age three that is 11
dependent pursuant to chapter 13.34 RCW at the time the case enters 12
the early childhood court program. The case may remain in the early 13
childhood court program after the child is age three or older if the 14
child is still dependent pursuant to chapter 13.34 RCW.15
(2) If a superior court creates an early childhood court program, 16
it shall incorporate the following core components into the program:17
(a) The court shall obtain a memorandum of understanding or other 18
agreement with the department of children, youth, and families 19
developed in collaboration with counsel for parents and children that 20
outlines how the two entities will coordinate and collaborate to 21
implement the core components overall.22
(b) A community coordinator who may be employed by the courts, 23
the county, or a nonprofit entity and who is a person with experience 24
and training in diversity, equity, and inclusion measures and is 25
dedicated to:26
(i) Facilitating real-time information sharing and collaboration 27
among cross-sector professionals participating in the early childhood 28
court program;29
(ii) Coordinating and participating in family team meetings;30
(iii) Identifying community-based resources and supporting the 31
family's connection to these resources;32
(iv) Building relationships and forming new partnerships across 33
traditional and nontraditional services and systems;34
(v) Identifying training needs of early childhood court 35
professionals and facilitating the provision of training;36
(vi) Supporting the convening of community team meetings; and37
(vii) Performing the tasks outlined in this subsection describing 38
the core components of an early childhood court program unless 39
otherwise specified.40
p. 2 HB 1659

(c) A community team established by the court and consisting of 1
stakeholders to the court that serve as an advisory body to the court 2
and who implement the early childhood court program. The community 3
team shall include diverse membership to include, but not be limited 4
to, former parent participants, foster parents, parent and child 5
advocates, an attorney for parents, a department of children, youth, 6
and families caseworker, and a judicial officer. The community team 7
aims to:8
(i) Foster a learning environment and encourage an 9
interdisciplinary approach to meeting the needs of young children and 10
families;11
(ii) Identify and respond to challenges to accessing resources 12
and needed systems reforms;13
(iii) Support multidisciplinary trainings; and14
(iv) Recommend local court policies and procedures to improve 15
families receipt of equitable and timely access to resources and 16
remedial services for the parent and child.17
(d) More frequent status hearings than the review hearings 18
required under RCW 13.34.138 established by the judicial officer, 19
these status hearings are separate from the review hea