WA HB2660

Critical incidents (maltreatment-related child fatalities or near fatalities in families with open child welfare cases) increased 70% from 2021 to 2024, with 22 incidents in Q1 2025 compared to 9 in Q1 2024.

Courts may now order parents, guardians, or legal custodians of children under age five to comply with safety conditions during shelter care hearings, even without parental consent, if the court finds reasonable cause that conditions are necessary for child safety.

Court-ordered conditions must be culturally appropriate, reasonably available, and reasonably accessible to the parent; the department must provide referrals within seven days of the parent signing a release of information.

Department failure to provide timely referrals or access to services cannot be used as grounds for removal, continued shelter care, or a finding of dependency.

Parental participation in prevention services, safety planning, or court-ordered conditions cannot be construed as an admission of abuse or neglect in subsequent fact-finding hearings.