WA SB6007

Washington State Institute for Public Policy must assess the Department of Children, Youth, and Families' screening tools and risk assessment processes for child welfare referrals to determine how they affect outcomes

Evaluation must examine how screening and risk assessment lead to family assessment response, voluntary and mandatory services, dependencies, out-of-home placements, rereferrals, and child fatalities or near fatalities

Preliminary findings due to the legislature and DCYF by December 1, 2026, with final report due by September 1, 2027

DCYF and the Washington State Family and Children's Ombuds must cooperate with the institute and provide access to necessary data

Legislature cites declining dependency filing rates since 2016 alongside rising critical incidents and near-critical incidents as rationale for the study