Section 13.34.400. Child welfare proceedings—Placement—Documentation.

In any proceeding under this chapter, if the department or supervising agency submits a report to the court in which the department is recommending a new placement or a change in placement, the department or supervising agency shall include the documents relevant to persons in the home in which a child will be placed and listed in subsections (1) through (5) of this section to the report. The department or supervising agency shall include only these relevant documents and shall not attach the entire history of the subject of the report.

(1) If the report contains a recommendation, opinion, or assertion by the department or supervising agency relating to substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, anger management classes, or domestic violence classes, the department or supervising agency shall attach the document upon which the recommendation, opinion, or assertion was based. The documentation may include the progress report or evaluation submitted by the provider, but may not include the entire history with the provider.

(2) If the report contains a recommendation, opinion, or assertion by the department or supervising agency relating to visitation with a child, the department or supervising agency shall attach the document upon which the recommendation, opinion, or assertion was based. The documentation may include the most recent visitation report, a visitation report referencing a specific incident alleged in the report, or summary of the visitation prepared by the person who supervised the visitation. The documentation attached to the report shall not include the entire visitation history.

(3) If the report contains a recommendation, opinion, or assertion by the department or supervising agency relating to the psychological status of a person, the department or supervising agency shall attach the document upon which the recommendation, opinion, or assertion was based. The documentation may include the progress report, evaluation, or summary submitted by the provider, but shall not include the entire history of the person.

(4) If the report contains a recommendation, opinion, or assertion by the department or supervising agency relating to injuries to a child, the department or supervising agency shall attach a summary of the physician's report, prepared by the physician or the physician's designee, relating to the recommendation, opinion, or assertion by the department.

(5) If the report contains a recommendation, opinion, or assertion by the department or supervising agency relating to a home study, licensing action, or background check information, the department or supervising agency shall attach the document or documents upon which that recommendation, opinion, or assertion is based.

[ 2009 c 520 § 48; 2007 c 411 § 2.]

NOTES:

Finding—2007 c 411: "The legislature finds that in order to allow courts to make well-informed placement decisions for children in the care of the state, the courts must have accurate information, including documentation supporting assertions or recommendations made by social workers, when appropriate." [ 2007 c 411 § 1.]

Short title—2007 c 411: "This act shall be known and cited as the Rafael Gomez act." [ 2007 c 411 § 3.]

2009 c 520 § 48; 2007 c 411 § 2.