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SB 5256

Making permanent and expanding the child welfare housing assistance program.

2023-2024 Regular Session Introduced by Noel Frame and 12 co-sponsors

Makes the Child Welfare Housing Assistance Program permanent and expands who qualifies and where it’s available, helping families stay together and avoid foster care.

Effective date 6/30/2023.
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Bill Summary · SB 5256

Summary — SB 5256 (2023): Making permanent and expanding the Child Welfare Housing Assistance Program

Status: Enacted (Chapter 321, 2023 Laws). Governor signed 05/04/2023. Effective date (emergency): 06/30/2023. (Statutory change: amends RCW 74.13.802.)

Purpose / Intent

To convert the Child Welfare Housing Assistance Pilot Program into a permanent program, broaden who is eligible, expand geographic reach, and strengthen program administration and reporting. The program provides housing vouchers, rental assistance, navigation, and related supports to help keep children safely at home or to shorten foster care stays when removal is necessary.

Key provisions

  • Permanency: Removes the pilot expiration and establishes the Child Welfare Housing Assistance Program as an ongoing program (amends RCW 74.13.802).
  • Geographic expansion: Authorizes the program to operate in one or more counties west of the Cascade crest and one or more counties east of the Cascade crest (subject to available funds).
  • Expanded eligibility:
    • Continues to serve parents of children who are dependent when lack of appropriate housing is a barrier to reunification.
    • Adds parents of children who are “candidates for foster care” (i.e., at imminent risk of entering foster care) when housing instability is a barrier to the child remaining at home.
  • Administration and contracting:
    • Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) must administer the program and contract with outside entity(ies) that demonstrate understanding of housing needs for child-welfare-involved families. If no suitable contractors are available, DCYF may operate parts or all of the program.
    • Families may be referred by DCYF caseworkers, attorneys, guardians ad litem, parent allies, office of public defense social workers, or the court.
  • Stakeholder consultation: DCYF must consult a stakeholder group (parent allies, OPD parent representation staff, Dept. of Commerce, housing experts, community-based organizations, advocates, behavioral health providers) to guide program design, eligibility, equity, and a definition of homelessness for the program.
  • Reporting:
    • DCYF must report annually beginning November 1, 2024, to the Legislature (replaces earlier biennial reporting).
    • Reports must include data and outcomes, distribution of program participation by race, geography, ethnicity, and gender (and assessment of equity), and any legislative recommendations.
  • Funding condition: Program operation is subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: parents involved with the child welfare system whose lack of stable housing prevents reunification or puts children at imminent risk of foster care.
  • Agencies & partners: DCYF, contracted service providers, housing authorities, community-based organizations, courts, attorneys, and public defense social workers.
  • System-level: potential impacts for foster care caseloads, housing authorities (voucher partnerships), and state budget (depending on appropriations and leveraged federal vouchers).

Notable context / potential impacts

  • Pilot outcomes: prior pilot served 123 families and had a waitlist of about 40 families.
  • Fiscal leverage: testimony indicated housing authority commitments could leverage more than $30 million per year in federal rental subsidies if fully funded.
  • Expected effect: intended to reduce foster care placements, shorten out-of-home stays when placement occurs, increase reunification, and potentially realize cost savings by preventing removals—contingent on state appropriations and contracted capacity.

Procedural/timeline notes

  • Bill passed both chambers in April 2023, with the House adopting amendments. Enacted as law with an emergency clause to take effect June 30, 2023.
  • Ongoing annual reporting to the Legislature begins November 1, 2024.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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