HB1186 expands trauma-informed, culturally relevant, racial equity-based, and developmentally appropriate therapeutic placement supports in less restrictive community settings.
HB1186 creates a community transition services program that uses electronic home monitoring as a tool embedded in a progressively supportive community-based approach with therapeutic supports for young people.
This bill amends current law such that people are eligible for a community transition services program: (a) After 60 percent of their minimum term of confinement has been served; b) If the person has an earned release date that is before their 26th birthday.
HB1186 also expands current law so that a person placed in community transition services has access to:
(a) Behavioral health treatment;
(b) Independent living;
(c) Employment;
(d) Education;
(e) Connections to family and natural supports; and
(f) Community connections.
House Floor Amendments:
- Excludes individuals who were adjudicated or convicted of murder in the first or second degree and individuals meeting the definition of “persistent offender” from eligibility for community transition services.
- Requires the Washington Partnership Council on Juvenile Justice to convene stakeholders to develop recommendations regarding improving outcomes for individuals exiting a juvenile detention facility or institution and provide a report to the Legislature and Governor that includes these recommendations by September 1, 2022, with an initial set of recommendations due by November 1, 2021.
- Requires that the Department of Children, Youth, and Families prioritize the delivery of available programming related to community transition services from individuals who share characteristics with the individual being served related to: race; ethnicity; sexual identity; and gender identity.
- Requires that at least 15 weeks of total confinement, including time spent in detention before sentencing or disposition, be served before an individual is eligible for community transition services.
- Requires that the Department of Children, Youth, and Families include in its determination regarding whether it is in the best interest of the person and community to be placed in community transition services a consideration of the person’s behavior while in confinement and any disciplinary considerations.
- Excludes persons who will be transferred to the Department of Corrections, who are in the custody of the Department of Corrections, or who are under the supervision of the Department of Corrections from community transition services.
