(1) Home visiting established by RCW 43.216.130 has been shown to enhance child development and well-being by reducing the incidence of child abuse and neglect, promoting connection to community-based supports, and increasing school readiness for young children and their families.

(2) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall enter into targeted contracts with existing home visiting programs established by RCW 43.216.130 in locales with the historically highest rates of child welfare screened-in intake to serve families.

(3) Targeted contracted home visiting slots for families experiencing high-potency synthetic opioid-related substance use disorder promotes expedited access to supports that enhance strengthened parenting skills and allows home visiting providers to have predictable funding. Any targeted contracted slots the department creates under this section must meet the requirements as provided for in chapter 328, Laws of 2024.

(4) Only existing home visiting providers are eligible to be awarded targeted contracted slots. The targeted contracted slots are reserved for programs in locales with the historically highest rates of child welfare screened-in intakes.

(5) The department shall provide training specific to substance use disorders for the home visiting providers selected for this program.

(6) Families referred to home visiting services via the process established in subsection (8) of this section must be contacted by the contracted program within seven days of referral.

(7) The department shall award the contracted slots via a competitive process. The department shall pay providers for each targeted contracted slot using the rate provided to existing home visiting providers.

(8) Eligible families shall be referred to the targeted contracted slots through a referral process developed by the department. The referral process shall include referrals from the department's child welfare staff as well as community organizations working with families meeting the criteria established in subsection (9) of this section.

(9) Priority for targeted contracted home visiting slots shall be given to:

(a) Families with child protective services open cases;

(b) Families with family assessment response open cases; and

(c) Families with family voluntary services open cases.

Findings—Intent—2024 c 328: See note following RCW 13.34.050.