Title 13 — Title 13 JUVENILE COURTS AND JUVENILE OFFENDERS

Pursuant to the compact created in RCW 13.24.011, the governor is hereby authorized and empowered to designate a state council as required in Article IX of the compact.[ 2003 c 180 s 2.]Notes:Contingent effective date—2003 c 180: See note following RCW 13.24.011.

The compact administrator is hereby authorized and empowered to enter into supplementary agreements with appropriate officials of other states pursuant to the compact. In the event that such supplementary agreement shall require or contemplate the use of any institution or facili…

(1) The governor is hereby authorized and directed to execute a compact amending and supplementing the interstate compact on juveniles on behalf of this state with any other state or states legally joining therein in the form substantially as set forth in subsection (2) of this s…

The compact administrator, subject to the approval of the office of financial management, may make or arrange for any payments necessary to discharge any financial obligations imposed upon this state by the compact or by any supplementary agreement entered into thereunder.[ 1979 …

Any judge of this state who appoints counsel or guardian ad litem pursuant to the provision of the compact may, in his or her discretion, fix a fee to be paid out of funds available for disposition by the court but no such fee shall exceed twenty-five dollars.[ 2010 c 8 s 4005; 1…

The courts, departments, agencies and officers of this state and its subdivisions shall enforce this compact and shall do all things appropriate to the effectuation of its purposes and intent which may be within their respective jurisdictions.[ 1955 c 284 s 6.]

This chapter may be cited as the "uniform interstate compact on juveniles."[ 1955 c 284 s 7.]

The legislature finds that within any group of people there exists a need for guidelines for acceptable behavior and that, presumptively, the experience and maturity of parents make them better qualified to establish guidelines beneficial to and protective of their children. The …

It is the intent of the legislature to:(1) Preserve, strengthen, and reconcile families experiencing problems with at-risk youth;(2) Provide a legal process by which parents who are experiencing problems with at-risk youth can request and receive assistance from juvenile courts i…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the family reconciliation act.[ 1990 c 276 s 2; 1979 c 155 s 16.]Notes:Conflict with federal requirements—1990 c 276: "If any part of this act is found to be in conflict with federal requirements that are a prescribed condition to t…

As used in this chapter the following terms have the meanings indicated unless the context clearly requires otherwise:(1) "Abuse or neglect" means the injury, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, negligent treatment, or maltreatment of a child by any person under circumstances that…

(1) Subject to the availability of funding appropriated for this specific purpose, the department, or a designated contractor of the department, shall:(a) Offer family reconciliation services to families or youth who are experiencing conflict and who may be in need of services up…

(1) Beginning December 1, 2020, and annually thereafter, in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, the department shall make data available on the use of family reconciliation services which includes:(a) The number of requests for family reconciliation services;(b) The number of referral…

By July 1, 2025, and subject to the amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall offer a contract or contracts to provide community-based family reconciliation services in at least one location that is already providing community-based family reconciliatio…

(1)(a) A person commits the crime of unlawful harboring of a minor if the person provides shelter to a minor without the consent of a parent of the minor and after the person knows that the minor is away from the home of the parent, without the parent's permission, and if the per…

(1)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, any person, unlicensed youth shelter, or runaway and homeless youth program that, without legal authorization, provides shelter to a minor and that knows at the time of providing the shelter that the minor is away from a lawful…

If a person provides the notice required in RCW 13.32A.082, he or she is immune from liability for any cause of action arising from providing shelter to the child. The immunity shall not extend to acts of intentional misconduct or gross negligence by the person providing the shel…

A private right of action or claim on the part of a parent is created against an unlicensed youth shelter or unlicensed runaway and homeless youth program that fails to meet the reporting requirements in RCW 13.32A.082(1) (a), (b), and (c).[ 2013 c 4 s 3; 2010 c 229 s 3.]Notes:Fi…

Whenever a law enforcement agency receives a report from a parent that his or her child, or child over whom the parent has custody, has without permission of the parent left the home or residence lawfully prescribed for the child under circumstances where the parent believes that…

Where a child is placed in an out-of-home placement pursuant to *RCW 13.32A.090(3)(d)(ii), the department shall make available family reconciliation services in order to facilitate the reunification of the family. Any such placement may continue as long as there is agreement by t…

If a child who has a legal residence outside the state of Washington is admitted to a crisis residential center or is released by a law enforcement officer to the department, and the child refuses to return home, the provisions of *RCW 13.24.010 shall apply.[ 1996 c 133 s 17; 197…

(1) Where either a child or the child's parent or the person or facility currently providing shelter to the child notifies the center that such individual or individuals cannot agree to the continuation of an out-of-home placement arrived at pursuant to *RCW 13.32A.090(3)(d)(ii),…

In approving a petition under this chapter, a child may be placed in a semi-secure crisis residential center as a temporary out-of-home placement under the following conditions: (1) No other suitable out-of-home placement is available; (2) space is available in the semi-secure cr…

The department may take a runaway youth to a secure facility after attempting to notify the parent of the child's whereabouts. The department may not take a child to a secure facility if the department has reasonable cause to believe that the reason for the child's runaway status…

Unless the department files a dependency petition, the department shall file a child in need of services petition to approve an out-of-home placement on behalf of a child under any of the following sets of circumstances:(1) The child has been admitted to a crisis residential cent…

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the juvenile court shall not accept the filing of a child in need of services petition by the child or the parents or the filing of an at-risk youth petition by the parent, unless verification is provided that the department, or a…

(1) Whenever a child in need of services petition is filed by: (a) A youth pursuant to RCW 13.32A.150; (b) the child or the child's parent pursuant to RCW 13.32A.120; or (c) the department pursuant to RCW 13.32A.140, the filing party shall have a copy of the petition served on th…

(1) When a proper child in need of services petition to approve an out-of-home placement is filed under RCW 13.32A.120, 13.32A.140, or 13.32A.150 the juvenile court shall: (a)(i) Schedule a fact-finding hearing to be held: (A) For a child who resides in a place other than his or …

(1) The court shall hold a fact-finding hearing to consider a proper child in need of services petition, giving due weight to the intent of the legislature that families have the right to place reasonable restrictions and rules upon their children, appropriate to the individual c…

In any proceeding in which the court approves an out-of-home placement, the court shall inquire into the ability of parents to contribute to the child's support. If the court finds that the parents are able to contribute to the support of the child, the court shall order them to …

A determination of support payments ordered under RCW 13.32A.175 shall be based upon chapter 26.19 RCW.[ 1995 c 312 s 22; 1988 c 275 s 14.]Notes:Short title—1995 c 312: See note following RCW 13.32A.010.Effective dates—Severability—1988 c 275: See notes following RCW 26.19.001.

The department shall promulgate rules that create good cause exceptions to the establishment and enforcement of child support from parents of children in out-of-home placement under chapter 13.34 or 13.32A RCW that do not violate federal funding requirements.[ 2017 3rd sp.s. c 6 …

(1) A disposition hearing shall be held no later than fourteen days after the approval of the temporary out-of-home placement. The parents, child, and department shall be notified by the court of the time and place of the hearing.(2) At the conclusion of the disposition hearing, …

(1) If the court orders a three-month out-of-home placement for the child, the court shall specify the person or agency with whom the child shall be placed, those parental powers which will be temporarily awarded to such agency or person including but not limited to the right to …

(1) Upon making a dispositional order under RCW 13.32A.179, the court shall schedule the matter on the calendar for review within three months, advise the parties of the date thereof, appoint legal counsel and/or a guardian ad litem to represent the child at the review hearing, a…

(1) A child's parent may file with the juvenile court a petition in the interest of a child alleged to be an at-risk youth. The department shall, when requested, assist the parent in filing the petition. The petition shall be filed in the county where the petitioner resides. The …

(1) When a proper at-risk youth petition is filed by a child's parent under this chapter, the juvenile court shall:(a)(i) Schedule a fact-finding hearing to be held: (A) For a child who resides in a place other than his or her parent's home and other than an out-of-home placement…

(1) The court shall hold a fact-finding hearing to consider a proper at-risk youth petition. The court shall grant the petition and enter an order finding the child to be an at-risk youth if the allegations in the petition are established by a preponderance of the evidence, unles…

(1) A dispositional hearing shall be held no later than fourteen days after the fact-finding hearing. Each party shall be notified of the time and date of the hearing.(2) At the dispositional hearing regarding an adjudicated at-risk youth, the court shall consider the recommendat…

(1) In a disposition hearing, after a finding that a child is a child in need of services or an at-risk youth, the court may adopt the additional orders authorized under this section if it finds that the child involved in those proceedings is not eligible for inpatient treatment …

(1) Upon making a disposition regarding an adjudicated at-risk youth, the court shall schedule the matter on the calendar for review within three months, advise the parties of the date thereof, appoint legal counsel for the child, advise the parent of the right to be represented …

(1) All hearings pursuant to this chapter may be conducted at any time or place within the county of the residence of the parent and such cases shall be heard in conjunction with the business of any other division of the superior court, except as provided in subsections (2) and (…

No superior court may refuse to accept for filing a properly completed and presented child in need of services petition or an at-risk youth petition. To be properly presented, the petitioner shall verify that the family assessment required under RCW 13.32A.150 has been completed.…

In an attempt to minimize the inherent intrusion in the lives of families involved in the foster care system and to maintain parental authority where appropriate, the department, absent good cause, shall follow the wishes of the natural parent regarding the placement of the child…

(1) In all child in need of services proceedings and at-risk youth proceedings, the court shall verbally notify the parents and the child of the possibility of a finding of contempt for failure to comply with the terms of a court order entered pursuant to this chapter and the pos…

Within available funding, when a youth who has been diverted under RCW 13.40.070 for an alleged offense of prostitution or prostitution loitering is referred to the department, the department shall connect that child with the services and treatment specified in RCW * 74.14B.060 a…

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to create an entitlement to services nor to create judicial authority to order the provision at public expense of services to any person or family where the department has determined that such services are unavailable or unsuitable or th…

This chapter shall be known as the "Juvenile Court Act in Cases Relating to Dependency of a Child and the Termination of a Parent and Child Relationship".[ 1977 ex.s. c 291 s 29.]Notes:Effective dates—Severability—1977 ex.s. c 291: See notes following RCW 13.04.005.

The legislature declares that the family unit is a fundamental resource of American life which should be nurtured. Toward the continuance of this principle, the legislature declares that the family unit should remain intact unless a child's right to conditions of basic nurture, h…

(1) The department and agencies shall develop methods for coordination of services to parents and children in child dependency cases. To the maximum extent possible under current funding levels, the department and agencies must:(a) Coordinate and integrate services to children an…