Summary Of Legislative Mandates:

1994 Youth Violence Reduction Act (HB 2319/RCW 70.190)

The Network duties are to:

• Review state and local public health data and analysis relating to risk factors, protective factors, and at-risk children and youth;
• Prioritize the risk factors and protective factors to reduce the likelihood of the children and youth being at risk;
• Develop long term comprehensive plans to reduce the rate of at-risk children and youth; set definitive, measurable goals, based upon the department of health standards; and project their desired outcomes;
• Distribute funds to local programs that reflect the locally established priorities;
• Comply with outcome-based standards;
• Cooperate with the Department of Health and local health jurisdictions to provide data and determine outcomes; and
• Coordinate efforts with anti-drug use efforts and organizations and maintain a high priority for combating drug use by at-risk youth.

In order to be successful with these responsibilities, networks must also:

• Use data in their decision making;
• Capitalize on community assets for prevention;
• Assess the effectiveness of existing categorical human services programs; and
• Increase community involvement and mobilization in planning and implementation.

The Council and each Network are directed to:

• Biennially review all state and federal funded programs serving individuals, families or communities to determine whether a network may be better able to integrate and coordinate these services within the community;
• Specifically review and report, to the governor and the legislature, on the feasibility and desirability of decategorizing and granting, all or part of, 14 program funds to the networks
• If the council or a network determines that a program should not be decategorized, the council or network shall make recommendations regarding programmatic changes that are necessary to improve the coordination and integration of services and programs, regardless of the funding source for those programs.

Finally, the participating state agencies shall:

• Execute an interagency agreement to ensure the coordination of their local program efforts regarding children. This agreement shall recognize and give specific planning, coordination and program administration responsibilities to community networks, after the approval of their comprehensive plans. The networks shall encourage the developing of integrated, regionally-based children, youth and family activities and services with adequate local flexibility. The community networks shall exercise the planning, coordinating and program administration functions specified by the state interagency agreement in addition to other activities.