Keeping Families Connected: The Importance of Family Time and Implementation of HB 1194

Meaningful, consistent family time visitation is critical to strengthening and preserving the family bond and achieving successful reunification in child dependency cases. HB 1194, Strengthening Parent-Child Visitation During Child Welfare Proceedings, was unanimously passed by the House and the Senate, and went into effect on July 25, 2021. HB 1194 made significant changes to the court’s role in ordering family time visitation with the goal of providing the maximum parent, child, and sibling contact possible, while keeping the child safe.

This presentation will review the purpose behind the changes HB 1194 made to RCW 13.34 statutes pertaining to family time visitation. Presenters will also discuss the successes and barriers that dependency courts and system partners have encountered in applying the new law, along with the work being done at the state level to support and evaluate implementation.