PDFWAC 246-341-1158

Mental health inpatient servicesCompetency evaluation and restorationSeclusion and restraint.

(1) An individual receiving either competency evaluation or restoration treatment services, or both has the right to be free from seclusion and restraint, including chemical restraint except as otherwise provided in this section or otherwise provided by law. The agency must do all of the following:
(a) Develop, implement, and maintain policies and procedures to ensure that seclusion and restraint procedures are used only to the extent necessary to ensure the safety of an individual and in accordance with WAC 246-322-180 or 246-337-110, whichever is applicable.
(b) Ensure that the use of seclusion or restraint occurs only when there is imminent danger to self or others and less restrictive measures have been determined to be ineffective to protect the individual or other from harm and the reasons for the determination are clearly documented in the individual's clinical record.
(c) Ensure staff members notify and receive authorization by a physician, physician assistant (PA) or advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) within one hour of initiating an individual's seclusion or restraint.
(d) Ensure the individual is informed of the reasons for use of seclusion or restraint and the specific behaviors which must be exhibited in order to gain release from a seclusion or restraint procedure.
(e) Ensure that an appropriate clinical staff member observes the individual at least every fifteen minutes and the observation is recorded in the individual's clinical record.
(f) If the use of seclusion or restraint exceeds twenty-four hours, ensure that a physician has assessed the individual and has written a new order if the intervention will be continued. This procedure must be repeated for each twenty-four hour period that seclusion or restraint is used.
(2) The agency must ensure all assessments and justification for the use of either seclusion or restraint, or both, are documented in the individual's clinical record.
[Statutory Authority: 2018 c 201 and 2018 c 291. WSR 19-09-062, § 246-341-1158, filed 4/16/19, effective 5/17/19.]