BILL REQ. #:  S-0714.1 

Read first time 01/29/13.   Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.

     AN ACT Relating to establishing outcome measures for the community mental health service delivery system; adding a new section to chapter 71.28 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 71.28 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The department of social and health services shall establish procedures for measuring client outcomes and delivery system attributes for the community mental health service delivery system. The department must make outcome measures publicly available in a form that allows for comparison of outcomes and levels of improvement between geographic regions of Washington.
     (2) The following client outcomes must be monitored for the community mental health service delivery system: (a) Improvements in health status; (b) improved participation in employment and education; (c) improved housing stability; (d) improved quality of life, including measures of recovery and resilience; (e) improved access to treatment and health outcomes, as measured by reduction in disparity in population-based studies; (f) reduced criminal justice system involvement; and (g) reduced avoidable utilization of hospital, emergency room, and crisis services.
     (3) The following delivery system attributes must be monitored for the community mental health service delivery system: (a) Improvements in level of reliance on evidence-based, research-based, and promising practices; (b) reductions in boarding practices for crisis patients; (c) instances of connection and cross-system collaboration with law enforcement and criminal justice agencies; and (d) effectiveness in engaging and monitoring health status of forensically involved mental health patients released from incarceration or involuntary commitment within the geographic region.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   By December 1, 2013, the department of social and health services shall propose an incentive system that would reward superior performance relating to client outcome measures and delivery system attributes described in section 1 of this act, and describe any legal or practical barriers that would need to be addressed prior to implementation of such a system.