AN ACT Relating to expanding the activities of the children's mental health services consultation program; and amending RCW 71.24.061.

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

Sec. 1.  RCW 71.24.061 and 2014 c 225 s 35 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The department shall provide flexibility in provider contracting to behavioral health organizations for children's mental health services. Beginning with 2007-2009 biennium contracts, behavioral health organization contracts shall authorize behavioral health organizations to allow and encourage licensed community mental health centers to subcontract with individual licensed mental health professionals when necessary to meet the need for an adequate, culturally competent, and qualified children's mental health provider network.

(2) To the extent that funds are specifically appropriated for this purpose or that nonstate funds are available, a children's mental health evidence-based practice institute shall be established at the University of Washington division of public behavioral health and justice policy. The institute shall closely collaborate with entities currently engaged in evaluating and promoting the use of evidence-based, research-based, promising, or consensus-based practices in children's mental health treatment, including but not limited to the University of Washington department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, children's hospital and regional medical center, the University of Washington school of nursing, the University of Washington school of social work, and the Washington state institute for public policy. To ensure that funds appropriated are used to the greatest extent possible for their intended purpose, the University of Washington's indirect costs of administration shall not exceed ten percent of appropriated funding. The institute shall:

(a) Improve the implementation of evidence-based and research-based practices by providing sustained and effective training and consultation to licensed children's mental health providers and child-serving agencies who are implementing evidence-based or researched-based practices for treatment of children's emotional or behavioral disorders, or who are interested in adapting these practices to better serve ethnically or culturally diverse children. Efforts under this subsection should include a focus on appropriate oversight of implementation of evidence-based practices to ensure fidelity to these practices and thereby achieve positive outcomes;

(b) Continue the successful implementation of the "partnerships for success" model by consulting with communities so they may select, implement, and continually evaluate the success of evidence-based practices that are relevant to the needs of children, youth, and families in their community;

(c) Partner with youth, family members, family advocacy, and culturally competent provider organizations to develop a series of information sessions, literature, and online resources for families to become informed and engaged in evidence-based and research-based practices;

(d) Participate in the identification of outcome-based performance measures under RCW 71.36.025(2) and partner in a statewide effort to implement statewide outcomes monitoring and quality improvement processes; and

(e) Serve as a statewide resource to the department and other entities on child and adolescent evidence-based, research-based, promising, or consensus-based practices for children's mental health treatment, maintaining a working knowledge through ongoing review of academic and professional literature, and knowledge of other evidence-based practice implementation efforts in Washington and other states.

(3)(a) To the extent that funds are specifically appropriated for this purpose, the ((department)) health care authority in collaboration with the ((evidence-based practice institute)) University of Washington department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and Seattle children's hospital shall implement a ((pilot)) program called the partnership access line for moms and kids to:

(i) Support primary care providers in the assessment and provision of appropriate diagnosis and treatment of children with mental and behavioral health disorders and track outcomes of this program;

(iii) Facilitate referrals to children's mental health services and other resources for parents and guardians with concerns related to the mental health of the parent or guardian's child. Facilitation activities include assessing the level of services needed by the child; within seven days of receiving a call from a parent or guardian, identifying mental health professionals who are in-network with the child's health care coverage who are accepting new patients and taking appointments; coordinating contact between the parent or guardian and the mental health professional; and providing postreferral reviews to determine if the child has outstanding needs. In conducting its referral activities, the program shall collaborate with existing databases and resources to identify in-network mental health professionals.

(b) The program activities described in (a)(i) and (ii) of this subsection shall be designed to promote more accurate diagnoses and treatment through timely case consultation between primary care providers and child psychiatric specialists, and focused educational learning collaboratives with primary care providers.

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