PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Health and Rehabilitative Services Administration)
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Inpatient evaluation and treatment facilities, WAC 388-865-0500 through 388-865-0565.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 71.05.560 and 71.34.800.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The Mental Health Division is revising these rules to be consistent with rules being developed for residential treatment facilities by the Department of Health.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The Department of Health. The Mental Health Division is participating with the DSHS Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse and the Department of Health in a workgroup with community providers to coordinate development of these rules.
Process for Developing New Rule: An oversight committee consisting of representatives from the Department of Health and representatives from community residential treatment facilities being regulated by these rules will assist the department in rule development. All draft materials will be made available to constituents for a larger review audience. All comments will be taken into consideration for final rule development. Meetings are planned for April and May 2003. Additional meeting dates will be announced as they are determined.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Kathy Burns Peterson, Mental Health Division, P.O. Box 45320, Olympia, WA 98504-5320, e-mail burnska@dshs.wa.gov, (360) 902-0843, fax (360) 902-0809.
March 7, 2003
Brian H. Lindgren, Manager
Rules and Policies Assistance Unit