WSR 15-18-035

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Filed August 26, 2015, 9:04 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: The department will amend, create, and repeal sections in chapters 388-865, 388-877, 388-877A, 388-877B WAC, and any other sections as may be required that pertain to regional support networks (RSN) and behavioral health services.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 71.05.560, chapters 70.96A, 71.05, 71.24 RCW, and 2SSB 6312.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The department needs rules on this subject to comply with 2SSB 6312, chapter 225, Laws of 2014, which requires RSNs to be renamed behavioral health organizations, and authorizes the department and the health care authority (HCA) to establish regional service areas within the state and integrate substance use disorder treatment with mental health services. The proposed changes will also update the rules in order to provide more consistent statewide administration, continuity, delivery, and monitoring of behavioral health services which impact consumers, their families, advocates, and contracted providers.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The department will coordinate this rule making with HCA.

Process for Developing New Rule: DSHS welcomes the public to take part in developing the rules. Anyone interested should contact the staff person identified below. At a later date, DSHS will file a proposal with the office of the code reviser with a notice of proposed rule making. A copy of the proposal will be sent to everyone on the mailing list and to anyone who requests a copy.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Kathy Sayre, Rules Program Manager, Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery, P.O. Box 45330, Olympia, WA 98504-5330, e-mail kathy.sayre@dshs.wa.gov, phone (360) 725-1342, fax (360) 586-0341, TTY 1-800-833-6384.

August 26, 2015

Katherine I. Vasquez

Rules Coordinator