WSR 18-05-022

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Filed February 9, 2018, 9:31 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: The department is planning to amend chapter 388-112A WAC, Residential long-term care services training; and other related rules as may be required.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 74.39A.009, 74.39A.070, 74.39A.074, 74.39A.341, 18.20.270, 18.88B.021, 18.88B.035, 70.128.230, 71A.12.030, 70.97.080.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The department is planning to amend WAC 388-112A-0610 Who is required to complete continuing education training each year, how many hours of continuing education are required, and when must they be completed? Amended rule language is needed to consistently indicate that continuing education is required of exempted workers in adult family homes, assisted living facilities, and enhanced services facilities for each year worked in that setting. Planned changes will also clarify when the continuing education is due when returning to work in a long-term care setting.

Technical corrections must be made in WAC 388-112A-0480 and 388-112A-0490 concerning when specialty training must be completed to be consistent with statute deadlines for long-term care workers and others in assisted living facilities in RCW 18.20.270. Also, a technical correction must be made in the specialty training instructor qualifications to correctly reference the education section in WAC 388-112A-1270 (2)(b) and 388-112A-1285 (2)(b).

Other related rule changes that arise during this rule making may be incorporated. Other related WAC chapters may need to be amended as a result of this rule making.

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 Suemary Trobaugh, P.O. Box 45600, Olympia, WA 98504-5310, phone 360-725-2516, fax 360-725-2646, TTY 1-800-833-6388, email Suemary.trobaugh@dshs.wa.gov.

February 8, 2018

Katherine I. Vasquez

Rules Coordinator