SINGLE BED CERTIFICATION

At the discretion of the health care authority (HCA) or HCA's designee, an exception may be granted to a facility that is not certified under chapter 246-341 WAC, for a person on an initial detention, a five-day detention pending a revocation proceeding, or a fourteen-day commitment in order to allow timely and appropriate treatment. An exception may also be granted for renewable periods of thirty days to allow a community facility to provide treatment to a person on a ninety- or one hundred eighty-day inpatient involuntary commitment order or to a person who has been revoked from a less restrictive alternative order or conditional release. For involuntarily detained or committed children, an exception may be granted to allow timely and appropriate treatment in a facility not certified under chapter 246-341 WAC, until the child's discharge from that setting to the community, or until they transfer to a bed in a children's long-term inpatient program (CLIP).

(1) In the case of an adult, the behavioral health administrative services organization (BH-ASO) or a designee must submit a written request for a single bed certification to HCA or HCA's designee. In the case of a child, the facility must submit the written request to HCA or HCA's designee and provide a copy to the BH-ASO. HCA or HCA's designee must receive and approve the request in order for a facility to accept a person for timely and appropriate treatment under this section. If HCA or HCA's designee has assumed the duties assigned to a nonparticipating BH-ASO, HCA or HCA's designee may designate an entity to request a single bed certification as described in this section.

(2) HCA or HCA's designee may issue a single bed certification in writing to the facility for timely and appropriate mental health treatment when the following requirements are met in each instance where such certification is sought for a person:

(a) The facility that is the site of the proposed single bed certification confirms that it is willing and able to provide directly, or by direct arrangement with other public or private agencies, timely and appropriate mental health treatment to the person for whom the single bed certification is sought; and

(b) The request for single bed certification describes why the person meets at least one of the following criteria:

(i) The person is expected to be ready for discharge from inpatient services at the facility referred to in (a) of this subsection within the next thirty days and remaining at that facility would facilitate continuity of care, consistent with the person's individual treatment needs;

(ii) The person can receive appropriate mental health treatment in a residential treatment facility, as defined in WAC 246-337-005; or

(iii) The person can receive appropriate mental health treatment in a hospital with a psychiatric unit, a psychiatric hospital, or a hospital that is willing and able to provide timely and appropriate mental health treatment, including a temporary health care facility that has a mental health component credentialed or approved by the department of health.

(3) In order to provide timely and appropriate mental health treatment, the facility receiving the single bed certification, or the public or private agency the facility has a direct arrangement with to provide mental health treatment, must:

(a) Implement standards for administration that include written procedures to assure that a mental health professional, as defined in RCW 71.05.020, and a licensed physician, psychiatric advanced registered nurse practitioner, or physician assistant are available for consultation and communication with both the person and the direct patient care staff;

(b) Use a plan of care or treatment. The person's medical or clinical record must contain documentation that:

(i) An individualized mental health treatment plan was developed, when possible, collaboratively with the person. If the person is unwilling or unable to participate in development of the plan, documentation must be made in the record. Development of this plan may include participation of a multidisciplinary team, a mental health professional as defined in RCW 71.05.020, or collaboration with members of the person's support system as identified by the person; and

(ii) A mental health professional, as defined in RCW 71.05.020, has had contact with the person at least daily for the purposes of:

(A) Observation and evaluation;

(B) Assessing whether the person is appropriate for release from involuntary commitment to accept treatment on a voluntary basis; and

(c) Have standards for administration and monitoring of medication, including psychiatric medications. A person has a right to make an informed decision regarding the use of antipsychotic medication consistent with RCW 71.05.215.

(4) If a person requires medical services that are not generally available at a facility certified under chapter 246-341 WAC, or at a state psychiatric hospital, or a facility that meets the requirements of subsections (2) and (3) of this section, HCA or HCA's designee may issue a single bed certification to that facility for the person as follows:

(a) The single bed certification request must adequately describe why the person requires medical services that are not available at a facility certified under chapter 246-341 WAC, a state psychiatric hospital, or a facility that meets the requirements of subsections (2) and (3) of this section;

(b) The facility that is the site of the requested single bed certification must confirm that it is willing and able to provide the medical services; and

(c) The facility has documented that one of the following has been met:

(i) With the authorization of the facility, and consistent with any applicable facility policies and procedures, the BH-ASO assigns a mental health professional to provide the person appropriate mental health treatment at the facility, including observation and evaluation, during the period of time the person is provided medical services; or

(ii) The facility provides medical services and a plan that addresses the person's mental health treatment needs until the person is medically stable and the BH-ASO or a designee identifies an appropriate facility for the person that is one of the following:

(A) The facility providing services;

(B) A facility that is certified as an evaluation and treatment (E&T) facility; or

(C) A facility that can meet the person's needs under the single bed certification criteria in this section.

(d) If a qualified medical professional determines that mental health treatment for the person is not appropriate due to medical instability, the requirements in (c) of this subsection do not apply. When the person is determined to be medically stable, the facility must ensure the requirements in (c) of this subsection are met;

(e) A person who receives services under a single bed certification under this section must be transferred to an evaluation and treatment facility, state hospital, or other placement as soon as the attending physician considers the person medically stable and a bed becomes available, unless the treating facility consents to continue treatment and continued treatment in the current setting is consistent with the best clinical interests of the person.

(5) HCA or HCA's designee may make site visits at any time to verify that the terms of the single bed certification are being met. Failure to comply with any term of this exception may result in corrective action. If HCA or HCA's designee determines that the violation places people in imminent jeopardy, immediate revocation of this exception can occur.

(6) The BH-ASO retains the responsibility for ensuring due process required by RCW 71.24.300 (6)(b).

(7) Neither a person nor a facility has fair hearing rights as defined under chapter 182-526 WAC regarding single bed certification decisions made by HCA or HCA's designee staff.