Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 246-835 WAC (new), Birth Doula. The department of health (department) is considering establishing a new chapter to implement ESHB 1881 (chapter 217, Laws of 2022). This bill creates a new certified profession, birth doula, under Title 18 RCW. The law requires the department to create rules for the profession, which are needed to establish processes for applicants to meet competency-based requirements for voluntary certification. Additionally, rule making is needed to specify various fees such as initial licensure, renewal, late renewal, duplicate license, and verification.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: ESHB 1881 creates a new credential for voluntary certification of birth doulas. Rules are needed for the new profession to specify processes for applicants to meet competency-based requirements for voluntary certification. Further, rule making is needed to set fees for the profession to ensure the department is in line with RCW 43.70.250 and fees set are enough to cover the costs of licensing the profession.

ESHB 1881 does not prohibit a person from practicing as a birth doula without a certification; however, only those certified by the department under adopted rules will be able to identify themselves as a "state-certified birth doula."

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Kathy Weed, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone 360-236-4883, fax 360-236-2910, TTY 711, email kathy.weed@doh.wa.gov, website www.doh.wa.gov, https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOH/subscriber/new.

Additional comments: The department will use existing GovDelivery lists to inform stakeholders of opportunities to provide input on proposed rule language. Interested parties can join the GovDelivery list to get information on participating in the process by subscribing at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOH/subscriber/new.