WSR 25-01-118
PERMANENT RULES
HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY
[Filed December 16, 2024, 2:42 p.m., effective January 16, 2025]
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: The health care authority (agency) is adding rules related to the new profession of certified peer specialists, as authorized in SSB 5555 (68th legislature, 2023 regular session). In addition to the rules listed below, the agency's CR-102 filing (WSR 24-21-053) proposed amendments to WAC 182-115-0100 and proposed to repeal WAC 182-115-0200. The agency revised the start date for its certified peer specialist training from January 2025 until March 2025. As a result, the agency is not moving forward with these amendments at this time and intends to propose them at a later date.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: New WAC 182-115-0300, 182-116-0100, and 182-116-0200.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 24-21-053 on October 9, 2024.
Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version:
Proposed/Adopted | WAC Subsection | Reason |
WAC 182-116-0200 |
Proposed | (2) After a person passes the authority's examination, the authority issues a letter stating that the person qualifies to become a certified peer specialist through the department. | To clarify that passing the agency's examination provides a person with the educational qualifications to become a certified peer specialist. The department of health certification includes other requirements for certified peer specialists, such as passing a background check. |
Adopted | (2) After a person passes the authority's examination, the authority issues a letter stating that the person meets the educational qualifications to become a certified peer specialist through the department. |
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 3, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 3, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: December 16, 2024.
Wendy Barcus
Rules Coordinator
OTS-5819.5
NEW SECTION
WAC 182-115-0300Peer specialist supervisor training.
Only those people who are certified peer counselors or certified peer specialists may qualify to take the authority's training to become endorsed by the department of health as an approved supervisor.
OTS-5820.2
Chapter 182-116 WAC
CERTIFIED PEER SPECIALIST
NEW SECTION
WAC 182-116-0100Certified peer specialist—General.
(1) A peer specialist certified by the department of health who provides medicaid-reimbursable peer support services must meet the requirements in WAC 182-116-0200.
(2) Certified peer specialists who provide services to people enrolled in medicaid must practice:
(a) Under the clinical supervision of a behavioral health provider as defined in RCW
71.24.025 or a certified peer specialist supervisor as defined in RCW
18.420.010; and
(b) In a community behavioral health agency licensed, certified, or subject to an approved tribal attestation by the department of health.
NEW SECTION
WAC 182-116-0200Peer specialist—Application, training, examination, and authority approval.
(1) People applying with the authority to train and test to qualify as a peer specialist certified under the department of health must meet all of the following:
(a) Be age 18 or older;
(b) Attest on the authority's application that they self-identify as:
(i) A person with one or more years of recovery from a mental health condition, substance use disorder, or both; or
(ii) The parent or legal guardian of a child age 17 or younger who is receiving or has received behavioral health services.
(c) Pass the authority's educational courses and pass the required examination with a total score of 80 percent or higher.
(2) After a person passes the authority's examination, the authority issues a letter stating that the person meets the educational qualifications to become a certified peer specialist through the department.