HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY

[Filed March 26, 2025, 12:54 p.m., effective July 1, 2025]

Effective Date of Rule: July 1, 2025.

Purpose: As authorized in 2SSB 5555 (68th legislature, regular session), the health care authority (agency) is revising chapter 182-115 WAC as follows:

In chapter 182-116 WAC, the agency is making some housekeeping changes. The rules also clarify that a person who passes the agency's examination receives a letter stating that they have met the training requirements to apply for a certified peer specialist or certified peer specialist trainee credential.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 182-115-0200; and amending WAC 182-115-0100, 182-115-0300, 182-116-0100, and 182-116-0200.


•	Peer counselors may provide medicaid-reimbursable peer services only through December 31, 2026.
•	The rules include requirements for peer counselor supervision, credentialing, and service locations.
•	The rules provide that certified peer specialists will supersede certified peer counselors on January 1, 2027.
•	The rules repeal WAC 182-115-0200, which provides for peer counselor application, training, examination, and approval.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160, and 71.24.920.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 25-05-099 on February 19, 2025.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 4, Repealed 1.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 4, Repealed 1.

Date Adopted: March 26, 2025.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 22-05-059, filed 2/10/22, effective 3/13/22)

WAC 182-115-0100Certified peer counselor((—General)).

(1) ((The authority recognizes a person as a certified peer counselor who can provide medicaid-reimbursable peer counseling services when the person meets the requirements in WAC 182-115-0200.

(2) Certified peer counselors who provide services to people enrolled in medicaid must be under the clinical supervision of a mental health professional and/or substance use disorder professional who understands rehabilitation and recovery. The clinical supervisor's expertise should be aligned with the needs of the populations served by the certified peer counselor.

(3) Certified peer counselors must provide services to people enrolled in medicaid under))A certified peer counselor may provide medicaid-reimbursable peer services only:

(a) Through December 31, 2026;

(b) Under the clinical supervision of a mental health professional, or substance use disorder professional, or both:

(i) Who understands rehabilitation and recovery;and

(ii) Whose expertise aligns with the needs of the populations served by the certified peer counselor;

(c) When the services are provided in a licensed community behavioral health agency, as defined in WAC 246-341-0200 ((and certified under WAC 246-341-0724)); and

(d) When the certified peer counselor is credentialed as an agency-affiliated counselor under chapter 18.19 RCW.

(2) On January 1, 2027, the profession of certified peer specialist, as defined in RCW 18.420.010, will supersede certified peer counselors. On and after that date, only certified peer specialists and peer specialist trainees may provide medicaid-reimbursable peer services.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 25-01-118, filed 12/16/24, effective 1/16/25)

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))recognized by the department of health as an approved supervisor.

The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:

Certified peer counselor—Application, training, examination, and authority approval.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 25-01-118, filed 12/16/24, effective 1/16/25)

WAC 182-116-0100Certified peer specialist and certified peer specialist trainee—General.

(1) A certified peer specialist or certified peer specialist trainee credentialed 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 or certified peer specialist trainees 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.

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 25-01-118, filed 12/16/24, effective 1/16/25)

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))for peer specialist training must:

(a) Be age 18 or older; and

(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))behavioral health experiences/challenges; or

(ii) The parent or legal guardian of a ((child age 17 or younger who is receiving))person who has applied for, is eligible for, 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 meets the training requirements and passes the authority's examination, the authority issues a letter stating ((that)) the person ((meets))has met the ((educational qualifications to become a))training requirements needed to apply for the credential of certified peer specialist or certified peer specialist trainee through the department.