S-1208.2 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 5668
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State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1991 Regular Session
By Senator Niemi.
Read first time February 14, 1991. Referred to Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care.
AN ACT Relating to adequate compensation for mental health service providers; adding a new section to chapter 71.24 RCW; and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 71.24 RCW to read as follows:
The legislature intends that licensed service providers pay salaries adequate to recruit and retain qualified personnel.
(1) Nothing in this chapter, including state or regional support network performance expectations, should be construed to unduly limit the ability of licensed service providers to pay salaries adequate to meet this intent.
(2) The first priority for vendor rate increases, special salary related legislative appropriations, and inflationary adjustments shall be to increase salaries of direct care staff.
(3) Service providers shall adopt minimum qualifications for personnel that ensure that clients will be well-served and that personnel costs will be no greater than is necessary to provide adequate care.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The sum of fifteen million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund to the department of social and health services for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, to increase the salaries of direct care staff of licensed service providers, as defined in chapter 71.24 RCW, to a level sufficient to recruit and retain qualified personnel.