S-1642.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 5856
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State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1991 Regular Session
By Senators Wojahn, L. Smith, Oke, Niemi, L. Kreidler, West, von Reichbauer, Madsen, Amondson, Rasmussen and Thorsness.
Read first time February 26, 1991. Referred to Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care.
AN ACT Relating to pilot projects for developmentally disabled persons with mental illness; adding a new section to chapter 43.20A RCW; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature recognizes that some one hundred seventy developmentally disabled persons with mental illness, or dually diagnosed persons, have been psychiatric inpatients at state or community hospitals each year. The legislature finds that many of these individuals did not require hospitalization. The legislature finds that these inappropriate hospitalizations are prompted by ongoing problems with intradepartmental service integration in combination with shortages of appropriate and effective community supports. The legislature finds that these inappropriate hospitalizations are inconsistent with legislative intent regarding the provision of supports to developmentally disabled citizens in the least restrictive, integrated, and appropriate environment possible. For these reasons, the legislature declares that the department of social and health services should develop and implement pilot projects to provide appropriate specialized programs and improve intradepartmental service integration and efficiency for dually diagnosed citizens.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.20A RCW to read as follows:
(1) The department shall develop and implement two four-year pilot projects, one located in eastern Washington and one located in western Washington. The pilot projects shall be designed to integrate the delivery of both existing and new services for eligible developmentally disabled citizens who have been psychiatric inpatients in a state or community hospital. The pilot projects should emphasize integrated community living but may include provision for secure institutional placements if adequate community placements cannot be developed. Community supports may include supervised residences, behavioral programming, specialized day programs, outpatient mental health counseling, or other programs and services appropriate to the individual's behavioral and mental health needs.
(2) The department shall submit an annual progress report detailing the activities of the proposed pilot projects to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature by December 1st of each year.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The sum of .... dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1993, from the general fund to the department of social and health services for the purposes of this act.