2405-S

AN ACT Relating to education on domestic violence for health care practitioners; adding new sections to chapter 43.70 RCW; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. This act may be known and cited as the "domestic violence education act."

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The legislature finds that:

(a) Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury among women and is linked to numerous other health problems, including depression, abuse of alcohol and other drugs, and suicide. Studies indicate that pregnant women are twice as likely to be at risk for battery. Children who witness the abuse of their mothers suffer significant short-term and long-term psychological consequences. Despite the frequency of medical attention, few women are diagnosed as victims of spousal abuse. Male victims of early child abuse are statistically prone to continue the cycle of abuse against their spouses and children.

(b) Training of physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals to identify and treat victims of domestic violence will increase the rate of identification of battered women who can benefit from referrals and collaborative prevention efforts offered by shelters, criminal justice agencies, social services, and legal assistance.

(2) The purposes of this act are to:

(a) Create and foster a public-private partnership to promote education and awareness of health care professionals in different practice settings about the identification and treatment of victims of domestic violence;

(b) Utilize educational and training resources that have been or may be developed by public and private organizations with appropriate expertise and knowledge of domestic violence identification and treatment;

(c) Educate and train health care professionals to identify and appropriately treat victims of domestic violence, and to make appropriate referrals for additional assistance; and

(d) Adequately fund these programs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Disciplinary authorities as defined in RCW 18.130.040 having authority to offer or require continuing education as a condition for the renewal of licenses, certifications, and registrations shall consider providing training in the dynamics of domestic violence. Such training should include the recognition of symptoms and appropriate treatment and responses including referrals.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The department, in consultation with the boards and commissions, shall establish, promote, and maintain a domestic violence education program as an integral part of its health professions regulation and health promotion and disease prevention efforts in order to raise awareness and educate health care professionals regarding identification, appropriate treatment, and appropriate referral of victims of domestic violence.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Within available resources, the department, in consultation with the boards and commissions, may use any of the following strategies for educating health care professionals regarding domestic violence:

(1) Identify and use educational materials and programs for the professional that translate the latest scientific and medical information into clinical applications;

(2) Raise awareness among health care professionals of the importance of identification, appropriate treatment, and appropriate referral of victims of domestic violence;

(3) Identify and use available curricula for training health care professionals on identification, appropriate treatment, appropriate referral of victims of domestic violence, and the professional and ethical considerations in doing so;

(4) Identify and work with education and training institutions to provide curriculum opportunities for students in health care profession training programs to learn to identify, appropriately treat, and appropriately refer victims of domestic violence, and to understand the professional and ethical considerations in doing so;

(5) Identify and cooperate with professional, social service, criminal justice, and other organizations that have or will develop programs and materials addressing education of health care professionals regarding domestic violence;

(6) Purchase materials and services and enter contracts with organizations with appropriate expertise in domestic violence for such materials and services;

(7) Enter interagency agreements and make agreements and enter contracts with organizations with appropriate expertise in domestic violence for cooperative and cofinanced educational activities; and

(8) Provide workshops, seminars, and materials for health care professional education regarding domestic violence.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. The secretary may accept grants, services, and property from the federal government, foundations, organizations, professional training institutions, and other entities as may be available for the purposes of fulfilling the obligations of this program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. The secretary shall seek any federal waiver or waivers that may be necessary to maximize funds from federal government sources to implement this domestic violence education program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. Within available resources, the secretary shall:

(1) Provide sufficient staff and other resources to implement the domestic violence education program;

(2) Identify the appropriate entities to carry out the program; and

(3) Work with governmental offices, health care training institutions, professional organizations, and state and national domestic violence organizations to coordinate efforts and maximize state resources in the education of health care professionals regarding domestic violence.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Sections 2 through 8 of this act are each added to chapter 43.70 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. No funds from the health professions account may be utilized to fund activities under this act unless the disciplinary authority authorizes expenditures from its proportion of the account for providing a domestic violence education program pursuant to this act. A disciplinary authority may defray costs by charging a fee for participants or materials relating to any sponsored educational program.