S-5041.1  _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6540

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1996 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Prentice and Owen)

Read first time 02/02/96.

Conducting a study of drug-exposed infants born in health care facilities.

    AN ACT Relating to the release of addicted infants from hospitals; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The department of health shall conduct a study on the number of drug-exposed infants born into health care facilities in the state.  The study shall include the process for assessing these infants, their average length of stay in major health care facilities, the types of discharge plans used by hospitals, the level of awareness in hospitals about the problem of treating and caring for drug-affected infants, and the kind of insurance coverage available.  Information shall be compiled, in part, from interviews with hospital staff including nurses, physicians, discharge planners, social workers, and other staff who come in contact with drug-affected infants.  The report will include recommendations for settings, other than hospitals, where babies going through withdrawal can safely be treated.  The study will also discuss the health effects of breast milk on infants when the mother is addicted to drugs and make recommendations on whether nursing should be prohibited under these circumstances.

    The report is due back to the legislature by July 1, 1997.

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