SB 5583-S.E - DIGEST

(DIGEST AS ENACTED)

     Implements recommendations of the joint legislative audit and review committee's performance audit of the public mental health system.

     Affirms support for those recommendations of the performance audit of the public mental health system conducted by the joint legislative audit and review committee relating to:  Improving the coordination of services for clients with multiple needs; improving the consistency of client, service, and fiscal data collected by the mental health division; replacing process-oriented accountability activities with a uniform statewide outcome measurement system; and using outcome information to identify and provide incentives for best practices in the provision of public mental health services.

     Provides that, in addition to any follow-up requirements prescribed by the joint legislative audit and review committee, the department of social and health services shall submit reports to the legislature on the status of the implementation of recommendations 1 through 10 and 12 through 14 of the performance audit report.  The implementation status reports must be submitted to appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the legislature by June 1, 2001, and each year thereafter through 2004.

     Directs the Washington institute for public policy to conduct a longitudinal study of long-term client outcomes to assess any changes in client status at two, five, and ten years.  The measures tracked shall include client change as a result of services, employment and/or education, housing stability, criminal justice involvement, and level of services needed.  The institute shall report these long-term outcomes to the appropriate policy and fiscal committee of the legislature annually beginning not later than December 31, 2005.

     Provides that, if specific funding for the purposes of section 5 of this act, referencing section 5 of this act by bill or chapter and section number, is not provided by June 30, 2001, in the omnibus appropriations act, section 5 of this act is null and void.

VETO MESSAGE ON SB 5583-S

                   May 15, 2001

To the Honorable President and Members,

  The Senate of the State of Washington

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I am returning herewith, without my approval as to section 8, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 5583 entitled:

"AN ACT Relating to the implementation of recommendations of the joint legislative audit and review committee's performance audit of the public mental health system;"

     Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 5583 expresses the legislature's support for most of the recommendations of a recent performance audit of the community mental health system by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC).  I too support those recommendations, relating to funding flexibility, performance measurement, performance incentives, and other improvements.  I also support the bill's goal of minimizing the percentage of available funding that is spent on administrative activities at all levels of the mental health system.

     However, section 8 of the bill would have required the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to develop a plan to reduce administrative expenses in the system, including the Regional Support Networks and community-based treatment providers, to ten percent of available funds, and submit the plan to the legislature by December 15, 2001, with an assumed implementation date of July 1, 2003.

     Minimizing administrative costs is an important goal for any program.  But the Secretary of DSHS advises me that developing a realistic plan to achieve that goal for the mental health system as a whole will take longer than seven months, in part because it requires the active participation of mental health providers and Regional Support Networks.

     The legislature's intent to see a plan implemented in July 2003 allows enough time to develop such a plan properly.  Therefore, I have vetoed section 8 and direct DSHS to work with appropriate stakeholders to complete the plan, and make recommendations to me and to the legislature by October 1, 2002.

For these reasons, I have vetoed section 8 of Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 5583.

     With the exception of section 8, Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 5583 is approved.

                   Respectfully submitted,

                   Gary Locke

                   Governor