Brief Description: Requiring that mental health professionals do private home visits in pairs and providing for other safety and violence prevention measures.

Sponsors: Representatives Green, Appleton, Woods, Cody, Moeller, Haigh, Conway, Lantz, Hudgins, Roberts, McCoy, Kenney, Morrell, P. Sullivan, Hasegawa, Kilmer, Simpson and Ormsby.

Hearing Date: 1/26/06

Staff: Dave Knutson (786-7146).

Background:

Designated mental health professionals and other mental health workers occasionally evaluate people for involuntary detention or do crisis outreach services in the person's home.

Summary of Bill:

Designated mental health professionals or other mental health crisis outreach workers who visit clients in their homes will be accompanied by another worker. Mental health workers who engage in home visits will be provided a cellular phone or similar device by their employer. Mental health workers dispatched on a crisis outreach visit will have access to existing case files on the client they are visiting. All community mental health workers who work directly with clients will be provided with training on safety and violence reduction.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on January 23, 2006.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.