BILL REQ. #: H-4123.1
| State of Washington | 59th Legislature | 2006 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/16/2006. Referred to Committee on Health Care.
AN ACT Relating to home visits by mental health professionals; adding new sections to chapter 71.05 RCW; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that designated mental
health professionals go out into the community to evaluate people for
potential detention under the state's involuntary treatment act. Also,
other mental health professionals do crisis outreach work in
communities throughout Washington state. The presence of a second
mental health professional on outreach to a person's private home or
other private location will enhance safety, will provide for a second
mental health expert to help evaluate the person's needs, and will
advance the legislature's interest in quality mental health care
services.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 71.05 RCW
to read as follows:
If a designated mental health professional or other mental health
crisis outreach worker visits a client in the client's private home or
in any other nonpublic setting, he or she shall be accompanied by
another designated mental health professional or other mental health
crisis outreach worker.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 71.05 RCW
to read as follows:
Any mental health professional who engages in home visits to
clients shall be provided by their employer with a wireless telephone
or comparable device for the purpose of emergency communication.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 A new section is added to chapter 71.05 RCW
to read as follows:
Any mental health professional that is dispatched on a crisis
outreach visit shall have prompt access to existing case files, if any
exist, on the client they are being sent to evaluate.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 A new section is added to chapter 71.05 RCW
to read as follows:
Annually, all community mental health employees who work directly
with clients shall be provided with training on safety and violence
prevention. The curriculum for the training shall be developed
collaboratively among the department of social and health services,
contracted mental health providers, and employee organizations that
represent community mental health workers.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 This act shall be known as the Marty Smith
Law.