BILL REQ. #:  S-0346.1 

Read first time 01/19/2005.   Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.

     AN ACT Relating to mental health treatment for minors; amending RCW 71.34.052; adding new sections to chapter 71.34 RCW; creating a new section; and recodifying RCW 71.34.010, 71.34.020, 71.34.140, 71.34.032, 71.34.250, 71.34.280, 71.34.260, 71.34.240, 71.34.230, 71.34.210, 71.34.200, 71.34.225, 71.34.220, 71.34.160, 71.34.190, 71.34.170, 71.34.290, 71.34.056, 71.34.800, 71.34.805, 71.34.810, 71.34.015, 71.34.027, 71.34.130, 71.34.270, 71.34.042, 71.34.044, 71.34.046, 71.34.030, 71.34.052, 71.34.025, 71.34.162, 71.34.164, 71.34.035, 71.34.054, 71.34.040, 71.34.050, 71.34.060, 71.34.070, 71.34.080, 71.34.090, 71.34.100, 71.34.120, 71.34.110, 71.34.150, 71.34.180, 71.34.900, and 71.34.901.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that, despite explicit statements in statute that the consent of a minor child is not required for a parent-initiated admission to inpatient or outpatient mental health treatment, treatment providers consistently refuse to accept a minor aged thirteen or over if the minor does not also consent to treatment. The legislature intends that the parent-initiated treatment provisions, with their accompanying due process provisions for the minor, be made fully available to parents.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 71.34 RCW to read as follows:
     A minor child shall have no cause of action against an evaluation and treatment facility or provider of outpatient mental health treatment for admitting or accepting the minor in good faith for evaluation or treatment under RCW 71.34.052 or 71.34.054 (as recodified by this act) based solely upon the minor's lack of consent if the minor's parent has consented to the evaluation or treatment.

Sec. 3   RCW 71.34.052 and 1998 c 296 s 17 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A parent may bring, or authorize the bringing of, his or her minor child to an evaluation and treatment facility and request that the professional person examine the minor to determine whether the minor has a mental disorder and is in need of inpatient treatment.
     (2) The consent of the minor is not required for admission, evaluation, and treatment if the parent brings the minor to the facility.
     (3) An appropriately trained professional person may evaluate whether the minor has a mental disorder. The evaluation shall be completed within twenty-four hours of the time the minor was brought to the facility, unless the professional person determines that the condition of the minor necessitates additional time for evaluation. In no event shall a minor be held longer than seventy-two hours for evaluation. If, in the judgment of the professional person, it is determined it is a medical necessity for the minor to receive inpatient treatment, the minor may be held for treatment. The facility shall limit treatment to that which the professional person determines is medically necessary to stabilize the minor's condition until the evaluation has been completed. Within twenty-four hours of completion of the evaluation, the professional person shall notify the department if the child is held for treatment and of the date of admission.
     (4) No provider is obligated to provide treatment to a minor under the provisions of this section except that no provider may refuse to treat a minor under the provisions of this section solely on the basis that the minor has not consented to the treatment. No provider may admit a minor to treatment under this section unless it is medically necessary.
     (5) No minor receiving inpatient treatment under this section may be discharged from the facility based solely on his or her request.
     (6) Prior to the review conducted under RCW 71.34.025 (as recodified by this act), the professional person shall notify the minor of his or her right to petition superior court for release from the facility.
     (((7) For the purposes of this section "professional person" does not include a social worker, unless the social worker is certified under RCW 18.19.110 and appropriately trained and qualified by education and experience, as defined by the department, in psychiatric social work.))

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   (1) The code reviser shall recodify, as necessary, the following sections of chapter 71.34 RCW in the following order, using the indicated subchapter headings:
     General
     71.34.010
     71.34.020
     71.34.140
     71.34.032
     71.34.250
     71.34.280
     71.34.260
     71.34.240
     71.34.230
     71.34.210
     71.34.200
     71.34.225
     71.34.220
     71.34.160
     71.34.190
     71.34.170
     71.34.290
     71.34.056
     71.34.800
     71.34.805
     71.34.810
     71.34.015
     71.34.027
     71.34.130
     71.34.270
     Minor-Initiated Treatment
     71.34.042
     71.34.044
     71.34.046
     71.34.030
     Parent-Initiated Treatment
     71.34.052
     71.34.025
     71.34.162
     71.34.164
     71.34.035
     71.34.054
     Involuntary Commitment
     71.34.040
     71.34.050
     71.34.060
     71.34.070
     71.34.080
     71.34.090
     71.34.100
     71.34.120
     71.34.110
     71.34.150
     71.34.180
     Technical
     71.34.900
     71.34.901
     (2) The code reviser shall correct all statutory references to sections recodified by this section.