BILL REQ. #:  H-0852.1 



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HOUSE BILL 1456
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State of Washington60th Legislature2007 Regular Session

By Representatives Green, Hinkle, Appleton, Cody, Moeller, Strow, Crouse, Curtis, Seaquist, Jarrett, Hasegawa, Walsh, P. Sullivan, Buri, Simpson, O'Brien, Lantz, Hunt, McDonald, Sells, Schual-Berke, Linville, Kessler, Hankins, Haler, Skinner, Campbell, Morrell, Darneille, Armstrong, Dunshee, Fromhold, Kagi, Williams, Conway, Barlow, Grant, Priest, Dunn, Hunter, Hurst, Ericks, Pearson, Anderson, Clibborn, Pettigrew, Flannigan, Lovick, Dickerson, Kenney, Ormsby, Haigh, Wood, Rolfes, Santos and McDermott

Read first time 01/19/2007.   Referred to Committee on Health Care & Wellness.



     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, designated mental health professionals and other mental health workers do crisis intervention work intended to stabilize a person in crisis and provide immediate treatment and intervention in communities throughout Washington state. In many cases, the presence of a second trained individual on outreach to a person's private home or other private location will enhance safety for consumers, families, and mental health professionals 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:
     No designated mental health professional or crisis intervention worker shall be required to respond to a private home or other private location to stabilize or treat a person in crisis, or to evaluate a person for potential detention under the state's involuntary treatment act, unless a second trained individual, determined by the clinical team, accompanies them. The second individual may be a law enforcement officer, a mental health professional, a mental health paraprofessional who has received training under section 5 of this act, or other first responder, such as fire or ambulance personnel. No retaliation may be taken against a worker who, following consultation with the clinical team, refuses to go on a home visit alone.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   Each provider of designated mental health professional or crisis outreach services shall maintain a written policy that, at a minimum, describes the organization's plan for training, staff back-up, information sharing, and communication for crisis outreach staff who respond to private homes or nonpublic settings.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   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. 5   A new section is added to chapter 71.05 RCW to read as follows:
     Any mental health professional who is dispatched on a crisis visit, as described in section 2 of this act, shall have prompt access to information about any history of dangerousness or potential dangerousness on the client they are being sent to evaluate that is documented in crisis plans or commitment records and is available without unduly delaying a crisis response.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   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 topics described in RCW 49.19.030. 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. 7   This act may be known and cited as the Marty Smith law.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8   If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 2007, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.

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