BILL REQ. #:  H-4218.1 

Read first time 01/29/10.   Referred to Committee on Health Care & Wellness.

     AN ACT Relating to allowing the department of social and health services to adopt rules establishing standards for the review and certification of treatment facilities under the problem and pathological gambling treatment program; and amending RCW 43.20A.890.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 43.20A.890 and 2005 c 369 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A program for (a) the prevention and treatment of problem and pathological gambling; and (b) the training of professionals in the identification and treatment of problem and pathological gambling is established within the department of social and health services, to be administered by a qualified person who has training and experience in problem gambling or the organization and administration of treatment services for persons suffering from problem gambling. The department may certify and contract with treatment facilities for any services provided under the program. The department shall track program participation and client outcomes.
     (2) To receive treatment under subsection (1) of this section, a person must:
     (a) Need treatment for problem or pathological gambling, or because of the problem or pathological gambling of a family member, but be unable to afford treatment; and
     (b) Be targeted by the department of social and health services as being most amenable to treatment.
     (3) Treatment under this section is available only to the extent of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the department of social and health services for this purpose. The department may solicit and accept for use any gift of money or property made by will or otherwise, and any grant of money, services, or property from the federal government, any tribal government, the state, or any political subdivision thereof or any private source, and do all things necessary to cooperate with the federal government or any of its agencies or any tribal government in making an application for any grant.
     (4) The department may adopt rules establishing standards for the review and certification of treatment facilities under this program.
     (5) The department of social and health services shall establish an advisory committee to assist it in designing, managing, and evaluating the effectiveness of the program established in this section. The advisory committee shall give due consideration in the design and management of the program that persons who hold licenses or contracts issued by the gambling commission, horse racing commission, and lottery commission are not excluded from, or discouraged from, applying to participate in the program. The committee shall include, at a minimum, persons knowledgeable in the field of problem and pathological gambling and persons representing tribal gambling, privately owned nontribal gambling, and the state lottery.
     (((5))) (6) For purposes of this section, "pathological gambling" is a mental disorder characterized by loss of control over gambling, progression in preoccupation with gambling and in obtaining money to gamble, and continuation of gambling despite adverse consequences. "Problem gambling" is an earlier stage of pathological gambling which compromises, disrupts, or damages family or personal relationships or vocational pursuits.