BILL REQ. #:  H-1536.1 

Read first time 02/18/13.   Referred to Committee on Health Care & Wellness.

     AN ACT Relating to facilitating treatment for persons with co-occurring disorders by requiring development of an integrated rule; adding a new section to chapter 70.96A RCW; adding a new section to chapter 71.05 RCW; and providing expiration dates.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 70.96A RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The department must develop a fully integrated rule that would permit an agency providing co-occurring treatment for chemical dependency and mental health disorders to follow one set of administrative code to facilitate the streamlined and blended provision of these services.
     (2) Any licensed mental health agency which has a waiver from the department exempting the agency from compliance with chemical dependency rules for services provided to patients with co-occurring mental health and chemical dependency disorders as of January 1, 2013, may request and must receive a three-year renewal of the waiver exempting the agency from compliance with chemical dependency rules with respect to such patients if the integrated rule is not in effect by May 1, 2014.
     (3) The department shall report its progress in implementing this section to the governor and the legislature by December 31, 2013.
     (4) This section expires June 30, 2017.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 71.05 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The department must develop a fully integrated rule that would permit an agency providing co-occurring treatment for chemical dependency and mental health disorders to follow one set of administrative code to facilitate the streamlined and blended provision of these services.
     (2) Any licensed mental health agency which has a waiver from the department exempting the agency from compliance with chemical dependency rules for services provided to patients with co-occurring mental health and chemical dependency disorders as of January 1, 2013, may request and must receive a three-year renewal of the waiver exempting the agency from compliance with chemical dependency rules with respect to such patients if the integrated rule is not in effect by May 1, 2014.
     (3) The department shall report its progress in implementing this section to the governor and the legislature by December 31, 2013.
     (4) This section expires June 30, 2017.