| Passed by the Senate April 23, 2013 YEAS 47 ________________________________________ President of the Senate Passed by the House April 3, 2013 YEAS 97 ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives | I, Hunter G. Goodman, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SENATE BILL 5145 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth. ________________________________________ Secretary | |
| Approved ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2013 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/21/13. Referred to Committee on Governmental Operations.
AN ACT Relating to community assistance referral and education services; and adding a new section to chapter 35.21 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 35.21 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Any fire department may develop a community assistance referral
and education services program to provide community outreach and
assistance to residents of its district in order to advance injury and
illness prevention within its community. The program should identify
members of the community who use the 911 system for low acuity
assistance calls (calls that are nonemergency or nonurgent) and connect
them to their primary care providers, other health care professionals,
low-cost medication programs, and other social services. The program
may also provide a fire department-based, nonemergency contact in order
to provide an alternative resource to the 911 system. The program may
hire health care professionals as needed.
(2) A participating fire department may seek grant opportunities
and private gifts in order to support its community assistance referral
and education services program.
(3) In developing a community assistance referral and education
services program, a fire department may consult with the health care
personnel shortage task force to identify health care professionals
capable of working in a nontraditional setting and providing
assistance, referral, and education services.
(4) Community assistance referral and education services programs
implemented under this section must, at least annually, measure any
reduction of repeated use of the 911 emergency system and any reduction
in avoidable emergency room trips attributable to implementation of the
program. Results of findings under this subsection must be reportable
to the legislature or other local governments upon request. Findings
should include estimated amounts of medicaid dollars that would have
been spent on emergency room visits had the program not been in
existence.
(5) For purposes of this section, "fire department" includes city
and town fire departments, fire protection districts organized under
Title 52 RCW, and regional fire authorities organized under chapter
52.26 RCW.