NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. "A new section is added to chapter 43.70 RCW to read as follows:
(1) A federally recognized Indian tribe, tribal organization, or urban Indian organization is authorized to train, employ, or contract with or for the services of a dental health aide, including a dental health aide therapist. Any dental health aide, including a dental health aide therapist, employed or contracted to perform services under this section must be certified by either a federal community health aide program certification board or an Indian tribe that has adopted equivalent or higher standards than those imposed by a federal community health aide program certification board regarding curriculum, training, scope of practice, continuing education, and supervision requirements. A federally recognized Indian tribe, tribal organization, or urban Indian organization is also authorized to supervise a dental health aide, including a dental health aide therapist, trained, employed, or contracted to perform services under this section.
(2) A dental health aide, including a dental health aide therapist, employed or contracted to perform services under this section may perform only those procedures permitted under standards adopted by a federal community health aide program certification board or an Indian tribe that has adopted equivalent or higher standards than those imposed by a federal community health aide program certification board regarding scope of practice, continuing education, and supervision requirements. A dental health aide, including a dental health aide therapist, is subject to any service limitations provided by the Indian health care improvement act, 25 U.S.C. Sec. 1616l. A dental health aide, including a dental health aide therapist, is also subject to any applicable limitations written by the supervising dentist of the dental health aide in standing orders.
(3) A dental health aide, including a dental health aide therapist, employed or contracted to perform services under this section may do so only in practice settings operated by an Indian health program or an urban Indian organization.
(4) For purposes of this section, the terms "Indian tribe," "Indian health program," "tribal organization," and "urban Indian organization" have the same meanings given to them in the Indian health care improvement act, 25 U.S.C. Sec. 1603.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 74.09 RCW to read as follows:
The health care authority is directed to coordinate with the centers for medicare and medicaid services to ensure the dental health aide services authorized in section 4 of this act are eligible for maximum federal funding of up to one hundred percent. It is the intent of the legislature to ensure dental health aide services, including those of dental health aide therapists, by Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations are eligible for medicaid funding to promote increased dental care access for persons served in these practice settings in accord with the Indian health care improvement act, 25 U.S.C. Sec. 1616l."