Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Public Safety Committee

HB 2501

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Bill

Requires local jails to assure that their jail registers are capable of electronically transmitting information about persons confined in jail to behavioral health organizations and managed care health systems within 12 hours of a person's confinement into jail.
Requires behavioral health organizations and managed care health systems to be able to receive jail register information about persons confined in jail and determine whether the person is a client.
Requires jails to provide incarcerated clients with the identical type and dosage of medications as they are currently prescribed until a health care provider has had the opportunity to conduct a health assessment of the confined person.
Requires the Department of Social and Health Services and the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs to establish a work group to adopt methods and procedures for transmitting information about persons confined in jail to behavioral health organizations and managed care health systems.

Background:

Jail Register.

Each city and county jail located in Washington is required to maintain a jail register which is open to the public. The law enforcement officer who is charged with being responsible for the operation of the jail must enter, on a timely basis, the name of each person held in confinement, the reason for confinement, when the person was confined, and the time and the manner in which the person was discharged.

Generally, all other records regarding a person confined in jail are confidential and may only be released in certain circumstances to a criminal justice agency, certain entities for research purposes, or upon the written consent of the person being confined.

Behavioral Health Services.

The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) contracts with Regional Support Networks (RSNs) to oversee the delivery of mental health services for adults and children who suffer from mental illness or severe emotional disturbance. The 11 RSNs contract with local providers to provide an array of mental health services, monitor the activities of local providers, and oversee the distribution of funds under the state-managed care plan. A RSN may be a county, group of counties, or a nonprofit or for-profit entity. Outpatient substance use disorder treatment services for low-income persons are provided through grants to counties which manage the programs, either directly or by subcontracting with certified providers.

As of April 1, 2016, mental health and substance use disorder treatment services will be provided on a regional basis by a single entity known as a "behavioral health organization." There will be 10 behavioral health organizations that will administer public mental health and substance use disorder services under a managed care model.

Summary of Bill:

Effective July 1, 2017, local jails are responsible for assuring that their jail registers are capable of electronically transmitting information about persons confined in jail to behavioral health organizations and managed care health systems, within 12 hours of a person's confinement into jail.

Behavioral health organizations and managed care health systems must assure that it has the capacity to electronically receive jail register information about persons confined in jail. Within 12 hours of receipt of information from a local jail, their system must be able to determine if any of the names transmitted from the local jail correspond to the identity of their clients. If a confined person matches the identity of one of their clients, they must: (1) notify the health care provider who provided the client with health services, including behavior health services, within the prior six months; (2) provide the health care provider with the contact information for the local jail's health care staff; and (3) instruct the health care provider to immediately contact the relevant jail staff where the person is confined and inform the staff about any current medications that have been prescribed for the client. The health care provider who was informed of the client's confinement must communicate information about the client's medications within 12 hours after receiving notification of the client's confinement.

Upon receiving notification that a person confined has medications that are currently prescribed, the jail must provide the person with the identical type and dosage of medications. The type and dosage of medication may not be changed until an appropriate health care provider has had the opportunity to conduct a health assessment of the confined person.

Work Group.

The DSHS and the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs must establish a work group to adopt methods and procedures for transmitting information about persons confined in jail to behavioral health organizations and managed care health systems. The work group must consider practices related to the transmission of information, the appropriate staff to receive the information, and other necessary topics.

The work group must distribute its recommendations to the affected criminal justice and health care stakeholders by January 1, 2017.