SENATE BILL REPORT

ESHB 1424

As Reported by Senate Committee On:

Health Care, March 31, 2015

Title: An act relating to suicide prevention.

Brief Description: Concerning suicide prevention.

Sponsors: House Committee on Health Care & Wellness (originally sponsored by Representatives Orwall, Kagi, Jinkins, Gregerson, Goodman, Santos, Fey and Sawyer).

Brief History: Passed House: 3/02/15, 95-2.

Committee Activity: Health Care: 3/30/15, 3/31/15 [DPA].

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.

Signed by Senators Becker, Chair; Dammeier, Vice Chair; Frockt, Ranking Minority Member; Angel, Bailey, Brown, Cleveland, Conway, Jayapal, Keiser and Parlette.

Staff: Evan Klein (786-7483)

Background: The following health professions must complete training in suicide assessment, treatment, and management every six years as part of their continuing education requirements:

• counselors and certified advisors;

• chemical dependency professionals;

• marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors, and social workers;

• occupational therapy practitioners; and

• psychologists.

The following health professions must complete one-time training in suicide assessment, treatment, and management:

• chiropractors;

• naturopaths;

• licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and advanced registered nurse practitioners;

• physicians;

• osteopathic physicians;

• physician assistants;

• osteopathic physician assistants;

• physical therapists; and

• physical therapist assistants.

A disciplining authority may, by rule, specify the minimum training and experience that is sufficient to exempt a professional from the training requirements. A disciplining authority may also exempt a professional if the professional has only brief or limited patient contact.

The disciplining authorities governing the professions subject to the training requirements must work collaboratively to develop and maintain a model list of training programs.

Beginning July 1, 2015, school nurses, school social workers, school psychologists, and school counselors must complete training in youth suicide screening and referral as a condition for certification. The training must be at least three hours in length and be consistent with standards adopted by the Professional Educator Standards Board.

Summary of Bill (Recommended Amendments): The one-time training requirement is delayed until January 1, 2016. Training completed between June 12, 2014, and January 1, 2016, will still be accepted by the disciplining authorities.

Certified registered nurse anesthetists and resident physicians with limited training licenses are exempt from the training requirement. A disciplining authority may not grant a blanket exemption to broad categories or specialties within a profession based on training and experience.

By June 30, 2016, the Department of Health (DOH) must adopt rules establishing minimum standards for training programs on the model list. The minimum standards must require that six-hour trainings include content specific to veterans and the assessment of issues related to imminent harm via lethal means or self-injurious behaviors. When adopting the rules, DOH must:

• consult with the affected disciplining authorities, public and private institutions of higher education, experts in suicide assessment, treatment, and management, the Washington Department of Veteran Affairs, and affected professional associations; and

• consider standards related to the Best Practices Registry of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center.

Beginning July 1, 2017, the model list must contain only trainings that meet the minimum standards and any three-hour trainings that met the training requirements on or before July 26, 2015. The trainings on the list must include six-hour trainings in suicide assessment, treatment, and management, three-hour trainings that include only screening and referral elements, and three-hour trainings for school employees. A person or entity providing the training may petition DOH for inclusion on the model list – DOH must add trainings to the list that meet the minimum standards.

Beginning July 1, 2017, the health professions subject to the training requirement must complete trainings that are on the model list. This does not affect the validity of training completed prior to July 1, 2017.

DOH must provide its adopted health professional training standards as a model for professional educator training standards. The educator training programs approved by the Professional Educator Standards Board may be included in DOH's model list.

EFFECT OF CHANGES MADE BY HEALTH CARE COMMITTEE (Recommended Amendments): The requirements that DOH consult with the Professional Educator Standards Board in adopting rules and that the model list include trainings that meet requirements set up by the Professional Educator Standards Board are both removed. A new section is added, requiring DOH to provide its adopted health professional training standards as a model for professional educator training standards.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony on Engrossed Substitute House Bill: PRO: This bill makes sure people are clear on what trainings they must take. These improvements will ensure that training includes necessary components and specifies that the regulation will not allow blanket training exemptions to entire professions. This bill also adds a veterans component to the training requirements to ensure that suicide training is sufficient for dealing with our veterans. We must think of the suffering that will be avoided by a person's family, if even just that one person is saved.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Representative Orwall, prime sponsor; Lauren Davis, David Yamashita, Forefront: Innovations in Suicide Prevention; Ted Wicorek, Veterans Legislative Coalition; David Brenna, Professional Educator Standards Board.

Persons Signed in to Testify But Not Testifying: No one.