AN ACT Relating to procedures for responding to reports of threatened or attempted suicide; amending RCW 71.05.120; adding new sections to chapter 71.05 RCW; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 71.05 RCW to read as follows:

When funded, the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs, in consultation with the criminal justice training commission, must develop and adopt a model policy for use by law enforcement agencies relating to a law enforcement officer's referral of a person to a mental health agency after receiving a report of threatened or attempted suicide. The model policy must complement the criminal justice training commission's crisis intervention training curriculum.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 71.05 RCW to read as follows:

By July 1, 2017, all general authority Washington law enforcement agencies must adopt a policy establishing criteria and procedures for a law enforcement officer to refer a person to a mental health agency after receiving a report of threatened or attempted suicide.

Sec. 4.  RCW 71.05.120 and 2000 c 94 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) No officer of a public or private agency, nor the superintendent, professional person in charge, his or her professional designee, or attending staff of any such agency, nor any public official performing functions necessary to the administration of this chapter, nor peace officer responsible for detaining a person pursuant to this chapter, nor any county designated mental health professional, nor the state, a unit of local government, or an evaluation and treatment facility shall be civilly or criminally liable for performing duties pursuant to this chapter with regard to the decision of whether to admit, discharge, release, administer antipsychotic medications, or detain a person for evaluation and treatment: PROVIDED, That such duties were performed in good faith and without gross negligence.

(2) Peace officers and their employing agencies are not liable for the referral of a person, or the failure to refer a person, to a mental health agency pursuant to a policy adopted pursuant to section 3 of this act if such action or inaction is taken in good faith and without gross negligence.

(3) This section does not relieve a person from giving the required notices under RCW 71.05.330(2) or 71.05.340(1)(b), or the duty to warn or to take reasonable precautions to provide protection from violent behavior where the patient has communicated an actual threat of physical violence against a reasonably identifiable victim or victims. The duty to warn or to take reasonable precautions to provide protection from violent behavior is discharged if reasonable efforts are made to communicate the threat to the victim or victims and to law enforcement personnel.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5.  A new section is added to chapter 71.05 RCW to read as follows:

As soon as possible, but no later than twenty-four hours from receiving a referral from a law enforcement officer or law enforcement agency, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, a mental health professional contacted by the designated mental health professional agency must attempt to contact the referred person to determine whether additional mental health intervention is necessary including, if needed, an assessment by a designated mental health professional for initial detention under RCW 71.05.150 or 71.05.153. Documentation of the mental health professional's attempt to contact and assess the person must be maintained by the designated mental health professional agency.

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