HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  EHB 2453

                        As Passed House

                       February 12, 1994

Title:  An act relating to a mental health service delivery systems pilot project.

Brief Description:  Establishing a mental health service delivery systems pilot project.

Sponsors:  Representatives Dunshee, Cooke, L. Johnson and Cothern.

Brief History:

     Reported by House Committee on:

Human Services, January 27, 1994, DP;

     Passed House, February 12, 1994, 94-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Leonard, Chair; Thibaudeau, Vice Chair; Cooke, Ranking Minority Member; Talcott, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Brown; Caver; Karahalios; Lisk; Padden; Patterson and Wolfe.

Staff:  Dave Knutson (786-7146).

Background:  Accountability standards for mental health services primarily ensure that policies and procedures are complied with, with little or no concern for client outcomes.  This results in mental health service providers spending large amounts of time responding to a complex set of rules and regulations instead of providing mental health services to clients.  Through amendments to the Community Mental Health Services Act, in 1989, the Legislature attempted to consolidate administration, reduce administrative layering, and reduce administrative cost.  This has proven to be more difficult for the Department of Social and Health Services, regional support networks, and mental health providers than the Legislature realized in 1989.

Summary of Bill:  The Department of Social and Health Services is required to establish a pilot project in two regional support networks to create innovative and streamlined mental health delivery systems which minimize unnecessary regulations and functions.  Mental health consumers and their representatives will be involved in the pilot project and will help in developing outcome standards and other related matters.  The department is also required to develop a set of outcome standards for mental health clients to measure the performance of mental health service providers.  The pilot project will be implemented by July 1, 1995.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  This legislation will improve services to mentally ill clients, reduce unnecessary paperwork, and focus the delivery of service on outcome, not process.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Larry Keller, Kitsap Mental Health Services (pro); Diedrich Meinken, Family Counseling Service (pro); and David Hanig, Department of Social and Health Services (pro).