FINAL BILL REPORT
SHB 1838
C 179 L 99
Synopsis as Enacted
Brief Description: Creating the impaired dentist account.
Sponsors: By House Committee on Health Care (Originally sponsored by Representatives Schual‑Berke, Mulliken and Ogden).
House Committee on Health Care
House Committee on Appropriations
Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care
Background:
The Dental Quality Assurance Commission administers an Impaired Dentist Program for rehabilitating dentists who are impaired by substance abuse. This program is intended for dentists who volunteer or are required to participate in treatment by the commission as a condition for deferring sanctions imposed by the Uniform Disciplinary Act, such as license revocation or suspension. The program includes intervention in cases of verified impairment, referring impaired dentists to treatment, monitoring progress, providing prevention and post-treatment support, and contracting with treatment providers.
The Impaired Dentist Program is funded by a surcharge of $15 on dental license fees, which are placed in the Health Professions Account for implementing the program.
The Impaired Physician Program under contract with the Medical Quality Assurance Commission is a similar program involving physicians, as well as osteopathic physicians, podiatrists, and veterinarians. The program includes treatment of impairments as a result of substance abuse, as well as mental illness, or other debilitating conditions. The dental commission does not contract with this impaired physician program to provide treatment services to impaired dentists.
The dental commission desires to contract with the Impaired Physicians Program to provide more complete services to impaired dentists. In order to do this, the surcharge on dental licenses must be increased to $25.
Summary:
The surcharge on dental licences for funding the Impaired Dentist Program is increased from $15 to $25.
Votes on Final Passage:
House930
Senate450(Senate amended)
House943(House concurred)
Effective:July 25, 1999