FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 5986

C 254 L 01

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Regulating county or local government‑owned psychiatric facilities.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Franklin, Kastama, Long, Regala and Hargrove).

Senate Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care

House Committee on Health Care

Background:  In the summer of 2000, Puget Sound Hospital in Pierce County filed bankruptcy.  The Pierce County Regional Support Network (PCRSN) purchased the Puget Sound Hospital facility.  PCRSN intends to convert the facility from a fully-licensed acute care hospital into a mental health and chemical dependency evaluation and treatment facility.  Surgical and non-behavioral health services are not provided at the facility.

Current statutory provisions that govern licensing are divided into categories that do not fit the current legal and operational status of the new facility.  Psychiatric hospitals are governed under statutory provisions that refer to "private establishments."  The new facility is publicly owned by the county and arguably would not withstand legal challenges to its state licensing credentials.

Summary:  The private establishments provisions that permit Department of Health regulation of psychiatric hospitals is amended to include county or municipal owned facilities and public hospital districts.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate460

House     96 0 (House amended)

Senate    45 0 (Senate concurred)

Effective:  July 22, 2001