BILL REQ. #: S-0997.1
| State of Washington | 60th Legislature | 2007 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/24/2007. Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.
AN ACT Relating to home visits by mental health professionals; 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. 1 The legislature finds that designated mental
health professionals go out into the community to evaluate people for
potential detention under the state's involuntary treatment act. Also,
designated mental health professionals and other mental health workers
do crisis intervention work intended to stabilize a person in crisis
and provide immediate treatment and intervention in communities
throughout Washington state. In many cases, the presence of a second
trained individual on outreach to a person's private home or other
private location will enhance safety for consumers, families, and
mental health professionals and will advance the legislature's interest
in quality mental health care services.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 71.05 RCW
to read as follows:
No designated mental health professional or crisis intervention
worker shall be required to respond to a private home or other private
location to stabilize or treat a person in crisis, or to evaluate a
person for potential detention under the state's involuntary treatment
act, unless a second trained individual, determined by the clinical
team, accompanies them. The second individual may be a law enforcement
officer, a mental health professional, a mental health paraprofessional
who has received training under section 5 of this act, or other first
responder, such as fire or ambulance personnel. No retaliation may be
taken against a worker who, following consultation with the clinical
team, refuses to go on a home visit alone.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 Each provider of designated mental health
professional or crisis outreach services shall maintain a written
policy that, at a minimum, describes the organization's plan for
training, staff back-up, information sharing, and communication for
crisis outreach staff who respond to private homes or nonpublic
settings.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 A new section is added to chapter 71.05 RCW
to read as follows:
Any mental health professional who engages in home visits to
clients shall be provided by their employer with a wireless telephone
or comparable device for the purpose of emergency communication.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 A new section is added to chapter 71.05 RCW
to read as follows:
Any mental health professional who is dispatched on a crisis visit,
as described in section 2 of this act, shall have prompt access to
information about any history of dangerousness or potential
dangerousness on the client they are being sent to evaluate that is
documented in crisis plans or commitment records and is available
without unduly delaying a crisis response.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 A new section is added to chapter 71.05 RCW
to read as follows:
Annually, all community mental health employees who work directly
with clients shall be provided with training on safety and violence
prevention topics described in RCW 49.19.030. The curriculum for the
training shall be developed collaboratively among the department of
social and health services, contracted mental health providers, and
employee organizations that represent community mental health workers.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7 This act may be known and cited as the Marty
Smith law.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8 If specific funding for the purposes of this
act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by
June 30, 2007, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and
void.