BILL REQ. #:  Z-1185.2 

Read first time 01/19/10.   Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.

     AN ACT Relating to improving procedures for assessing and treating persons with mental illnesses served under chapter 10.77 RCW; amending RCW 10.77.150 and 10.77.200; adding new sections to chapter 10.77 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The institute for public policy shall, in collaboration with the department of social and health services and other applicable entities, undertake a search for validated mental health assessment tools in each of the following areas:
     (a) An assessment tool or combination of tools to be used by individuals performing court-ordered competency assessments and level of risk assessments of defendants pursuant to chapter 10.77 RCW; and
     (b) An assessment tool or combination of tools to be used by individuals developing recommendations to courts as to the appropriateness of conditional release from inpatient treatment of criminally insane patients pursuant to chapter 10.77 RCW.
     (2) This section expires June 30, 2011.

Sec. 2   RCW 10.77.150 and 1998 c 297 s 41 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Persons examined pursuant to RCW 10.77.140 may make application to the secretary for conditional release. The secretary shall, after considering the reports of experts or professional persons conducting the examination pursuant to RCW 10.77.140, forward to the court of the county which ordered the person's commitment the person's application for conditional release as well as the secretary's recommendations concerning the application and any proposed terms and conditions upon which the secretary reasonably believes the person can be conditionally released. Conditional release may also contemplate partial release for work, training, or educational purposes.
     (2) In instances in which persons examined pursuant to RCW 10.77.140 have not made application to the secretary for conditional release, but the secretary, after considering the reports of experts or professional persons conducting the examination pursuant to RCW 10.77.140, reasonably believes the person may be conditionally released, the secretary may submit a recommendation for release to the court of the county which ordered the person's commitment. The secretary's recommendation must include any proposed terms and conditions upon which the secretary reasonably believes the person may be conditionally released. Conditional release may also include partial release for work, training, or educational purposes.
     (3)(a) The court of the county which ordered the person's commitment, upon receipt of an application or recommendation for conditional release with the secretary's recommendation for conditional release terms and conditions, shall within thirty days schedule a hearing. The court may schedule a hearing on applications recommended for disapproval by the secretary.
     (b) The prosecuting attorney shall represent the state at such hearings and shall have the right to have the patient examined by an expert or professional person of the prosecuting attorney's choice. If the committed person is indigent, and he or she so requests, the court shall appoint a qualified expert or professional person to examine the person on his or her behalf.
     (c) The issue to be determined at such a hearing is whether or not the person may be released conditionally without substantial danger to other persons, or substantial likelihood of committing criminal acts jeopardizing public safety or security.
     (d) The court, after the hearing, shall rule on the secretary's recommendations, and if it disapproves of conditional release, may do so only on the basis of substantial evidence. The court may modify the suggested terms and conditions on which the person is to be conditionally released. Pursuant to the determination of the court after hearing, the committed person shall thereupon be released on such conditions as the court determines to be necessary, or shall be remitted to the custody of the secretary. If the order of conditional release includes a requirement for the committed person to report to a community corrections officer, the order shall also specify that the conditionally released person shall be under the supervision of the secretary of corrections or such person as the secretary of corrections may designate and shall follow explicitly the instructions of the secretary of corrections including reporting as directed to a community corrections officer, remaining within prescribed geographical boundaries, and notifying the community corrections officer prior to making any change in the offender's address or employment. If the order of conditional release includes a requirement for the committed person to report to a community corrections officer, the community corrections officer shall notify the secretary or the secretary's designee, if the person is not in compliance with the court-ordered conditions of release.
     (((3))) (4) If the court determines that receiving regular or periodic medication or other medical treatment shall be a condition of the committed person's release, then the court shall require him or her to report to a physician or other medical or mental health practitioner for the medication or treatment. In addition to submitting any report required by RCW 10.77.160, the physician or other medical or mental health practitioner shall immediately upon the released person's failure to appear for the medication or treatment report the failure to the court, to the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the released person was committed, to the secretary, and to the supervising community corrections officer.
     (((4))) (5) Any person, whose application for conditional release has been denied, may reapply after a period of six months from the date of denial.

Sec. 3   RCW 10.77.200 and 2000 c 94 s 16 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Upon application by the committed or conditionally released person, the secretary shall determine whether or not reasonable grounds exist for release. In making this determination, the secretary may consider the reports filed under RCW 10.77.060, 10.77.110, 10.77.140, and 10.77.160, and other reports and evaluations provided by professionals familiar with the case. If the secretary approves the release he or she then shall authorize the person to petition the court.
     (2) In instances in which persons have not made application for release, but the secretary believes, after consideration of the reports filed under RCW 10.77.060, 10.77.110, 10.77.140, and 10.77.160, and other reports and evaluations provided by professionals familiar with the case, that reasonable grounds exist for release, the secretary may petition the court.
     (3) The petition shall be served upon the court and the prosecuting attorney. The court, upon receipt of the petition for release, shall within forty-five days order a hearing. Continuance of the hearing date shall only be allowed for good cause shown. The prosecuting attorney shall represent the state, and shall have the right to have the petitioner examined by an expert or professional person of the prosecuting attorney's choice. If the petitioner is indigent, and the person so requests, the court shall appoint a qualified expert or professional person to examine him or her. If the petitioner ((is developmentally disabled)) has a developmental disability, the examination shall be performed by a developmental disabilities professional. The hearing shall be before a jury if demanded by either the petitioner or the prosecuting attorney. The burden of proof shall be upon the petitioner to show by a preponderance of the evidence that the petitioner no longer presents, as a result of a mental disease or defect, a substantial danger to other persons, or a substantial likelihood of committing criminal acts jeopardizing public safety or security, unless kept under further control by the court or other persons or institutions.
     (((3))) (4) Nothing contained in this chapter shall prohibit the patient from petitioning the court for release or conditional release from the institution in which he or she is committed. The issue to be determined on such proceeding is whether the petitioner, as a result of a mental disease or defect, is a substantial danger to other persons, or presents a substantial likelihood of committing criminal acts jeopardizing public safety or security, unless kept under further control by the court or other persons or institutions.
     Nothing contained in this chapter shall prohibit the committed person from petitioning for release by writ of habeas corpus.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 10.77 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) An independent public safety review panel shall be established for the purpose of advising the secretary and the courts regarding all recommendations to (a) change a committed person's legal status, (b) allow furloughs or temporary leaves accompanied by staff, or (c) permit movement about the grounds of the treatment facility, with or without the accompaniment of staff of any person committed under this chapter.
     (2) The members of the public safety review panel shall be appointed by the governor for a renewable term of three years and shall include the following:
     (a) A psychiatrist;
     (b) A licensed clinical psychologist;
     (c) A representative of the department of corrections;
     (d) A prosecutor or a representative of a prosecutor's
association;
     (e) A representative of law enforcement or a law enforcement association; and
     (f) A consumer and family advocate representative.
     (3) Before the secretary may recommend a conditional release under RCW 10.77.150 (1) or (2) or approve a release under RCW 10.77.200 (1) or (2), the secretary shall submit the committed person's application and the department's risk assessment and recommendation to the public safety review panel. The public safety review panel shall complete an independent assessment and written determination of the public safety risk of the secretary's proposed conditional release recommendations pursuant to RCW 10.77.150 and 10.77.200 and shall submit the determination to the secretary. The public safety review panel may, within funds appropriated for this purpose, request additional assessments to supplement the information provided by the secretary to complete its assessment and determination. The public safety review panel may support the department's conditional release recommendation, or may recommend the secretary modify or withdraw the department's recommendation.
     (4) The determination from the public safety review panel regarding the proposed conditional release under RCW 10.77.150 or full release under RCW 10.77.200 shall be provided to the court considering the release petition along with the materials submitted by the department pursuant to RCW 10.77.150 and RCW 10.77.200.
     (5) The public safety review panel shall receive administrative and financial support from the department. The department, in consultation with the public safety review panel, may adopt rules to implement this section, as necessary.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   A new section is added to chapter 10.77 RCW to read as follows:
     For persons who have received court approval for conditional release, the secretary, or such person as the secretary shall designate, shall supervise the person's compliance with the court-ordered conditions of release. The level of supervision provided by the secretary shall correspond to the level of the person's assessed public safety risk. In undertaking supervision of persons under this section, the secretary shall coordinate with any treatment providers designated pursuant to RCW 10.77.150(3), any department of corrections staff designated pursuant to RCW 10.77.150(2), and local law enforcement, if appropriate. The secretary shall adopt rules to implement this section.