BILL REQ. #:  H-3794.1 

READ FIRST TIME 01/31/12.   

     AN ACT Relating to requiring certain health professionals to complete education in suicide assessment, treatment, and management; adding a new section to chapter 43.70 RCW; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature finds that:
     (a) According to the centers for disease control and prevention:
     (i) In 2008, more than thirty-six thousand people died by suicide in the United States, making it the tenth leading cause of death nationally.
     (ii) During 2007-2008, an estimated five hundred sixty-nine thousand people visited hospital emergency departments with self-inflicted injuries in the United States, seventy percent of whom had attempted suicide.
     (iii) During 2008-2009, the average percentages of adults who thought, planned, or attempted suicide in Washington were higher than the national average.
     (b) According to a national study, veterans face an elevated risk of suicide as compared to the general population, more than twice the risk among male veterans. Another study has indicated a positive correlation between posttraumatic stress disorder and suicide.
     (i) Washington state is home to more than sixty thousand men and women who have deployed in support of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
     (ii) Research continues on how the effects of wartime service and injuries such as traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress disorder, or other service-related conditions, may increase the number of veterans who attempt suicide.
     (iii) As more men and women separate from the military and transition back into civilian life, community mental health providers will become a vital resource to help these veterans and their families deal with issues that may arise.
     (c) Suicide has an enormous impact on the family and friends of the victim as well as the community as a whole.
     (d) Approximately ninety percent of people who die by suicide had a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time of death. Most suicide victims exhibit warning signs or behaviors prior to an attempt.
     (e) Improved training and education in suicide assessment, treatment, and management has been recommended by a variety of organizations, including the United States department of health and human services and the institute of medicine.
     (2) It is therefore the intent of the legislature to help lower the suicide rate in Washington by requiring certain health professionals to complete training in suicide assessment, treatment, and management as part of their continuing education, continuing competency, or recertification requirements.
     (3) The legislature does not intend to expand or limit the existing scope of practice of any health professional affected by this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 43.70 RCW to read as follows:
     (1)(a) Beginning January 1, 2013, each of the following professionals certified or licensed under Title 18 RCW shall, at least once every six years, complete a six-hour training program in suicide assessment, treatment, and management that is approved, in rule, by the relevant disciplining authority:
     (i) An advisor or counselor certified under chapter 18.19 RCW;
     (ii) A chemical dependency professional licensed under chapter 18.205 RCW;
     (iii) A chiropractor licensed under chapter 18.25 RCW;
     (iv) A marriage and family therapist licensed under chapter 18.225 RCW;
     (v) A mental health counselor licensed under chapter 18.225 RCW;
     (vi) A naturopath licensed under chapter 18.36A RCW;
     (vii) A licensed practical nurse, registered nurse, or advanced registered nurse practitioner licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW;
     (viii) An occupational therapy practitioner licensed under chapter 18.59 RCW;
     (ix) An osteopathic physician and surgeon licensed under chapter 18.57 RCW;
     (x) An osteopathic physician assistant licensed under chapter 18.57A RCW;
     (xi) A physical therapist or physical therapist assistant licensed under chapter 18.74 RCW;
     (xii) A physician assistant licensed under chapter 18.71A RCW;
     (xiii) A psychologist licensed under chapter 18.83 RCW;
     (xiv) A sex offender treatment provider or affiliate sex offender treatment provider certified under chapter 18.155 RCW; and
     (xv) An advanced social worker or independent clinical social worker licensed under chapter 18.225 RCW.
     (b) A physician licensed under chapter 18.71 RCW shall complete a six-hour training program in suicide assessment, treatment, and management at least once every eight years.
     (c) In order to be recertified, a physician's trained emergency medical service intermediate life support technician and paramedic certified under chapter 18.71 RCW shall show evidence that he or she has completed a six-hour training program in suicide assessment, treatment, and management during the six years prior to submitting his or her application for recertification.
     (d) The requirements in (a) through (c) of this subsection apply to a person holding a retired active license, or a retired volunteer medical worker license, for one of the professions in (a) through (c) of this subsection.
     (2) A professional listed in subsection (1)(a) or (b) of this section must complete the first training required by this section during the first full continuing education reporting period after the effective date of this section or the first full continuing education reporting period after initial licensure or certification, whichever occurs later.
     (3) The hours spent completing a training program in suicide assessment, treatment, and management under this section count toward meeting any applicable continuing education or continuing competency requirements for each profession.
     (4) A disciplining authority may, by rule, specify minimum training and experience that is sufficient to exempt a professional from the training requirements in subsection (1) of this section.
     (5)(a) The secretary and the disciplining authorities shall work collaboratively to develop a model list of training programs in suicide assessment, treatment, and management training programs.
     (b) When developing the model list, the secretary and the disciplining authorities shall:
     (i) Consider suicide assessment, treatment, and management training programs of at least six hours in length listed on the best practices registry of the American foundation for suicide prevention and the suicide prevention resource center; and
     (ii) Consult with public and private institutions of higher education, experts in suicide assessment, treatment, and management, and affected professional associations.
     (c) The secretary and the disciplining authorities shall report the model list of training programs to the appropriate committees of the legislature no later than December 15, 2012.
     (6) Nothing in this section may be interpreted to expand or limit the scope of practice of any profession regulated under chapter 18.130 RCW.
     (7) The secretary and the disciplining authorities affected by this section shall adopt any rules necessary to implement this section.
     (8) For purposes of this section:
     (a) "Disciplining authority" has the same meaning as in RCW 18.130.020.
     (b) "Training program in suicide assessment, treatment, and management" means an empirically supported training program of at least six hours in length approved by the appropriate disciplining authority.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   This act may be known and cited as the Matt Adler suicide assessment, treatment, and management training act of 2012.