HB 2329 -
By Committee on Health Care
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 70.54 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The department of health shall create the
breastfeeding-friendly Washington designation, a voluntary program to
recognize hospitals that effectively support and encourage
breastfeeding.
(2) Beginning July 1, 2014, a hospital may use the
breastfeeding-friendly Washington designation provided in subsection
(3) of this section on promotional materials if the hospital achieves
criteria defined by the department of health based on the following ten
steps:
(a) Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely
communicated to all health care staff;
(b) Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement
this policy;
(c) Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of
breastfeeding;
(d) Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth;
(e) Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation,
even if they are separated from their infants;
(f) Encourage breast milk over alternatives, but may provide
guidance on formula supplementation or bottle feeding if preferred by
the mother or medically indicated;
(g) Practice rooming in by allowing mothers and infants to remain
together twenty-four hours a day;
(h) Encourage breastfeeding on demand;
(i) Inform all pregnant women about the risks and benefits of
pacifiers or artificial nipples to infants; or
(j) Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and
refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.
(3)(a) A hospital seeking to use the breastfeeding-friendly
Washington designation must submit its breastfeeding policy and
supporting documentation with its application to the department of
health for approval. The department shall review and approve those
policies and supporting documents that meet the requirements of this
section and issue a designation based on the number of steps met by the
hospital.
(b) The department shall issue two types of breastfeeding-friendly
Washington designations based on the number of steps met by a hospital:
(i) A designation recognizing a hospital that meets the criteria for
five steps or more; and (ii) a designation recognizing a hospital that
meets all the criteria for all ten steps.
(4) The department of health must submit a report to the
legislature by December 31, 2016, on the levels of achievement by and
locations of participating hospitals and with recommendations to
improve or expand the program.
(5) For the purposes of this section, "hospital" means the
maternity or newborn service of a facility licensed under chapter 70.41
RCW and includes "birthing center" or "childbirth center" as defined in
RCW 18.46.010."
HB 2329 -
By Committee on Health Care
On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "designation;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "and adding a new section to chapter 70.54 RCW."
EFFECT: Removes program components related to health care providers, workplaces, and child day care centers; removes a section defining the program and places a shortened program definition in subsection (1); replaces a step requiring a hospital to "Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated" with "Encourage breast milk over alternatives, but may provide guidance on formula supplementation or bottle feeding, if preferred by the mother or medically indicated;" replaces a step requiring a hospital to "Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants" with "Inform all pregnant women about the risks and benefits of pacifiers or artificial nipples to infants;" requires DOH to issue two designations: One to applicants meeting five or more steps and another to applicants meeting all ten steps; and requires DOH to report to the Legislature by December 31, 2016.