BILL REQ. #: H-0793.1
State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2013 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/31/13. Referred to Committee on Health Care & Wellness.
AN ACT Relating to improving safety for patients and staff at state hospitals; and adding a new section to chapter 72.23 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 72.23 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The legislature finds that risk of assault at Washington's
state hospitals creates a dangerous environment for state hospital
patients and staff and undermines therapeutic treatment goals.
(2) By December 1, 2013, the department shall develop a plan to
enhance the safety of state hospital patients and staff from assault.
This plan must be shared with the executive and appropriate committees
of the legislature. At a minimum, this plan must include consideration
of the following elements:
(a) Development of increased security areas at the state hospitals
for effective monitoring and control of patients who present a high
threat of violence where such patients may be more effectively
monitored and controlled;
(b) Adoption of safety planning procedures following incidents of
intentional assault which ensure that meaningful and perceptible
consequences follow from such intentional behavior;
(c) Increased empowerment for state hospital security personnel,
including heightening the presence of security on state hospital wards
that house dangerous individuals;
(d) An assessment of training enhancements that could increase
safety from assault, including exploration of alternate security
models; and
(e) An estimate of the total cost of assault at the state
hospitals, combined with a plan to measure the cost savings realized by
decreasing incidents of assault and capturing savings for investment in
further safety enhancements.