AN ACT Relating to persons with substance use disorders; adding new sections to chapter 71.24 RCW; providing an effective date; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 71.24 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Every patient who presents to a hospital, health care clinic, emergency room, evaluation and treatment center, or crisis diversion facility with an indication of a substance use disorder, opioid overdose, or chronic addiction must receive, with patient consent, prior to discharge:

(a) A substance use disorder evaluation;

(b) Medically necessary services for treatment of a substance use disorder, if any, until care can be transferred to an appropriate inpatient or outpatient substance use disorder treatment facility, including administration of medication for the purpose of relieving acute opioid withdrawal symptoms;

(c) Information about the availability of clinically appropriate inpatient and outpatient services for the treatment of a substance use disorder, including detoxification, stabilization, medication-assisted treatment, residential treatment, clinicians with expertise in the treatment of substance use disorders, and recovery coach services provided by certified substance use disorder peer counselors;

(d) Recovery planning tools; and

(e) Notification of discharge to the patient's emergency contacts and recovery coach, unless the patient refuses to consent to notification. Refusal to consent to notification must be noted in the patient's medical record.

(2) Every patient who begins a course of treatment for a substance use disorder must be referred, with patient consent, to receive recovery coach services from a certified substance use disorder peer counselor.

(3) The services described under this section may be provided through telemedicine or other innovative service models.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 71.24 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The authority must develop and disseminate best practice protocols for the use of facilities under section 1 of this act for client screening, referral, evaluation, transfer, and provision of medically necessary temporary treatment services, including medication assisted treatment therapy, related to clients who present with an indication of a substance use disorder, opioid overdose, or chronic addiction.

(2) The authority and the department must develop rules to assure prompt, voluntary access to clinically appropriate inpatient and outpatient substance use disorder services.

(3) The authority must develop a system to make information available to facilities under section 1 of this act related to the availability of clinically appropriate inpatient and outpatient services for the treatment of substance use disorders and must develop a strategy to update this information in real time.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 71.24 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The authority shall prepare a gap analysis and implementation plan for delivery to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2021, to implement sections 1 and 2 of this act, including an analysis of workforce needs and proposals to provide the needed level of services.

(2) This section expires January 1, 2024.

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