AN ACT Relating to requiring state hospitals to undergo the same licensure and inspection by the department of health as private psychiatric hospitals; reenacting and amending RCW 71.12.455; and adding a new section to chapter 71.12 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 71.12 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Effective June 30, 2021, all state hospitals in Washington must be licensed under this chapter and subject to oversight and inspection by the department.

(2) A state hospital program that is certified by the federal medicare program, or the joint commission on accreditation of health care organizations or other national accreditation agency, is not subject to a state licensure survey if:

(a) The department determines that the applicable survey standards of the accreditation program are substantially equivalent to those required by this chapter;

(b) An on-site survey has been conducted for the purposes of certification or accreditation during the previous twenty-four months; and

(c) The department receives directly from the certifying or accrediting entity or from the licensee applicant copies of the initial and subsequent survey reports and other relevant reports or findings that indicate compliance with licensure requirements.

Sec. 2. RCW 71.12.455 and 2017 c 263 s 2 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) "Department" means the department of health.

(2) "Establishment" and "institution" mean:

(a) Every private ((or)), county ((or)), municipal, or state hospital, including a public hospital district((s)), sanitarium, home, or other place receiving or caring for any person with mental illness, ((mentally incompetent)) person with mental incompetence, or ((chemically dependent)) person with a substance abuse disorder; and

(b) Beginning January 1, 2019, ((facilities))every facility providing pediatric transitional care services.

(3) "Pediatric transitional care services" means short-term, temporary, health and comfort services for drug exposed infants according to the requirements of this chapter and provided in an establishment licensed by the department of health.

(4) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department of health.

(5) "Trained caregiver" means a noncredentialed, unlicensed person trained by the establishment providing pediatric transitional care services to provide hands-on care to drug exposed infants. Caregivers may not provide medical care to infants and may only work under the supervision of an appropriate health care professional.

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