The department shall, within available funding for this purpose, develop and make available to assisted living facilities a quality improvement consultation program using the following principles:
(1) The system shall be resident-centered and promote privacy, independence, dignity, choice, and a home or home-like environment for residents consistent with chapter
70.129 RCW.
(2) The goal of the system is continuous quality improvement with the focus on resident satisfaction and outcomes for residents. The quality improvement consultation program shall be offered to assisted living facilities on a voluntary basis. Based on requests for the services of the quality improvement consultation program, the department may establish a process for prioritizing service availability.
(3) Assisted living facilities should be supported in their efforts to improve quality and address problems, as identified by the licensee, initially through training, consultation, and technical assistance. At a minimum, the department may, within available funding, at the request of the assisted living facility, conduct on-site visits and telephone consultations.
(4) To facilitate collaboration and trust between the assisted living facilities and the department's quality improvement consultation program staff, the consultation program staff shall not simultaneously serve as department licensors, complaint investigators, or participate in any enforcement-related decisions, within the region in which they perform consultation activities; except such staff may investigate on an emergency basis, complaints anywhere in the state when the complaint indicates high risk to resident health or safety. Any records or information gained as a result of their work under the quality improvement consultation program shall not be disclosed to or shared with nonmanagerial department licensing or complaint investigation staff, unless necessary to carry out duties described under chapter
74.34 RCW. The emphasis should be on problem prevention. Nothing in this section shall limit or interfere with the consultant's mandated reporting duties under chapter
74.34 RCW.
(5) The department shall promote the development of a training system that is practical and relevant to the needs of residents and staff. To improve access to training, especially for rural communities, the training system may include, but is not limited to, the use of satellite technology distance learning that is coordinated through community colleges or other appropriate organizations.