(1) You must report the following incidents immediately and in no instance later than forty-eight hours after the incident to your local children's administration intake staff and the child's DSHS worker and tribal Indian child welfare (ICW) case manager as applicable:

(a) Death, serious illness or injury, or psychiatric care that requires medical treatment or hospitalization of a child in care;

(b) Any time you suspect physical or sexual abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a child as required under chapter 26.44 RCW;

(d) Any disclosure by a child in care of sexual or physical abuse;

(e) Any child's suicide attempt that results in injury requiring medical treatment or hospitalization;

(f) Any use of physical restraint alleged to have been improperly applied or excessive;

(g) Physical assault between two or more children that results in injury requiring off-site medical attention or hospitalization;

(h) Physical assault of a foster parent, employee, volunteer, or others by a child in care that results in injury requiring off-site medical attention or hospitalization;

(i) Any medication given or consumed incorrectly that requires off-site medical attention; or

(j) Property damage that is a safety hazard and not immediately corrected or may affect the children's health and safety.

(2) You must report the following incidents related to a child in care as soon as possible or in no instance later than forty-eight hours after the incident, to the child's DSHS worker and tribal ICW case manager as applicable:

(a) Suicidal or homicidal thoughts, gestures, or attempts that do not require professional medical treatment;

(b) Unexpected health problems outside the usual range of reactions caused by medications that do not require professional medical attention;

(d) Any professional treatment for emergency medical or emergency psychiatric care;

(e) Physical assault between two or more children that results in injury but does not require professional medical treatment;

(f) Physical assault of a foster parent, employee, volunteer, or others by a child that results in injury but does not require professional medical treatment;

(g) Drug or alcohol use by a child in your care;

(h) Any inappropriate sexual behavior by or toward a foster child; or

(i) Use of prohibited physical restraints for behavior management.

(3) Programs that provide care to medically fragile children who have nursing care staff on duty may document the incidents described in WAC 388-147-1540 (2)(b) and (c) in the facility daily logs, rather than contacting the child's DSHS worker or case manager, if agreed to in the child's case plan.

PDFWAC 110-147-1540

What incidents involving children must I report?