Date of Adoption: March 30, 2001.

Purpose: New chapter 388-60 WAC, Domestic violence perpetrator treatment program standards, clarify the language of the requirements for all programs providing domestic violence perpetrator treatment services, as well as add several new requirements. The rules also meet the intent of the Governor's Executive Order 97-02.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 388-60-005, 388-60-120, 388-60-130, 388-60-140, 388-60-150, 388-60-160, 388-60-170, 388-60-180, 388-60-190, 388-60-200, 388-60-210, 388-60-220, 388-60-230, 388-60-240, 388-60-250, and 388-60-260.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 26.50.150.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 00-18-018 on November 6, 2000 and WSR 00-22-066 and November 15, 2000.

Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: We added wording to WAC 388-60-0075 regarding development of policies regarding excused absences for program participants. We also changed the word "assessment" to "screening" in WAC 388-60-165 (2)(c) and added "consecutive" to WAC 388-60-255(2).

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 74, Amended 0, Repealed 16.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 74, Amended 0, Repealed 16.

Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 74, Amended 0, Repealed 16. Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

March 30, 2001

Brian Lindgren

for Bonita H. Jacques, Chief

Office of Legal Affairs

     "Corrective action" means the denial or suspension or revocation of certification, or the issuance of a written warning.

     "Department" or "DSHS" means the department of social and health services.

     "Participant" or "perpetrator" means the client enrolled in the domestic violence perpetrator treatment program. This client may be court-ordered to attend treatment or someone who chooses to voluntarily attend treatment.

     "Program" or "treatment program" means a domestic violence perpetrator treatment program.

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     (2) These standards apply to any program that:

     (a) Advertises that it provides domestic violence perpetrator treatment; or

     (b) Defines its services as meeting court orders that require enrollment in and/or completion of domestic violence perpetrator treatment.

     (3) These programs provide treatment only to perpetrators of domestic violence, including clients who are self-referred or those who are court-ordered to attend treatment.

     (4) An agency may administer other service programs in addition to domestic violence perpetrator treatment services; however, the domestic violence perpetrator treatment program must be considered a separate and distinct program from all other services the agency provides.

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     (1) Be certified by the department; and

     (2) Comply with the standards outlined in this chapter.

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     (2) The program must hold the participant accountable for:

     (a) The abuse that occurred; and

     (b) Changing the participant's violent and abusive behaviors.

     (3) The program must base all treatment on strategies and philosophies that do not blame the victim or imply that the victim shares any responsibility for the abuse which occurred.

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     (1) Facilitating change in the participant's abusive behavior; and

     (2) Holding the participant accountable for changing the participant's patterns of behaviors, thinking, and beliefs.

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     (2) The treatment program must take the following steps to protect victims:

     (a) Notify the victim of each program participant within fourteen days of the participant being accepted or denied entrance to the program that the participant has enrolled in or has been rejected for treatment services;

     (b) Inform victims of specific outreach, advocacy, emergency and safety planning services offered by a domestic violence victim program in the victim's community;

     (c) Encourage victims to make plans to protect themselves and their children;

     (d) Give victims a brief description of the domestic violence perpetrator treatment program, including the fact that the victim is not expected to do anything to help the perpetrator complete any treatment program requirements; and

     (e) Inform victims of the limitations of perpetrator treatment.

     (3) The program must document in writing the program's efforts to notify the victim of the above requirements.

     (4) The program cannot invite or require the victims of participants to attend perpetrator treatment program counseling sessions or education groups which the program requires participants to attend as a condition of their contracts.

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     Exception: Another type of intervention may be approved for certain documented clinical reasons, such as psychosis or other conditions that make the individual not amenable to treatment in a group setting.

     (2) The program must assign each participant to a home group and the participant must be required to attend the same scheduled group each week. The program's director must authorize any exceptions to this requirement and document the reason for the exception.

     (3) Each participant must sign all releases of information required by the treatment program, including those specified in WAC 388-60-0145.

     (4) Each participant must sign a contract for services with the treatment program.

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     (2) The group size is limited to a maximum of twelve participants, and a minimum of two participants.

     (3) Group sessions must be at least ninety minutes in length.

     (4) Group sessions must be closed to all persons other than participants, group facilitators, and others specifically invited by the group leaders. Others specifically invited by group leaders may include:

     (a) Professionals in related fields;

     (b) Persons offering interpretation services for the deaf and/or hearing impaired or language translation/interpretation; and

     (c) Others bringing specific information critical to the group.

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     (2) Any other type of therapy must support the goal of victim safety by facilitating change in the participant's abusive behavior without blaming the victim for the perpetrator's abuse.

     (3) The program must determine that the participant is stable in the participant's other treatments before allowing the participant to participate in treatment for domestic violence.

     (4) Other therapies including the following list may not be substituted for the required domestic violence perpetrator treatment sessions:

     (a) Individual therapy;

     (b) Marital or couples' therapy;

     (c) Family therapy;

     (d) Substance abuse evaluations or treatment; or

     (e) Anger management.

     (5) A program may recommend marital or couples' therapy only after:

     (a) The participant has completed at least six months of domestic violence perpetrator treatment services; and

     (b) The victim has reported that the participant has ceased engaging in violent and/or controlling behaviors. However, this therapy may not take the place of domestic violence perpetrator treatment session.

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     (a) Race;

     (b) Age;

     (c) Gender;

     (d) Disability;

     (e) Religion;

     (f) Marital status or living arrangements;

     (g) Political affiliation;

     (h) Educational attainment;

     (i) Socio-economic status;

     (j) Ethnicity;

     (k) National origin; or

     (l) Sexual orientation.

     (2) Program materials, publications, and audio-visual materials must be culturally sensitive and nondiscriminatory.

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     (2) The program must base acceptance and rejection of a client on written criteria the program has developed to screen potential participants.

     (3) A treatment program may impose any conditions on participants that the program deems appropriate for the success of treatment.

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     (2) Treatment program staff must establish a climate where all relationships with colleagues and participants are respectful.

     (3) Each participant enrolled in a program must have the assurance that the program staff will conduct themselves professionally, as specified in RCW 18.130.180.

     (4) Staff, board members, and volunteers working for a treatment program must not engage in or tolerate sexual harassment or exploitation of an employee, a program participant, or a victim of any program participant.

     (5) Each participant must have a written contract signed by the participant and the treatment program staff which specifies the participant's rights and responsibilities while enrolled in the program.

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     (2) All program participants and guests must agree in writing not to disclose the identity of group participants or personal information about the participants.

     (3) A treatment program must keep all communications between the participant and direct treatment staff confidential unless:

     (a) The participant has signed a release of information; or

     (b) The program is legally required to release the information.

     (4) The treatment program may audio or video tape group sessions only when all participants grant written consent that gives details about the specific uses for the tape. The program must obtain an additional consent statement from each participant to permit use of the tape for any purpose other than the purposes specified in the original consent.

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     (1) A release allowing the treatment program to notify the victim and/or the victim's community and/or legal advocates that the perpetrator has been accepted or rejected for treatment;

     (2) A release allowing the program to provide the victim with periodic reports about the perpetrator's participation in the program;

     (3) A release allowing the current domestic violence perpetrator treatment program access to information held by all prior and concurrent treatment agencies, including domestic violence perpetrator treatment programs, mental health agencies, and drug and alcohol treatment programs;

     (4) A release allowing the treatment program to provide relevant information regarding the participant to each of the following entities:

     (a) Lawyers, including prosecutors;

     (b) Courts;

     (c) Parole officers;

     (d) Probation officers;

     (e) Child protective services, child welfare services, and other DSHS programs;

     (f) Court-appointed guardians ad litem;

     (g) DSHS certifying authorities; and

     (h) Former treatment programs that the participant has attended.

     (5) A release for the program to notify any person whose safety appears to be at risk due to the participant's potential for violence and lethality. This includes, but is not limited to:

     (a) The victim;

     (b) Any children;

     (c) Significant others;

     (d) The victim's community and legal advocates; or

     (e) Police.

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     (2) Information must be kept separate from any files for perpetrators.

     (3) If a victim tells the treatment program that the participant has committed a new offense, the treatment program must encourage the victim to contact:

     (a) Appropriate law enforcement agency; and

     (b) The local domestic violence victim's program.

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     (2) During the intake interview, program staff must obtain the following information, at a minimum:

     (a) Current and past violence history;

     (b) A complete diagnostic evaluation;

     (c) A substance abuse screening;

     (d) History of treatment from past domestic violence perpetrator treatment programs;

     (e) History of threats of homicide or suicide;

     (f) History of ideation of homicide or suicide;

     (g) History of stalking;

     (h) Data to develop a lethality risk assessment;

     (i) Possession of, access to, plans to obtain, or a history of use of weapons;

     (j) Degree of obsessiveness and dependency on the perpetrator's victim;

     (k) History of episodes of rage;

     (l) History of depression and other mental health problems;

     (m) History of having sexually abused the battered victim or others;

     (n) History of the perpetrator's domestic violence victimization and/or sexual abuse victimization;

     (o) Access to the battered victim;

     (p) Criminal history and law enforcement incident reports;

     (q) Reports of abuse of children, elderly persons, or animals;

     (r) Assessment of cultural issues;

     (s) Assessment of learning disabilities, literacy, and special language needs; and

     (t) Review of other diagnostic evaluations of the participant.

     (3) If the program cannot obtain the above information, the program client file must include documentation of the program's reasonable efforts to obtain the information.

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     (2) A trainee may not have sole responsibility for conducting an intake or assessment. If the staff conducting the intake/assessment is a trainee, the trainee must work in conjunction with additional staff in their program, and the trainee's program supervisor must review and sign off on the trainee's work.

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     (2) The treatment program must base the participant's treatment on the clinical intake/assessment which the program completed for the client.

     (3) The treatment plan must adequately and appropriately address the needs of the individual participant.

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     (a) Assess whether a participant should be required to engage in drug and alcohol, mental health, or other treatment services while they are participating in the treatment program;

     (b) Decide which treatment gets priority for the participant if more than one treatment service is recommended;

     (c) Determine the sequence of other services if concurrent treatment is not clinically appropriate; and

     (d) Make appropriate referrals to outside agencies.

     (2) A treatment program must consider issues relating to a participant's prior victimization when designing each treatment plan.

     The program must consider the appropriateness of domestic violence victim services in lieu of perpetrator treatment for a participant who presents an extensive history of prior victimization.

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     (1) A statement regarding the treatment program's philosophy that:

     (a) The victim may not be blamed for the participant's abuse;

     (b) The perpetrator must stop all forms of abuse;

     (c) An abuser is to be held accountable for the abusers actions; and

     (d) The program's primary concern is for the safety of victims.

     (2) A statement requiring the participant to:

     (a) Cooperate with all program rules;

     (b) Stop violent and threatening behaviors;

     (c) Be nonabusive and noncontrolling in relationships;

     (d) Develop and adhere to a responsibility plan;

     (e) Comply with all court orders;

     (f) Cooperate with the rules for group participation; and

     (g) Sign all required releases of information.

     (3) A policy on attendance and consequences for inadequate attendance;

     (4) A requirement that the perpetrator must actively participate in treatment, including sharing personal experiences, values, and attitudes, as well as completing all group activities and assignments;

     (5) A policy regarding other program expectations, such as completion of written exams, concurrent treatment requirements, and possession of weapons as described under chapters 388-861 and 388-875 WAC;

     (6) Written criteria for completion of treatment;

     (7) A statement that group members must honor the confidentiality of all participants;

     (8) A statement that the treatment program has the duty to warn and protect victims, law enforcement, and third parties of any risk of serious harm the program determines the participant poses to them;

     (9) Requirements that the participant must either:

     (a) Provide the program with the participant's arrest records, criminal history, and any information regarding treatment services previously received; or

     (b) Identify the existence of and location of all service records, and authorize release of all such records to the domestic violence treatment program.

     (10) The program's policy regarding the use of drugs and alcohol, including a provision that the participant must attend treatment sessions free of drugs and alcohol; and

     (11) Fees and methods of payment for treatment.

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     (1) Belief systems that allow and support violence against women;

     (2) Belief systems that allow and/or support the use or threat of violence to establish power and control over an intimate partner;

     (3) Definitions of abuse, battering, and domestic violence;

     (4) Forms of abuse, including:

     (a) Physical abuse;

     (b) Emotional and sexual abuse;

     (c) Economic manipulation or domination;

     (d) Physical force against property or pets;

     (e) Stalking;

     (f) Terrorizing someone or threatening him or her; and

     (g) Acts that put the safety of battered partners, children, pets, other family members, or friends at risk.

     (5) The impact of abuse and battering on children and the incompatibility of domestic violence and abuse with responsible parenting;

     (6) The fact that a participant is solely responsible for the participant's violent behavior, and must acknowledge this fact;

     (7) The need to avoid blaming a victim for the participant's abusive behavior;

     (8) Techniques to be nonabusive and noncontrolling;

     (9) Negative legal and social consequences for someone who commits domestic violence;

     (10) Why it is necessary to meet financial and legal obligations to family members;

     (11) Opportunities for a participant to develop a responsibility plan:

     (a) The treatment program may assist the participant in developing the plan.

     (b) In the plan, the participant must make a commitment to giving up power and control over the victim.

     (12) Education regarding individual cultural and family dynamics of domestic violence; and

     (13) Washington state laws and practices regarding domestic violence, as described in chapters 10.31, 10.99, and 26.50 RCW.

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     (2) The program must require participants to attend treatment and satisfy all treatment program requirements for at least twelve consecutive months.

     (3) The program must require the participant to attend:

     (a) A minimum of twenty-six consecutive weekly same gender group sessions, followed by:

     (b) Monthly sessions with the treatment provider until the twelve-month period is complete. These sessions must be conducted face-to-face with the participant by program staff who meet the minimum qualifications set forth in this chapter.

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     (2) A program must require a participant to meet all of the following conditions in order for the program to state that the participant has completed treatment:

     (a) Attend treatment sessions for the minimum treatment period;

     (b) Attend all other sessions required by the program;

     (c) Cooperate with all group rules and program requirements throughout the duration of treatment services;

     (d) Stop the use of all violent acts or threats of violence;

     (e) Stop using abusive and controlling behavior;

     (f) Adhere to the participant's responsibility plan;

     (g) Comply with court orders; and

     (h) Comply with other conditions of the contract for treatment services, such as chemical dependency treatment.

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     (a) The court having jurisdiction, if the participant has been court-mandated to attend treatment; and

     (b) The victim, if feasible.

     (2) The program must document in writing its efforts to contact the victim.

     (3) The program may specify only that the perpetrator has completed treatment based on adequate compliance with the participant's contract with the treatment program and any court order.

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     (a) Discharge decisions must be uniform and predictable.

     (b) Discrimination may not occur against any participant.

     (2) A program may terminate a participant from treatment prior to completion of the program if the participant has not complied with the requirements set forth in the participant's contract with the program.

     (3) If a program discharges a participant who does not complete treatment, the treatment program must document in writing that the participant has not complied with:

     (a) The participant's contract with the treatment program;

     (b) A court order;

     (c) A probation agreement; or

     (d) Group rules.

     (4) If a program chooses not to discharge a participant who has reoffended, committed other acts of violence or abuse, or has not complied with any of subsection (3)(a) through (d) of this section, the program must note the reoffense and/or noncompliance in the client's progress notes, reports to the court, and reports to the victim (if feasible).

     (5) The program must state in the client's record the program's rationale for not terminating the participant, and state what corrective action was taken.

     (6) A program may discharge a participant if the treatment program cannot provide adequate treatment services to the participant because of the treatment program's current development.

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     (1) The court having jurisdiction, if the participant has been court-mandated to attend treatment;

     (2) The participant's probation officer, if any;

     (3) The victim of the participant, if feasible; and

     (4) The program must notify the above parties within three days of terminating the client.

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     (a) Registered as counselors or certified as mental health professionals as required under chapter 18.19 RCW; and

     (b) Free of criminal convictions involving moral turpitude.

     (2) Each staff person providing direct treatment services to a participant must have a bachelor's degree.

     (a) The department will review requests for an exception to this requirement on a case-by-case basis.

     (b) In order to qualify for an exception, the employee must possess year-for-year professional level experience equivalent to a bachelor's degree. The department determines this equivalency at the discretion of the DSHS program manager responsible for monitoring domestic violence perpetrator treatment programs.

     (3) Prior to providing any direct treatment services to program participants, each direct treatment staff person must have completed:

     (a) A minimum of thirty hours of training about domestic violence from an established domestic violence victim program; and

     (b) A minimum of thirty hours of training from an established domestic violence perpetrator treatment services program.

     (i) If located within Washington state, the domestic violence perpetrator treatment program must be certified and meet the standards as outlined in this chapter.

     (ii) If located out-of-state, the domestic violence perpetrator treatment program must meet the standards outlined in this chapter as well as chapter 26.50 RCW.

     (4) All employees must complete all sixty hours of required training before the employee may begin to provide any direct services to group participants. Any work experience accrued prior to completion of the sixty hours of training will not count toward any requirement for work experience.

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     (2) Direct treatment staff may not provide services to perpetrators until the treatment staff's qualifications have been reviewed and approved by the DSHS program manager responsible for certification of domestic violence perpetrator treatment programs.

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     (1) At least one hundred twenty-five hours of this requirement must have been provision of supervised, direct treatment services to domestic violence perpetrators.

     (2) The remainder of this requirement must have been provision of domestic violence victim advocacy services.

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     (2) A trainee may not have sole responsibility for conducting an intake or assessment, or for terminating a participant from treatment.

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     (a) Have a minimum of three years of experience providing direct treatment services to perpetrators of domestic violence;

     (b) Have a minimum of one year of experience providing victim advocacy services to domestic violence victims (this may be concurrent with (a) of this subsection);

     (c) Have a minimum of one year of experience in facilitating domestic violence perpetrator treatment groups;

     (d) Has completed at least five hundred hours of supervised direct treatment contact with both perpetrators and domestic violence victims:

     (i) At least three hundred hours of this requirement must have been the provision of supervised, direct treatment services to domestic violence perpetrators.

     (ii) The remainder of this requirement must have been the provision of domestic violence victim advocacy services.

     (2) Each staff person providing supervision to direct treatment staff within a program must have a master's degree.

     (a) The department's program manger will review requests for an exception to this requirement on a case-by-case basis.

     (b) In order to qualify for an exception, the employee must possess year-for-year professional level experience equivalent to a master's degree. The department determines this equivalency at the discretion of the DSHS program manager responsible for monitoring domestic violence perpetrator treatment programs.

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Reviser's note: The typographical error in the above section occurred in the copy filed by the agency and appears in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040.
NEW SECTION
WAC 388-60-0375   Must a supervisor always be on the premises of the treatment program?   A supervisor may be located either on or off-site unless direct treatment services are being provided only by employees who are considered trainees, as defined in these rules. If no other direct treatment staff besides the supervisor possesses at least two hundred fifty hours of experience providing direct treatment services to perpetrators, the supervisor must be present at all times that direct treatment services are being provided.

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     (2) The purpose of the orientation must be to provide the staff with the program's philosophy, organization, curriculum, policies, procedures, and goals.

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     (2) Each staff person's continuing professional education must include four or more hours of training per year on issues of sexism, racism, and homophobia and their relationship to domestic violence.

     (3) Continuing education training may be in the fields of alcohol/drug abuse, mental health, or other issues but all training must be related to the treatment of domestic violence perpetrators.

     (4) The treatment staff may obtain continuing professional education through classes, seminars, workshops, video or audiotapes, or other self-study programs when approved in writing by the program supervisor. No more than five hours of video, audiotapes, or self-study program may be used toward the requirement of twenty hours of continuing education requirement. This includes correspondence courses.

     (5) The staff must document all continuing education hours on DSHS approved forms.

     (a) The form must be accompanied by completion certificates, course/workshop outline, and supervisor signature.

     (b) The program must submit the form and documentation to the department at the time the program applies for re-certification.

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     (1) State laws regulating the response to domestic violence by the criminal justice system;

     (2) Relief available to victims of domestic violence offered by:

     (a) Washington domestic violence law and civil protection orders;

     (b) Criminal no-contact orders; and

     (c) Civil restraining orders.

     (3) Local law enforcement, prosecution, and court and probation policies regarding domestic violence cases.

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     Domestic Violence Perpetrator Treatment Program

     Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS)

     Children's Administration

     P.O. Box 45710

     Olympia, Washington 98504-5710.

     (2) The program must submit the application, application fee, and all documentation needed to prove that the program meets the requirements set forth in these standards.

     (3) A program may not provide direct treatment services to domestic violence perpetrators without being certified by the department.

     (4) If approved, the department grants certification for a two year period.

     (5) The department considers each geographical location of a program an individual program, and must certify each program separately.

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     (2) The department publishes the application fee for certification of domestic violence perpetrator treatment programs in the application packet.

     (3) If there is any change in the fee, the update will be done in July of each year.

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     (1) A written statement signed by the director that the program complies with the standards contained in this chapter;

     (2) Results of current criminal history background checks conducted by the Washington state patrol for all current direct treatment program staff;

     (3) A statement for each current paid or volunteer staff person whether or not the staff person has ever been a party to any civil proceedings involving domestic violence;

     (4) Proof that each direct treatment staff is registered as a counselor or certified as a mental health professional with the department of health;

     (5) Evidence that the program maintains cooperative relationships with agencies providing services related to domestic violence.

     (a) This evidence must include, at a minimum:

     (i) Three items of evidence that they have established and continue to maintain cooperative relationships with local domestic violence victim programs and other local agencies involved with domestic violence intervention.

     (ii) Documentation that they have established a referral process between their program and the local domestic violence victim services programs.

     (iii) Proof that they participate in a local domestic violence task force, intervention committee or workgroup if one exists in their community.

     (b) The program may also submit evidence of the following:

     (i) Participation in public awareness activities sponsored by the local domestic violence victim services agency.

     (ii) Service agreements between the local domestic violence victim services agency(ies) and the treatment program.

     (iii) Letters of support for the program from other agencies or parties involved in domestic violence intervention.

     (6) Evidence that the program maintains cooperative relationships with agencies involved in domestic violence intervention.

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     (2) The department must notify the applicant whether or not the program meets these standards.

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     (a) A copy of the standards;

     (b) A written notice containing the reasons for the determination of noncompliance; and

     (c) The program standards relied upon for making the decision.

     (2) Treatment programs have the right to a hearing if the program is denied certification under this chapter (chapter 388-02 WAC).

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     (1) A current record of all certified domestic violence perpetrator programs.

     (2) A current record of programs that:

     (a) Are in the process of applying for certification;

     (b) Have been denied certification;

     (c) Have been notified that the department is revoking or suspending certification;

     (d) Have had their certification revoked; and

     (e) Are being investigated.

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     (1) A completed application form signed by the program director;

     (2) Payment of the application fee;

     (3) A listing of all direct treatment staff;

     (4) A statement of qualifications for any staff added since the last certification period;

     (5) Current results of criminal history background checks conducted by the Washington state patrol, and a statement regarding any involvement in civil proceedings involving domestic violence for each employee providing direct treatment services;

     (6) An update of continuing professional education hours for each direct treatment staff;

     (7) Evidence that the program maintains cooperative relationships with agencies providing services related to domestic violence.

     (a) This evidence must include, at a minimum:

     (i) Three items of evidence that they have established and continue to maintain cooperative relationships with local domestic violence victim programs and other local agencies involved with domestic violence intervention.

     (ii) Documentation that they have established a referral process between their program and the local domestic violence victim services programs.

     (iii) Proof that they participate in a local domestic violence task force, intervention committee or workgroup if one exists in their community.

     (b) The program may also submit evidence of the following:

     (i) Participation in public awareness activities sponsored by the local domestic violence victim services agency.

     (ii) Service agreements between the local domestic violence victim services agency(ies) and the treatment program.

     (iii) Letters of support for the program from other agencies or parties involved in domestic violence intervention.

     (8) Evidence that the program maintains cooperative relationships with agencies involved in domestic violence intervention; and

     (9) All documentation needed to prove that the program continues to meet the standards for certification.

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     (1) The department determines, based on the completed application, that the program continues to meet the standards and qualifications as outlined in this chapter; and

     (2) The department determines that any complaint investigations from the previous certification period have been satisfactorily resolved.

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     (1) Advise the department regarding recommended changes to the program standards; and

     (2) Provide technical assistance on program standards, implementation, and certification and re-certification criteria.

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     (1) Four persons representing the perspective of victims of domestic violence. They will be chosen with input from the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WSCADV);

     (2) Four persons representing the perspective of state-certified domestic violence perpetrator treatment programs. They will be chosen with input from the Washington Association of Domestic Violence Intervention Professionals (WADVIP);

     (3) Four persons representing the perspective of adult misdemeanant probation and Washington state courts of limited jurisdiction. They will be chosen with input from the Misdemeanant Corrections Association and the Washington State District and Municipal Court Judges Association;

     (4) One person representing the department of corrections; and

     (5) One person representing the office of the administrator for the courts.

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     (2) Advisory committee members may not receive any other compensation for service on the committee.

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     (1) The program has acted in a way that places victims at risk; or

     (2) The program has failed to follow standards in this chapter.

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     (1) Determine that the complaint includes sufficient information to be deemed valid;

     (2) Notify the program within fourteen days of the complaint being determined valid that the department has received a complaint about the program; and

     (3) Notify the program that an investigation has been initiated.

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     (1) Has placed victims at risk; or

     (2) Failed to follow the standards outlined in this chapter.

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     (1) Contact with:

     (a) The person making the complaint;

     (b) Other persons involved in the complaint; or

     (c) The treatment program.

     (2) A request for written documentation of evidence; and/or

     (3) An on-site visit to the program to interview program staff.

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     (2) If the department decides that the treatment program behaved in a way that placed victims at risk or failed to meet the standards outlined in this chapter, the written results must include a decision regarding the status of the program's certification.

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     (1) Revoke the treatment program's certification;

     (2) Suspend the treatment program's certification; or

     (3) Send a written warning to the treatment program.

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     (a) The specific reasons for the revocation;

     (b) The WAC standards the revocation is based on; and

     (c) The effective date of the revocation.

     (2) If DSHS suspends a treatment program's certification, DSHS must provide the treatment program with:

     (a) The specific reasons for the corrective action;

     (b) The WAC standards that the suspension is based on;

     (c) The effective date of the suspension;

     (d) Any remedial steps which the program must complete to the satisfaction of the department before the department will reinstate the program's certification and lift the suspension; and

     (e) The deadline for completion of any remedial steps.

     (3) If DSHS issues a written warning to a program, DSHS must provide the treatment program with:

     (a) The specific reasons for the written warning;

     (b) The WAC standards that the written warning is based on; and

     (c) Any remedial steps which the program must complete to the satisfaction of the department.

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     (2) The program director may request an administrative hearing from the office of administrative hearings pursuant to chapter 388-02 WAC.

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     (1) Take immediate steps to notify and refer current clients to other certified domestic violence perpetrator treatment programs;

     Note: This must be done prior to the effective date of revocation or suspension.

     (2) Cease accepting perpetrators of domestic violence into its treatment program;

     (3) Notify victims, current partners of the participants, and any relevant agencies about the client referral; and

     (4) Notify, in writing, the presiding judge and chief probation officer of each judicial district from which the treatment program receives court referrals.

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     The following sections of the Washington Administrative Code are repealed:

WAC 388-60-005	Scope.
WAC 388-60-120	Treatment focus.
WAC 388-60-130	Treatment modality.
WAC 388-60-140	Program policies and procedures.
WAC 388-60-150	Treatment staff qualifications.
WAC 388-60-160	Orientation and continuing professional education requirements.
WAC 388-60-170	Cooperation with domestic violence victim programs.
WAC 388-60-180	Knowledge of law and justice system practices.
WAC 388-60-190	Program certification process.
WAC 388-60-200	Certification maintenance.
WAC 388-60-210	Advisory committee.
WAC 388-60-220	Complaint.
WAC 388-60-230	Investigation.
WAC 388-60-240	Results of investigation.
WAC 388-60-250	Notification of results.
WAC 388-60-260	Appeal.

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