The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is considering rulemaking to implement specific sections of Substitute House Bill (SHB) 1218 (Chapter 159, Laws of 2021 passed by the legislature during the 2021 legislative session. The rulemaking will focus on disaster preparedness in long-term care settings in order to support providers in protecting the health and safety of residents in times of crisis.
DSHS is conducting rulemaking which may amend the following chapters of rule:
- Chapter 388-76 WAC, Adult Family Home Minimum Licensing Requirements,
- Chapter 388-78A WAC, Assisted Living Facility Licensing Rules,
- Chapter 388-97 WAC, Nursing homes, and
- Chapter 388-107 WAC, Licensing Requirements for Enhanced Services Facilities
The rule making project filed under WSR 22-04-046 on January 26, 2022 will address the following subjects:
- Adopt requirements for providers to publicly post stop placement orders, to meet the minimum requirements set forth in SHB 1218.
- Adopt requirements for providers to create and maintain resident rosters as well as responding to requests from ombuds for roster information. SHB 1218 instructs DSHS to require this from providers.
- Incorporate new definition of "resident representative" that was updated in SHB 1218.
- Replace the phrase "his or her" with appropriate gender-neutral terms to have uniformity in language of our rule text and chapter law.