WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
BOARD OF APPEALS
Transforming Lives
BOA Review Judges fulfill the mission of the agency by timely issuing sound decisions which ensure those entitled to benefits receive them, and those who are not entitled to benefits are prevented from receiving unjust enrichment at public expense.
BOA Review Judges issue decisions and orders in cases which effectively result in placing individuals on registry listings or revoke licenses due to findings of abuse, neglect, and exploitation that prevent further harm to vulnerable adults.
Index of Significant Decisions
State law at Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 42.56.070(5)(b) directs the Department of Social and Health Services (Department or DSHS) to establish and implement a system of indexing for identification and location of final orders issued in adjudicative proceedings that contain an analysis or decision of substantial importance to the Department in carrying out its duties. The Department has established such an index and it is titled the Index of Significant Decisions. RCW 42.56.070(6) and Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 388-02-0221(1) give precedent to such decisions filed in the Index of Significant Decisions. This means that a party to an administrative hearing involving the Department can rely on, use, or cite to such a final order that has been entered into the Index of Significant Decisions. The Index of Significant Decisions is available to the public at https://www.dshs.wa.gov/os/oper/boa/decision-list. An individual can inspect or request a copy of the index by contacting the Board of Appeals (BOA) at:
Board of Appeals
Human Services Building (OB-2), 1st Floor Information
1115 Washington Street SE
Olympia, WA 98504-5803
(360) 664-6100
Mailing address:
Board of Appeals
P.O. Box 45803
Olympia, WA 98504-5803
The BOA will, from time to time, enter a final order into the index on its own motion. However, WAC 388-01-190(4) allows an individual to ask the BOA to index a final order as a significant decision by sending a written request with a copy of the final order to the mailing address above. Not all requests can be granted, but each request will be considered by the entire BOA for entry into the Index. The BOA meets quarterly to make additions and deletions to the Index. An applicant may check periodically to determine if a particular decision has been added to the Index. Although there does not exist formal parameters for entry into the index, a final order candidate should generally have substantial or significant importance to actions taken by the Department that give rise to an administrative hearing. Submitted requests should contain a brief explanation as to why the applicant believes the submitted final order may have a significant or substantial impact on the Department’s program(s). The application form can be accessed by clicking here.