Behavioral Health Administration

WACs 388-880-010, 388-880-055, 388-880-056, 388-880-057, 388-880-058 & 388-880-059

The department recognizes these WACs have not been updated since 2013 and since then, there have been policy and RCW changes that require an update. The department has decided to combine WACs 388-880-056 through 388-880-058 into one WAC. This will help clarify expectations of the Senior Clinical Team and clarify how the Special Commitment Center (SCC) reviews residents whose Less Restrictive Alternative (LRA) status is revoked. WAC 388-880-059 is being amended to clarify communication expectations for SCC when a resident is conditionally released or discharged. Definitions will also be updated to ensure consistency as the WACs are updated.

Chapter 388-878 WAC

The proposed rule is necessary for administering inpatient and outpatient competency restoration programs which are run by the Department of Social and Health Services and the Health Care Authority, respectively. As directed by RCW 10.77.086, this rulemaking is to develop rules for the conditions of participation in the outpatient competency restoration program, within the framework of the forensic mental health care system. This rule adds definitional language; describes factors that, if present, may make a client clinically inappropriate for outpatient competency restoration services; outlines initial intake requirements and conditions of participation; requires certain reporting for outpatient competency restoration providers; allows for providers to request early competency evaluation; and provides a framework for removal from the program and when the program ends.

WAC 388-875-0200, 0210, 0220, 0230

The purpose of these rules is to clarify the duties and authority of the forensic navigator program under RCW 10.77.074. This RCW was the result of the settlement agreement and implementation plan for the Trueblood lawsuit. These rules describe the time frames that jails must follow in providing access to forensic navigator clients, and the time frames that entities holding relevant client records must follow in providing records to forensic navigators, to help ensure timely provision of forensic navigator services. These rules also describe the caseload prioritization for forensic navigators, and the circumstances in which forensic navigator services will terminate.