Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1477 - Session Law Chapter 302 Year 2021 as Recommended by Appropriations

Source

Section 101

  1. The legislature finds that:

    1. Nearly 6,000 Washington adults and children died by suicide in the last five years, according to the federal centers for disease control and prevention, tragically reflecting a state increase of 36 percent in the last 10 years.

    2. Suicide is now the single leading cause of death for Washington young people ages 10 through 24, with total deaths 22 percent higher than for vehicle crashes.

    3. Groups with suicide rates higher than the general population include veterans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, LGBTQ youth, and people living in rural counties across the state.

    4. More than one in five Washington residents are currently living with a behavioral health disorder.

    5. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased stressors and substance use among Washington residents.

    6. An improved crisis response system will reduce reliance on emergency room services and the use of law enforcement response to behavioral health crises and will stabilize individuals in the community whenever possible.

    7. To accomplish effective crisis response and suicide prevention, Washington state must continue its integrated approach to address mental health and substance use disorder in tandem under the umbrella of behavioral health disorders, consistently with chapter 71.24 RCW and the state's approach to integrated health care. This is particularly true in the domain of suicide prevention, because of the prevalence of substance use as both a risk factor and means for suicide.

  2. The legislature intends to:

    1. Establish crisis call center hubs and expand the crisis response system in a deliberate, phased approach that includes the involvement of partners from a range of perspectives to:

      1. Save lives by improving the quality of and access to behavioral health crisis services;

      2. Further equity in addressing mental health and substance use treatment and assure a culturally and linguistically competent response to behavioral health crises;

      3. Recognize that, historically, crisis response placed marginalized communities, including those experiencing behavioral health crises, at disproportionate risk of poor outcomes and criminal justice involvement;

      4. Comply with the national suicide hotline designation act of 2020 and the federal communications commission's rules adopted July 16, 2020, to assure that all Washington residents receive a consistent and effective level of 988 suicide prevention and other behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention services no matter where they live, work, or travel in the state; and

    2. Provide higher quality support for people experiencing behavioral health crises through investment in new technology to create a crisis call center hub system to triage calls and link individuals to follow-up care.

    3. Make additional investments to enhance the crisis response system, including the expansion of crisis teams, to be known as mobile rapid response crisis teams, and deployment of a wide array of crisis stabilization services, such as 23-hour crisis stabilization units based on the living room model, crisis stabilization centers, short-term respite facilities, peer-run respite centers, and same-day walk-in behavioral health services. The overall crisis system shall contain components that operate like hospital emergency departments that accept all walk-ins and ambulance, fire, and police drop-offs. Certified peer counselors as well as peers in other roles providing support must be incorporated within the crisis system and along the continuum of crisis care.

Section 102

This section adds a new section to an existing chapter 71.24. Here is the modified chapter for context.

  1. Establishing the state crisis call center hubs and enhancing the crisis response system will require collaborative work between the department and the authority within their respective roles. The department shall have primary responsibility for establishing and designating the crisis call center hubs. The authority shall have primary responsibility for developing and implementing the crisis response system and services to support the work of the crisis call center hubs. In any instance in which one agency is identified as the lead, the expectation is that agency will be communicating and collaborating with the other to ensure seamless, continuous, and effective service delivery within the statewide crisis response system.

  2. The department shall provide adequate funding for the state's crisis call centers to meet an expected increase in the use of the call centers based on the implementation of the 988 crisis hotline. The funding level shall be established at a level anticipated to achieve an in-state call response rate of at least 90 percent by July 22, 2022. The funding level shall be determined by considering standards and cost per call predictions provided by the administrator of the national suicide prevention lifeline, call volume predictions, guidance on crisis call center performance metrics, and necessary technology upgrades.

  3. The department shall adopt rules by July 1, 2023, to establish standards for designation of crisis call centers as crisis call center hubs. The department shall collaborate with the authority and other agencies to assure coordination and availability of services, and shall consider national guidelines for behavioral health crisis care as determined by the federal substance abuse and mental health services administration, national behavioral health accrediting bodies, and national behavioral health provider associations to the extent they are appropriate, and recommendations from the crisis response improvement strategy committee created in section 103 of this act.

  4. The department shall designate crisis call center hubs by July 1, 2024. The crisis call center hubs shall provide crisis intervention services, triage, care coordination, referrals, and connections to individuals contacting the 988 crisis hotline from any jurisdiction within Washington 24 hours a day, seven days a week, using the system platform developed under subsection (5) of this section.

    1. To be designated as a crisis call center hub, the applicant must demonstrate to the department the ability to comply with the requirements of this section and to contract to provide crisis call center hub services. The department may revoke the designation of any crisis call center hub that fails to substantially comply with the contract.

    2. The contracts entered shall require designated crisis call center hubs to:

      1. Have an active agreement with the administrator of the national suicide prevention lifeline for participation within its network;

      2. Meet the requirements for operational and clinical standards established by the department and based upon the national suicide prevention lifeline best practices guidelines and other recognized best practices;

      3. Employ highly qualified, skilled, and trained clinical staff who have sufficient training and resources to provide empathy to callers in acute distress, de-escalate crises, assess behavioral health disorders and suicide risk, triage to system partners, and provide case management and documentation. Call center staff shall be trained to make every effort to resolve cases in the least restrictive environment and without law enforcement involvement whenever possible. Call center staff shall coordinate with certified peer counselors to provide follow-up and outreach to callers in distress as available. It is intended for transition planning to include a pathway for continued employment and skill advancement as needed for experienced crisis call center employees;

      4. Collaborate with the authority, the national suicide prevention lifeline, and veterans crisis line networks to assure consistency of public messaging about the 988 crisis hotline; and

    3. Provide data and reports and participate in evaluations and related quality improvement activities, according to standards established by the department in collaboration with the authority.

    4. The department and the authority shall incorporate recommendations from the crisis response improvement strategy committee created under section 103 of this act in its agreements with crisis call center hubs, as appropriate.

  5. The department and authority must coordinate to develop the technology and platforms necessary to manage and operate the behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention system. The technologies developed must include:

    1. A new technologically advanced behavioral health and suicide prevention crisis call center system platform using technology demonstrated to be interoperable across crisis and emergency response systems used throughout the state, such as 911 systems, emergency medical services systems, and other nonbehavioral health crisis services, for use in crisis call center hubs designated by the department under subsection (4) of this section. This platform, which shall be fully funded by July 1, 2023, shall be developed by the department and must include the capacity to receive crisis assistance requests through phone calls, texts, chats, and other similar methods of communication that may be developed in the future that promote access to the behavioral health crisis system; and

    2. A behavioral health integrated client referral system capable of providing system coordination information to crisis call center hubs and the other entities involved in behavioral health care. This system shall be developed by the authority.

  6. In developing the new technologies under subsection (5) of this section, the department and the authority must coordinate to designate a primary technology system to provide each of the following:

    1. Access to real-time information relevant to the coordination of behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention services, including:

      1. Real-time bed availability for all behavioral health bed types, including but not limited to crisis stabilization services, triage facilities, psychiatric inpatient, substance use disorder inpatient, withdrawal management, peer-run respite centers, and crisis respite services, inclusive of both voluntary and involuntary beds, for use by crisis response workers, first responders, health care providers, emergency departments, and individuals in crisis; and

      2. Real-time information relevant to the coordination of behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention services for a person, including the means to access:

(A) Information about any less restrictive alternative treatment orders or mental health advance directives related to the person; and

(B) Information necessary to enable the crisis call center hub to actively collaborate with emergency departments, primary care providers and behavioral health providers within managed care organizations, behavioral health administrative services organizations, and other health care payers to establish a safety plan for the person in accordance with best practices and provide the next steps for the person's transition to follow-up noncrisis care. To establish information-sharing guidelines that fulfill the intent of this section the authority shall consider input from the confidential information compliance and coordination subcommittee established under section 103 of this act;

b. The means to request deployment of appropriate crisis response services, which may include mobile rapid response crisis teams, co-responder teams, designated crisis responders, fire department mobile integrated health teams, or community assistance referral and educational services programs under RCW 35.21.930, according to best practice guidelines established by the authority, and track local response through global positioning technology; and

c. The means to track the outcome of the 988 call to enable appropriate follow up, cross-system coordination, and accountability, including as appropriate: (i) Any immediate services dispatched and reports generated from the encounter; (ii) the validation of a safety plan established for the caller in accordance with best practices; (iii) the next steps for the caller to follow in transition to noncrisis follow-up care, including a next-day appointment for callers experiencing urgent, symptomatic behavioral health care needs; and (iv) the means to verify and document whether the caller was successful in making the transition to appropriate noncrisis follow-up care indicated in the safety plan for the person, to be completed either by the care coordinator provided through the person's managed care organization, health plan, or behavioral health administrative services organization, or if such a care coordinator is not available or does not follow through, by the staff of the crisis call center hub;

d. A means to facilitate actions to verify and document whether the person's transition to follow up noncrisis care was completed and services offered, to be performed by a care coordinator provided through the person's managed care organization, health plan, or behavioral health administrative services organization, or if such a care coordinator is not available or does not follow through, by the staff of the crisis call center hub;

e. The means to provide geographically, culturally, and linguistically appropriate services to persons who are part of high-risk populations or otherwise have need of specialized services or accommodations, and to document these services or accommodations; and

f. When appropriate, consultation with tribal governments to ensure coordinated care in government-to-government relationships, and access to dedicated services to tribal members.
  1. To implement this section the department and the authority shall collaborate with the state enhanced 911 coordination office, emergency management division, and military department to develop technology that is demonstrated to be interoperable between the 988 crisis hotline system and crisis and emergency response systems used throughout the state, such as 911 systems, emergency medical services systems, and other nonbehavioral health crisis services, as well as the national suicide prevention lifeline, to assure cohesive interoperability, develop training programs and operations for both 911 public safety telecommunicators and crisis line workers, develop suicide and other behavioral health crisis assessments and intervention strategies, and establish efficient and equitable access to resources via crisis hotlines.

  2. The authority shall:

    1. Collaborate with county authorities and behavioral health administrative services organizations to develop procedures to dispatch behavioral health crisis services in coordination with crisis call center hubs to effectuate the intent of this section;

    2. Establish formal agreements with managed care organizations and behavioral health administrative services organizations by January 1, 2023, to provide for the services, capacities, and coordination necessary to effectuate the intent of this section, which shall include a requirement to arrange next-day appointments for persons contacting the 988 crisis hotline experiencing urgent, symptomatic behavioral health care needs with geographically, culturally, and linguistically appropriate primary care or behavioral health providers within the person's provider network, or, if uninsured, through the person's behavioral health administrative services organization;

    3. Create best practices guidelines by July 1, 2023, for deployment of appropriate and available crisis response services by crisis call center hubs to assist 988 hotline callers to minimize nonessential reliance on emergency room services and the use of law enforcement, considering input from relevant stakeholders and recommendations made by the crisis response improvement strategy committee created under section 103 of this act;

    4. Develop procedures to allow appropriate information sharing and communication between and across crisis and emergency response systems for the purpose of real-time crisis care coordination including, but not limited to, deployment of crisis and outgoing services, follow-up care, and linked, flexible services specific to crisis response; and

    5. Establish guidelines to appropriately serve high-risk populations who request crisis services. The authority shall design these guidelines to promote behavioral health equity for all populations with attention to circumstances of race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and geographic location, and include components such as training requirements for call response workers, policies for transferring such callers to an appropriate specialized center or subnetwork within or external to the national suicide prevention lifeline network, and procedures for referring persons who access the 988 crisis hotline to linguistically and culturally competent care.

Section 103

This section adds a new section to an existing chapter 71.24. Here is the modified chapter for context.

  1. The crisis response improvement strategy committee is established for the purpose of providing advice in developing an integrated behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention system containing the elements described in this section. The work of the committee shall be received and reviewed by a steering committee, which shall in turn form subcommittees to provide the technical analysis and input needed to formulate system change recommendations.

  2. The office of financial management shall contract with the behavioral health institute at Harborview medical center to facilitate and provide staff support to the steering committee and to the crisis response improvement strategy committee.

  3. The steering committee shall select three cochairs from among its members to lead the crisis response improvement strategy committee. The crisis response improvement strategy committee shall consist of the following members, who shall be appointed or requested by the authority, unless otherwise noted:

    1. The director of the authority, or his or her designee, who shall also serve on the steering committee;

    2. The secretary of the department, or his or her designee, who shall also serve on the steering committee;

    3. A member representing the office of the governor, who shall also serve on the steering committee;

    4. The Washington state insurance commissioner, or his or her designee;

    5. Up to two members representing federally recognized tribes, one from eastern Washington and one from western Washington, who have expertise in behavioral health needs of their communities;

    6. One member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate, one of whom shall also be designated to participate on the steering committee, to be appointed by the president of the senate;

    7. One member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives, one of whom shall also be designated to participate on the steering committee, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

    8. The director of the Washington state department of veterans affairs, or his or her designee;

    9. The state enhanced 911 coordinator, or his or her designee;

    10. A member with lived experience of a suicide attempt;

    11. A member with lived experience of a suicide loss;

    12. A member with experience of participation in the crisis system related to lived experience of a mental health disorder;

    13. A member with experience of participation in the crisis system related to lived experience with a substance use disorder;

    14. A member representing each crisis call center in Washington that is contracted with the national suicide prevention lifeline;

    15. Up to two members representing behavioral health administrative services organizations, one from an urban region and one from a rural region;

    16. A member representing the Washington council for behavioral health;

    17. A member representing the association of alcoholism and addiction programs of Washington state;

    18. A member representing the Washington state hospital association;

    19. A member representing the national alliance on mental illness Washington;

    20. A member representing the behavioral health interests of persons of color recommended by Sea Mar community health centers;

    21. A member representing the behavioral health interests of persons of color recommended by Asian counseling and referral service;

    22. A member representing law enforcement;

    23. A member representing a university-based suicide prevention center of excellence;

    24. A member representing an emergency medical services department with a CARES program;

    25. A member representing medicaid managed care organizations, as recommended by the association of Washington healthcare plans;

    26. A member representing commercial health insurance, as recommended by the association of Washington healthcare plans;

    aa. A member representing the Washington association of designated crisis responders;

    bb. A member representing the children and youth behavioral health work group;

    1. A member representing a social justice organization addressing police accountability and the use of deadly force; and

    dd. A member representing an organization specializing in facilitating behavioral health services for LGBTQ populations.

  4. The crisis response improvement strategy committee shall assist the steering committee to identify potential barriers and make recommendations necessary to implement and effectively monitor the progress of the 988 crisis hotline in Washington and make recommendations for the statewide improvement of behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention services.

  5. The steering committee must develop a comprehensive assessment of the behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention services system by January 1, 2022, including an inventory of existing statewide and regional behavioral health crisis response, suicide prevention, and crisis stabilization services and resources, and taking into account capital projects which are planned and funded. The comprehensive assessment shall identify:

    1. Statewide and regional insufficiencies and gaps in behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention services and resources needed to meet population needs;

    2. Quantifiable goals for the provision of statewide and regional behavioral health crisis services and targeted deployment of resources, which consider factors such as reported rates of involuntary commitment detentions, single-bed certifications, suicide attempts and deaths, substance use disorder-related overdoses, overdose or withdrawal-related deaths, and incarcerations due to a behavioral health incident;

    3. A process for establishing outcome measures, benchmarks, and improvement targets, for the crisis response system; and

    4. Potential funding sources to provide statewide and regional behavioral health crisis services and resources.

  6. The steering committee, taking into account the comprehensive assessment work under subsection (5) of this section as it becomes available, after discussion with the crisis response improvement strategy committee and hearing reports from the subcommittees, shall report on the following:

    1. A recommended vision for an integrated crisis network in Washington that includes, but is not limited to: An integrated 988 crisis hotline and crisis call center hubs; mobile rapid response crisis teams; mobile crisis response units for youth, adult, and geriatric population; a range of crisis stabilization services; an integrated involuntary treatment system; access to peer-run services, including peer-run respite centers; adequate crisis respite services; and data resources;

    2. Recommendations to promote equity in services for individuals of diverse circumstances of culture, race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and for individuals in tribal, urban, and rural communities;

    3. Recommendations for a work plan with timelines to implement appropriate local responses to calls to the 988 crisis hotline within Washington in accordance with the time frames required by the national suicide hotline designation act of 2020;

    4. The necessary components of each of the new technologically advanced behavioral health crisis call center system platform and the new behavioral health integrated client referral system, as provided under section 102 of this act, for assigning and tracking response to behavioral health crisis calls and providing real-time bed and outpatient appointment availability to 988 operators, emergency departments, designated crisis responders, and other behavioral health crisis responders, which shall include but not be limited to:

      1. Identification of the components crisis call center hub staff need to effectively coordinate crisis response services and find available beds and available primary care and behavioral health outpatient appointments;

      2. Evaluation of existing bed tracking models currently utilized by other states and identifying the model most suitable to Washington's crisis behavioral health system;

      3. Evaluation of whether bed tracking will improve access to all behavioral health bed types and other impacts and benefits; and

      4. Exploration of how the bed tracking and outpatient appointment availability platform can facilitate more timely access to care and other impacts and benefits;

    5. The necessary systems and capabilities that licensed or certified behavioral health agencies, behavioral health providers, and any other relevant parties will require to report, maintain, and update inpatient and residential bed and outpatient service availability in real time to correspond with the crisis call center system platform or behavioral health integrated client referral system identified in section 102 of this act, as appropriate;

    6. A work plan to establish the capacity for the crisis call center hubs to integrate Spanish language interpreters and Spanish-speaking call center staff into their operations, and to ensure the availability of resources to meet the unique needs of persons in the agricultural community who are experiencing mental health stresses, which explicitly addresses concerns regarding confidentiality;

    7. A work plan with timelines to enhance and expand the availability of community-based mobile rapid response crisis teams based in each region, including specialized teams as appropriate to respond to the unique needs of youth, including American Indian and Alaska Native youth and LGBTQ youth, and geriatric populations, including older adults of color and older adults with comorbid dementia;

    8. The identification of other personal and systemic behavioral health challenges which implementation of the 988 crisis hotline has the potential to address in addition to suicide response and behavioral health crises;

    9. The development of a plan for the statewide equitable distribution of crisis stabilization services, behavioral health beds, and peer-run respite services;

    10. Recommendations concerning how health plans, managed care organizations, and behavioral health administrative services organizations shall fulfill requirements to provide assignment of a care coordinator and to provide next-day appointments for enrollees who contact the behavioral health crisis system;

    11. Appropriate allocation of crisis system funding responsibilities among medicaid managed care organizations, commercial insurers, and behavioral health administrative services organizations;

    12. Recommendations for constituting a statewide behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention oversight board or similar structure for ongoing monitoring of the behavioral health crisis system and where this should be established; and

    13. Cost estimates for each of the components of the integrated behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention system.

  7. The steering committee shall consist only of members appointed to the steering committee under this section. The steering committee shall convene the committee, form subcommittees, assign tasks to the subcommittees, and establish a schedule of meetings and their agendas.

  8. The subcommittees of the crisis response improvement strategy committee shall focus on discrete topics. The subcommittees may include participants who are not members of the crisis response improvement strategy committee, as needed to provide professional expertise and community perspectives. Each subcommittee shall have at least one member representing the interests of stakeholders in a rural community, at least one member representing the interests of stakeholders in an urban community, and at least one member representing the interests of youth stakeholders. The steering committee shall form the following subcommittees:

    1. A Washington tribal 988 subcommittee, which shall examine and make recommendations with respect to the needs of tribes related to the 988 system, and which shall include representation from the American Indian health commission;

    2. A credentialing and training subcommittee, to recommend workforce needs and requirements necessary to implement this act, including minimum education requirements such as whether it would be appropriate to allow crisis call center hubs to employ clinical staff without a bachelor's degree or master's degree based on the person's skills and life or work experience;

    3. A technology subcommittee, to examine issues and requirements related to the technology needed to implement this act;

    4. A cross-system crisis response collaboration subcommittee, to examine and define the complementary roles and interactions between mobile rapid response crisis teams, designated crisis responders, law enforcement, emergency medical services teams, 911 and 988 operators, public and private health plans, behavioral health crisis response agencies, nonbehavioral health crisis response agencies, and others needed to implement this act;

    5. A confidential information compliance and coordination subcommittee, to examine issues relating to sharing and protection of health information needed to implement this act; and

    6. Any other subcommittee needed to facilitate the work of the committee, at the discretion of the steering committee.

  9. The proceedings of the crisis response improvement strategy committee must be open to the public and invite testimony from a broad range of perspectives. The committee shall seek input from tribes, veterans, the LGBTQ community, and communities of color to help discern how well the crisis response system is currently working and recommend ways to improve the crisis response system.

  10. Legislative members of the crisis response improvement strategy committee shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members are not entitled to be reimbursed for travel expenses if they are elected officials or are participating on behalf of an employer, governmental entity, or other organization. Any reimbursement for other nonlegislative members is subject to chapter 43.03 RCW.

  11. The steering committee, with the advice of the crisis response improvement strategy committee, shall provide a progress report and the result of its comprehensive assessment under subsection (5) of this section to the governor and appropriate policy and fiscal committee of the legislature by January 1, 2022. The steering committee shall report the crisis response improvement strategy committee's further progress and the steering committee's recommendations related to crisis call center hubs to the governor and appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the legislature by January 1, 2023. The steering committee shall provide its final report to the governor and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the legislature by January 1, 2024.

  12. This section expires June 30, 2024.

Section 104

This section adds a new section to an existing chapter 71.24. Here is the modified chapter for context.

  1. The steering committee of the crisis response improvement strategy committee established under section 103 of this act must monitor and make recommendations related to the funding of crisis response services out of the account created in section 205 of this act. The crisis response improvement strategy steering committee must analyze:

    1. The projected expenditures from the account created under section 205 of this act, taking into account call volume, utilization projections, and other operational impacts;

    2. The costs of providing statewide coverage of mobile rapid response crisis teams or other behavioral health first responder services recommended by the crisis response improvement strategy committee, based on 988 crisis hotline utilization and taking into account existing state and local funding;

    3. Potential options to reduce the tax imposed in section 202 of this act, given the expected level of costs related to infrastructure development and operational support of the 988 crisis hotline and crisis call center hubs; and

    4. The viability of providing funding for in-person mobile rapid response crisis services or other behavioral health first responder services recommended by the crisis response improvement strategy committee funded from the account created in section 205 of this act, given the expected revenues to the account and the level of expenditures required under (a) of this subsection.

  2. If the steering committee finds that funding in-person mobile rapid response crisis services or other behavioral health first responder services recommended by the crisis response improvement strategy committee is viable from the account given the level of expenditures necessary to support the infrastructure development and operational support of the 988 crisis hotline and crisis call center hubs, the steering committee must analyze options for the location and composition of such services given need and available resources with the requirement that funds from the account supplement, not supplant, existing behavioral health crisis funding.

  3. The work of the steering committee under this section must be facilitated by the behavioral health institute at Harborview medical center through its contract with the office of financial management under section 103 of this act with assistance provided by staff from senate committee services, the office of program research, and the office of financial management.

  4. The steering committee shall submit preliminary recommendations to the governor and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the legislature by January 1, 2022, and final recommendations to the governor and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the legislature by January 1, 2023.

  5. This section expires on July 1, 2023.

Section 105

This section adds a new section to an existing chapter 71.24. Here is the modified chapter for context.

  1. The department and authority shall provide an annual report regarding the usage of the 988 crisis hotline, call outcomes, and the provision of crisis services inclusive of mobile rapid response crisis teams and crisis stabilization services. The report shall be submitted to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature each November beginning in 2023. The report shall include information on the fund deposits and expenditures of the account created in section 205 of this act.

  2. The department and authority shall coordinate with the department of revenue, and any other agency that is appropriated funding under the account created in section 205 of this act, to develop and submit information to the federal communications commission required for the completion of fee accountability reports pursuant to the national suicide hotline designation act of 2020.

  3. The joint legislative audit and review committee shall schedule an audit to begin after the full implementation of this act, to provide transparency as to how funds from the statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line account have been expended, and to determine whether funds used to provide acute behavioral health, crisis outreach, and stabilization services are being used to supplement services identified as baseline services in the comprehensive analysis provided under section 103 of this act, or to supplant baseline services. The committee shall provide a report by November 1, 2027, which includes recommendations as to the adequacy of the funding provided to accomplish the intent of the act and any other recommendations for alteration or improvement.

Section 106

This section adds a new section to an existing chapter 48.43. Here is the modified chapter for context.

Health plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2023, must make next-day appointments available to enrollees experiencing urgent, symptomatic behavioral health conditions to receive covered behavioral health services. The appointment may be with a licensed provider other than a licensed behavioral health professional, as long as that provider is acting within their scope of practice, and may be provided through telemedicine consistent with RCW 48.43.735. Need for urgent symptomatic care is associated with the presentation of behavioral health signs or symptoms that require immediate attention, but are not emergent.

Section 107

This section adds a new section to an existing chapter 43.06. Here is the modified chapter for context.

  1. The governor shall appoint a 988 hotline and behavioral health crisis system coordinator to provide project coordination and oversight for the implementation and administration of the 988 crisis hotline, other requirements of this act, and other projects supporting the behavioral health crisis system. The coordinator shall:

    1. Oversee the collaboration between the department of health and the health care authority in their respective roles in supporting the crisis call center hubs, providing the necessary support services for 988 callers, and establishing adequate requirements and guidance for their contractors to fulfill the requirements of this act;

    2. Ensure coordination and facilitate communication between stakeholders such as crisis call center hub contractors, behavioral health administrative service organizations, county authorities, other crisis hotline centers, managed care organizations, and, in collaboration with the state enhanced 911 coordination office, with 911 emergency communications systems;

    3. Review the development of adequate and consistent training for crisis call center personnel and, in coordination with the state enhanced 911 coordination office, for 911 operators with respect to their interactions with the crisis hotline center; and

    4. Coordinate implementation of other behavioral health initiatives among state agencies and educational institutions, as appropriate, including coordination of data between agencies.

  2. This section expires June 30, 2024.

Section 108

This section adds a new section to an existing chapter 71.24. Here is the modified chapter for context.

  1. When acting in their statutory capacities pursuant to this act, the state, department, authority, state enhanced 911 coordination office, emergency management division, military department, any other state agency, and their officers, employees, and agents are deemed to be carrying out duties owed to the public in general and not to any individual person or class of persons separate and apart from the public. Nothing contained in this act may be construed to evidence a legislative intent that the duties to be performed by the state, department, authority, state enhanced 911 coordination office, emergency management division, military department, any other state agency, and their officers, employees, and agents, as required by this act, are owed to any individual person or class of persons separate and apart from the public in general.

  2. Each crisis call center hub designated by the department under any contract or agreement pursuant to this act shall be deemed to be an independent contractor, separate and apart from the department and the state.

Section 109

This section adds a new section to an existing chapter 71.24. Here is the modified chapter for context.

For the purpose of development and implementation of technology and platforms by the department and the authority under section 102 of this act, the department and the authority shall create a sophisticated technical and operational plan. The plan shall not conflict with, nor delay, the department meeting and satisfying existing 988 federal requirements that are already underway and must be met by July 16, 2022, nor is it intended to delay the initial planning phase of the project, or the planning and deliverables tied to any grant award received and allotted by the department or the authority prior to April 1, 2021. To the extent that funds are appropriated for this specific purpose, the department and the authority must contract for a consultant to critically analyze the development and implementation technology and platforms and operational challenges to best position the solutions for success. Prior to initiation of a new information technology development, which does not include the initial planning phase of this project or any contracting needed to complete the initial planning phase, the department and authority shall submit the technical and operational plan to the governor, office of financial management, steering committee of the crisis response improvement strategy committee created under section 103 of this act, and appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the legislature, which shall include the committees referenced in this section. The plan must be approved by the office of the chief information officer, the director of the office of financial management, and the steering committee of the crisis response improvement strategy committee, which shall consider any feedback received from the senate ways and means committee chair, the house of representatives appropriations committee chair, the senate environment, energy and technology committee chair, the senate behavioral health subcommittee chair, and the house of representatives health care and wellness committee chair, before any funds are expended for the solutions, other than those funds needed to complete the initial planning phase. A draft technical and operational plan must be submitted no later than January 1, 2022, and a final plan by August 31, 2022.

The plan submitted must include, but not be limited to:

  1. Data management;

  2. Data security;

  3. Data flow;

  4. Data access and permissions;

  5. Protocols to ensure staff are following proper health information privacy procedures;

  6. Cybersecurity requirements and how to meet these;

  7. Service level agreements by vendor;

  8. Maintenance and operations costs;

  9. Identification of what existing software as a service products might be applicable, to include the:

    1. Vendor name;

    2. Vendor offerings to include product module and functionality detail and whether each represent add-ons that must be paid separately;

    3. Vendor pricing structure by year through implementation; and

    4. Vendor pricing structure by year post implementation;

  10. Integration limitations by system;

  11. Data analytic and performance metrics to be required by system;

  12. Liability;

  13. Which agency will host the electronic health record software as a service;

  14. Regulatory agency;

  15. The timeline by fiscal year from initiation to implementation for each solution in this act;

  16. How to plan in a manner that ensures efficient use of state resources and maximizes federal financial participation; and

  17. A complete comprehensive business plan analysis.

Section 201

  1. The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

    1. "988 crisis hotline" has the same meaning as in RCW 71.24.025.

    2. "Crisis call center hub" has the same meaning as in RCW 71.24.025.

  2. The definitions in RCW 82.14B.020 apply to this chapter.

Section 202

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    1. A statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line tax is imposed on the use of all radio access lines:

      1. By subscribers whose place of primary use is located within the state in the amount set forth in (a)(ii) of this subsection (1) per month for each radio access line. The tax must be uniform for each radio access line under this subsection (1); and

      2. By consumers whose retail transaction occurs within the state in the amount set forth in this subsection (1)(a)(ii) per retail transaction. The amount of tax must be uniform for each retail transaction under this subsection (1) and is as follows:

(A) Beginning October 1, 2021, through December 31, 2022, the tax rate is 24 cents for each radio access line; and

(B) Beginning January 1, 2023, the tax rate is 40 cents for each radio access line.

b. The tax imposed under this subsection (1) must be remitted to the department by radio communications service companies, including those companies that resell radio access lines, and sellers of prepaid wireless telecommunications service, on a tax return provided by the department. Tax proceeds must be deposited by the treasurer into the statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line account created in section 205 of this act.

c. For the purposes of this subsection (1), the retail transaction is deemed to occur at the location where the transaction is sourced under RCW 82.32.520(3)(c).
  1. A statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line tax is imposed on all interconnected voice over internet protocol service lines in the state. The amount of tax must be uniform for each line and must be levied on no more than the number of voice over internet protocol service lines on an account that is capable of simultaneous unrestricted outward calling to the public switched telephone network. The tax imposed under this subsection (2) must be remitted to the department by interconnected voice over internet protocol service companies on a tax return provided by the department. The amount of tax for each interconnected voice over internet protocol service line whose place of primary use is located in the state is as follows:

    1. Beginning October 1, 2021, through December 31, 2022, the tax rate is 24 cents for an interconnected voice over internet protocol service line; and

    2. Beginning January 1, 2023, the tax rate is 40 cents for an interconnected voice over internet protocol service line.

  2. A statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line tax is imposed on all switched access lines in the state. The amount of tax must be uniform for each line and must be levied on no more than the number of switched access lines on an account that is capable of simultaneous unrestricted outward calling to the public switched telephone network. The tax imposed under this subsection (3) must be remitted to the department by local exchange companies on a tax return provided by the department. The amount of tax for each switched access line whose place of primary use is located in the state is as follows:

    1. Beginning October 1, 2021, through December 31, 2022, the tax rate is 24 cents for each switched access line; and

    2. Beginning January 1, 2023, the tax rate is 40 cents for each switched access line.

  3. Tax proceeds collected pursuant to this section must be deposited by the treasurer into the statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line account created in section 205 of this act.

Section 203

  1. Except as provided otherwise in subsection (2) of this section:

    1. The statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line tax on radio access lines must be collected from the subscriber by the radio communications service company, including those companies that resell radio access lines, providing the radio access line to the subscriber, and the seller of prepaid wireless telecommunications services.

    2. The statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line tax on interconnected voice over internet protocol service lines must be collected from the subscriber by the interconnected voice over internet protocol service company providing the interconnected voice over internet protocol service line to the subscriber.

    3. The statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line tax on switched access lines must be collected from the subscriber by the local exchange company.

    4. The amount of the tax must be stated separately on the billing statement which is sent to the subscriber.

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    1. The statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line tax imposed by this chapter must be collected from the consumer by the seller of a prepaid wireless telecommunications service for each retail transaction occurring in this state.

    2. The department must transfer all tax proceeds remitted by a seller under this subsection (2) to the statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line account created in section 205 of this act.

    3. The taxes required by this subsection to be collected by the seller must be separately stated in any sales invoice or instrument of sale provided to the consumer.

Section 204

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    1. The statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line tax imposed by this chapter must be paid by the subscriber to the radio communications service company providing the radio access line, the local exchange company, or the interconnected voice over internet protocol service company providing the interconnected voice over internet protocol service line.

    2. Each radio communications service company, each local exchange company, and each interconnected voice over internet protocol service company, must collect from the subscriber the full amount of the taxes payable. The statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line tax required by this chapter to be collected by a company or seller, are deemed to be held in trust by the company or seller until paid to the department. Any radio communications service company, local exchange company, or interconnected voice over internet protocol service company that appropriates or converts the tax collected to its own use or to any use other than the payment of the tax to the extent that the money collected is not available for payment on the due date as prescribed in this chapter is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

  2. If any radio communications service company, local exchange company, or interconnected voice over internet protocol service company fails to collect the statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line tax or, after collecting the tax, fails to pay it to the department in the manner prescribed by this chapter, whether such failure is the result of its own act or the result of acts or conditions beyond its control, the company or seller is personally liable to the state for the amount of the tax, unless the company or seller has taken from the buyer in good faith documentation, in a form and manner prescribed by the department, stating that the buyer is not a subscriber or consumer or is otherwise not liable for the statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line tax.

  3. The amount of tax, until paid by the subscriber to the radio communications service company, local exchange company, the interconnected voice over internet protocol service company, or to the department, constitutes a debt from the subscriber to the company, or from the consumer to the seller. Any company or seller that fails or refuses to collect the tax as required with intent to violate the provisions of this chapter or to gain some advantage or benefit, either direct or indirect, and any subscriber or consumer who refuses to pay any tax due under this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor. The statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line tax required by this chapter to be collected by the radio communications service company, local exchange company, or interconnected voice over internet protocol service company must be stated separately on the billing statement that is sent to the subscriber.

  4. If a subscriber has failed to pay to the radio communications service company, local exchange company, or interconnected voice over internet protocol service company, the statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line tax imposed by this chapter and the company or seller has not paid the amount of the tax to the department, the department may, in its discretion, proceed directly against the subscriber or consumer for collection of the tax, in which case a penalty of 10 percent may be added to the amount of the tax for failure of the subscriber or consumer to pay the tax to the company or seller, regardless of when the tax is collected by the department.

Section 205

  1. The statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line account is created in the state treasury. All receipts from the statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line tax imposed pursuant to this chapter must be deposited into the account. Moneys may only be spent after appropriation.

  2. Expenditures from the account may only be used for (a) ensuring the efficient and effective routing of calls made to the 988 crisis hotline to an appropriate crisis hotline center or crisis call center hub; and (b) personnel and the provision of acute behavioral health, crisis outreach, and crisis stabilization services, as defined in RCW 71.24.025, by directly responding to the 988 crisis hotline.

  3. Moneys in the account may not be used to supplant general fund appropriations for behavioral health services or for medicaid covered services to individuals enrolled in the medicaid program.

Section 206

A city or county may not impose a tax, measured on a per line basis, on radio access lines, interconnected voice over internet protocol service lines, or switched access lines, for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective routing of calls made to the 988 crisis hotline to an appropriate crisis hotline center or crisis call center hub; or providing personnel or acute behavioral health, crisis outreach, or crisis stabilization services, as defined in RCW 71.24.025, associated with directly responding to the 988 crisis hotline.

Section 301

The appropriations in this section are provided to the department of health and are subject to the following conditions and limitations:

  1. The sum of $23,016,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2023, from the statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line account. The amount in this subsection is provided solely for the department to route calls to and contract for the operations of call centers and call center hubs. This includes funding for operations, training, and call center information technology and program staff.

  2. The sum of $1,000,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2023, from the statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line account. The amount in this subsection is provided solely for the department to contract for the development and operations of a tribal crisis line.

  3. The following sums, or so much thereof as may be necessary, are each appropriated: $189,000 from the statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line account for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2023; and $80,000 from the state general fund—federal account for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2023. The amounts in this subsection are provided solely for the department to provide staff support necessary to critically analyze the planning, development, and implementation of technology solutions to create the technical and operational plan pursuant to section 109 of this act.

  4. The sum of $420,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2023, from the statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line account. The amount in this subsection is provided solely for the department to participate in and provide support to the committee created in section 103 of this act.

Section 302

The appropriations in this section are provided to the state health care authority and are subject to the following conditions and limitations:

  1. The following sums, or as much thereof as may be necessary, are each appropriated: $770,000 from the statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line account for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2023; and $326,000 from the state general fund—federal account for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2023. The amounts in this subsection are provided solely for the authority to provide staff and contracted support necessary to critically analyze the planning, development, and implementation of technology solutions to create the technical and operational plan pursuant to section 109 of this act.

  2. The following sums, or so much thereof as may be necessary, are each appropriated: $644,000 from the statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line account for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2023; and $127,000 from the state general fund—federal account for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2023. The amounts in this subsection are provided solely for the authority to participate in and provide support to the committee created in section 103 of this act.

  3. The following sums, or as much thereof as may be necessary, are each appropriated: $381,000 from the statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line account for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2023; and $381,000 from the state general fund—federal account for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2023. The amounts in this subsection are provided solely for the authority to fulfill its duties as described in section 102(8) of this act. This includes funding for collaboration with managed care organizations, county authorities, and behavioral health administrative services organizations related to crisis services, and the development of processes and best practices for crisis services.

Section 303

The sum of $200,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal biennium ending June 30, 2023, from the statewide 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention line account to the office of financial management and provided solely to provide staff and contracted services support to the committee created in section 103 of this act.

Section 403

This section modifies existing section 71.24.649. Here is the modified chapter for context.

The secretary shall license or certify mental health peer**-run** respite centers that meet state minimum standards. In consultation with the authority and the department of social and health services, the secretary must:

  1. Establish requirements for licensed and certified community behavioral health agencies to provide mental health peer**-run** respite center services and establish physical plant and service requirements to provide voluntary, short-term, noncrisis services that focus on recovery and wellness;

  2. Require licensed and certified agencies to partner with the local crisis system including, but not limited to, evaluation and treatment facilities and designated crisis responders;

  3. Establish staffing requirements, including rules to ensure that facilities are peer-run;

  4. Limit services to a maximum of seven days in a month;

  5. Limit services to individuals who are experiencing psychiatric distress, but do not meet legal criteria for involuntary hospitalization under chapter 71.05 RCW; and

  6. Limit services to persons at least eighteen years of age.


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