The legislature finds that behavioral health co-response has experienced a surge in popularity in Washington state in the past five years. The legislature recognizes the importance of training for those involved in co-responder programs to promote high standards within programs and to enhance the skills of those already working in this field. The purpose of this act is to develop a core curriculum relevant to first responders and behavioral health professionals working on co-response teams, to create ongoing learning opportunities for emerging and established co-response programs, and to develop the workforce to fill future co-responder hiring needs.
This section adds a new section to an existing chapter 36.28A. Here is the modified chapter for context.
Subject to amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the Washington state association of sheriffs and police chiefs shall partner with a statewide organization of first responders, behavioral health professionals, and project managers working in co-response programs to:
Establish a co-responder learning academy in 2022 for individuals working in co-response programs to convene for training, networking, and sharing of best practices, including track offerings for different-sized jurisdictions and police-, fire-, and emergency medical services-based co-response programs;
Establish four to six learning sites in Washington state with structured learning components and areas of instruction where individuals interested in co-response can spend a day learning with an experienced co-response team;
Partner with the department of health to develop a certification specific to behavioral health professionals working in the co-response field, including completion of a core curriculum, observation of programs, and completion of a specified number of hours of field work, for the purpose of raising standards for co-response programs, encouraging interest in co-response programs, and promoting workforce development; and
Report on progress and present workforce development recommendations specific to co-response programs to the governor and relevant committees of the legislature by June 30, 2023.
To accomplish these goals the association shall hire a co-response training coordinator with consultation and consent from the statewide organization of first responders, behavioral health professionals, and project managers working in co-response programs specified in subsection (1) of this section. The coordinator shall work closely with this statewide organization and consult with a spectrum of co-response programs and other relevant entities such as the Washington state firefighters' association and the department of health.