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Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall establish a matching grant program to assist critical access hospitals in hiring a licensed athletic trainer whose services will be available free of charge to students in local school districts.
The department shall provide matching funds of up to $60,000 to a critical access hospital that demonstrates, pursuant to application criteria established by the department, that it has available dedicated funds to pay the salary of a licensed athletic trainer.
Grant funding provided under this section may only be used to pay for licensed athletic trainer salaries, medical supplies and equipment, and education and marketing to promote program awareness.
A critical access hospital applying for a grant under this section must document in a manner specified by the department:
The school districts to be served by any athletic trainer funded by the matching grant program and the need of those school districts for expanded access to an athletic trainer;
The manner in which the hospital will spend any grant funding it receives under this section;
The ability of the hospital to provide funds equal to the amount requested from the department in matching funds; and
Any other information required by the department.
A critical access hospital that has successfully applied for a grant under this section is not eligible to receive a subsequent grant within 12 months of receiving the prior grant.
By June 1, 2026, and in accordance with RCW 43.01.036, the department shall submit a report to the relevant policy and fiscal committees of the legislature providing an update on the status of implementation of the matching grant program under this section.
The department may adopt any rules necessary to implement this section.
For purposes of this section, "critical access hospital" has the same meaning as described in RCW 74.09.5225.