RCW 74.04.025 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 04 / Section 025
RCW 74.04.025: Bilingual services for non-English-speaking applicants and recipients—Bilingual personnel, when—Primary language pamphlets and written materials.
Status: in_force

(1) The department, the authority, and the office of administrative hearings shall ensure that bilingual services are provided to non-English-speaking applicants and recipients. The services shall be provided to the extent necessary to assure that non-English-speaking persons are not denied, or unable to obtain or maintain, services or benefits because of their inability to speak English. (2) If the number of non-English-speaking applicants or recipients sharing the same language served by any community service office client contact job classification equals or exceeds fifty percent of the average caseload of a full-time position in such classification, the department shall, through attrition, employ bilingual personnel to serve such applicants or recipients. (3) Regardless of the applicant or recipient caseload of any community service office, each community service office shall ensure that bilingual services required to supplement the community service office staff are provided through contracts with language access providers, local agencies, or other community resources. (4) The department shall certify, authorize, and qualify language access providers as needed to maintain an adequate pool of providers such that residents can access state services. The department shall require the successful completion of oral and written tests in accordance with established standards to ensure that all language access providers are fluent in English and a primary non-English language. Testing shall include evaluation of language competence, interpreting performance skills, understanding of the interpreter's role, and knowledge of the department's policies regarding confidentiality, accuracy, impartiality, and neutrality. Except as needed to certify, authorize, or qualify bilingual personnel per subsection (2) of this section, the department will only offer spoken language interpreter testing in the following manner: (a) To individuals speaking languages for which ten percent or more of the requests for interpreter services in the prior year for department employees and the health care authority on behalf of limited English-speaking applicants and recipients of public assistance that went unfilled through the procurement process in RCW 39.26.300 ; (b) To spoken language interpreters who were decertified or deauthorized due to noncompliance with any continuing education requirements; and (c) To current department certified or authorized spoken language interpreters seeking to gain additional certification or authorization. (5) The department shall require compliance with *RCW 41.56.081 (2) through its contracts with third parties. (6) Initial client contact materials shall inform clients in all primary languages of the availability of interpretation services for non-English-speaking persons. Basic informational pamphlets shall be translated into all primary languages. (7) To the extent all written communications directed to applicants or recipients are not in the primary language of the applicant or recipient, the department and the office of administrative hearings shall include with the written communication a notice in all primary languages of applicants or recipients describing the significance of the communication and specifically how the applicants or recipients may receive assistance in understanding, and responding to if necessary, the written communication. The department shall assure that sufficient resources are available to assist applicants and recipients in a timely fashion with understanding, responding to, and complying with the requirements of all such written communications. (8) Nothing in this section prohibits the department from developing and administering a program to meet the requirements and standards established under chapter 94, Laws of 2023. (9) No testing or certification authority may be awarded to a private entity with a financial interest in the direct provision of interpreter services. (10) As used in this section: (a) "Language access provider" means any independent contractor who provides spoken language interpreter services for state agencies, injured worker, or crime victim appointments through the department of labor and industries, or medicaid enrollee appointments, or provided these services on or after January 1, 2009, and before June 10, 2010, whether paid by a broker, language access agency, or a state agency. "Language access provider" does not mean a manager or employee of a broker or a language access agency. (b) "Primary languages" includes but is not limited to Spanish, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian, and Chinese.
RCW 74.09.900 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 900
RCW 74.09.900: Other laws applicable.
Status: in_force

All the provisions of Title 74 RCW, not otherwise inconsistent herewith, shall apply to the provisions of this chapter.
RCW 74.09.300 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 300
RCW 74.09.300: Department to report penalties to appropriate licensing agency or disciplinary board.
Status: in_force

Whenever the secretary or director imposes a civil penalty under RCW 74.09.210 , or terminates or suspends a provider's eligibility under RCW 74.09.290 , he or she shall, if the provider is licensed pursuant to Titles 18 , 70 , or 71 RCW, give written notice of such imposition, termination, or suspension to the appropriate licensing agency or disciplinary board.
RCW 74.14B.020 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 14B / Section 020
RCW 74.14B.020: Foster parent training.
Status: in_force

The department shall, within funds appropriated for this purpose, provide foster parent training as an ongoing part of the foster care program. The department shall contract for a variety of support services to foster parents to reduce isolation and stress, and to increase skills and confidence.
RCW 74.42.300 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 42 / Section 300
RCW 74.42.300: Nutritionist—Menus, special diets.
Status: in_force

(1) The facility shall have a staff member trained or experienced in food management and nutrition responsible for planning menus that meet the requirements of subsection (2) of this section and supervising meal preparation and service to insure that the menu plan is followed. (2) The menu plans shall follow the orders of the resident's physician. (3) The facility shall: (a) Meet the nutritional needs of each resident; (b) Have menus written in advance; (c) Provide a variety of foods at each meal; (d) Provide daily and weekly variations in the menus; and (e) Adjust the menus for seasonal changes. (4) If the facility has residents who require medically prescribed special diets, the menus for those residents shall be planned by a professionally qualified dietitian or reviewed and approved by the attending physician. The preparation and serving of meals shall be supervised to insure that the resident accepts the special diet.
RCW 74.09.171 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 171
RCW 74.09.171: Contracts for medicaid services—Border communities.
Status: in_force

(1) The legislature finds that the authority and the department purchase or contract for the delivery of medicaid programs through contracts with providers and managed care organizations under this chapter, contractors providing behavioral health services under chapters 71.24 and 71.34 RCW, and contractors providing long-term care services under chapter 74.39A RCW. (2) The authority and department must collaborate and seek opportunities to expand access to care for enrollees in the medicaid programs identified in subsection (1) of this section living in border communities that may require contractual agreements with providers across the state border when care is appropriate, available, and cost-effective. (3) All authority and department contracts for medicaid services issued or renewed after July 1, 2014, must include provisions that allow for care to be accessed cross-border ensuring timely access to necessary care, including inpatient and outpatient services. The contracts must include reciprocal arrangements that allow Washington, Oregon, and Idaho border residents to access care when care is appropriate, available, and cost-effective.
RCW 74.42.370 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 42 / Section 370
RCW 74.42.370: Licensed administrator.
Status: in_force

The facility shall have an administrator who is a licensed nursing home administrator under chapter 18.52 RCW. The administrator is responsible for managing the facility and implementing established policies and procedures.
RCW 74.34.067 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 34 / Section 067
RCW 74.34.067: Investigations—Interviews—Ongoing case planning—Agreements with tribes—Conclusion of investigation.
Status: in_force

(1) Where appropriate, an investigation by the department may include a private interview with the vulnerable adult regarding the alleged abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, or self-neglect. (2) In conducting the investigation, the department shall interview the complainant, unless anonymous, and shall use its best efforts to interview the vulnerable adult or adults harmed, and, consistent with the protection of the vulnerable adult shall interview facility staff, any available independent sources of relevant information, including if appropriate the family members of the vulnerable adult. (3) The department may conduct ongoing case planning and consultation with: (a) Those persons or agencies required to report under this chapter or submit a report under this chapter; (b) consultants designated by the department; and (c) designated representatives of Washington Indian tribes if client information exchanged is pertinent to cases under investigation or the provision of protective services. Information considered privileged by statute and not directly related to reports required by this chapter must not be divulged without a valid written waiver of the privilege. (4) The department shall prepare and keep on file a report of each investigation conducted by the department for a period of time in accordance with policies established by the department. (5) If the department has reason to believe that the vulnerable adult has suffered from abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, or self-neglect, and lacks the ability or capacity to consent, and needs the protection of a guardian, the department may bring a guardianship, conservatorship, or other protective proceedings under chapter 11.130 RCW. (6) For purposes consistent with this chapter, the department, the certified professional guardian [guardianship] board, and the *office of public guardianship may share information contained in reports and investigations of the abuse, abandonment, neglect, self-neglect, and financial exploitation of vulnerable adults. This information may be used solely for (a) recruiting or appointing appropriate guardians and (b) monitoring, or when appropriate, disciplining certified professional or public guardians. Reports of abuse, abandonment, neglect, self-neglect, and financial exploitation are confidential under RCW 74.34.095 and other laws, and secondary disclosure of information shared under this section is prohibited. (7) When the investigation is completed and the department determines that an incident of abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, or self-neglect has occurred, the department shall inform the vulnerable adult of their right to refuse protective services, and ensure that, if necessary, appropriate protective services are provided to the vulnerable adult, with the consent of the vulnerable adult. The vulnerable adult has the right to withdraw or refuse protective services. (8) The department's adult protective services division may enter into agreements with federally recognized tribes to investigate reports of abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, or self-neglect of vulnerable adults on property over which a federally recognized tribe has exclusive jurisdiction. If the department has information that abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, or neglect is criminal or is placing a vulnerable adult on tribal property at potential risk of personal or financial harm, the department may notify tribal law enforcement or another tribal representative specified by the tribe. Upon receipt of the notification, the tribe may assume jurisdiction of the matter. Neither the department nor its employees may participate in the investigation after the tribe assumes jurisdiction. The department, its officers, and its employees are not liable for any action or inaction of the tribe or for any harm to the alleged victim, the person against whom the allegations were made, or other parties that occurs after the tribe assumes jurisdiction. Nothing in this section limits the department's jurisdiction and authority over facilities or entities that the department licenses or certifies under federal or state law. (9) The department may photograph a vulnerable adult or their environment for the purpose of providing documentary evidence of the physical condition of the vulnerable adult or his or her environment. When photographing the vulnerable adult, the department shall obtain permission from the vulnerable adult or his or her legal representative unless immediate photographing is necessary to preserve evidence. However, if the legal representative is alleged to have abused, neglected, abandoned, or exploited the vulnerable adult, consent from the legal representative is not necessary. No such consent is necessary when photographing the physical environment. (10) When the investigation is complete and the department determines that the incident of abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, or neglect has occurred, the department shall inform the facility in which the incident occurred, consistent with confidentiality requirements concerning the vulnerable adult, witnesses, and complainants.
RCW 74.64.010 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 64 / Section 010
RCW 74.64.010: Definitions.
Status: in_force

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Authority" means the Washington state health care authority. (2) "Enrollee" means an individual who receives benefits through a medical services program. (3) "Medical services programs" means those medical programs established under chapter 74.09 RCW or other applicable law, including medical assistance, the limited casualty program, children's health program, medical care services, and state children's health insurance program.
RCW 74.76.040 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 76 / Section 040
RCW 74.76.040: Medicaid access program account.
Status: in_force

(1) The medicaid access program account is created in the state treasury. All receipts from the assessments, interest, and penalties collected by the authority and commissioner under RCW 74.76.030 and 48.208.010 must be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only for the administration and implementation of the medicaid access program as established in RCW 74.76.050 . (2) Disbursements from the account may be made only: (a) To make payments to health care providers and managed care organizations; (b) To medicaid managed care organizations to fund the nonfederal share of increased capitation payments based on their projected assessment obligation established by the medicaid access program and the medicaid managed care rate setting process; (c) To refund erroneous or excessive payments made by health carriers and medicaid managed care organizations; (d) To pay for administrative expenses incurred by the authority in performing the activities authorized by this chapter; (e) To be used in lieu of state general fund payments for medicaid services in an amount not to exceed $35,000,000 in the first fiscal year following the approval in RCW 74.76.020 (2)(a) and assessment by the authority authorized in RCW 74.76.030 (1)(a)(i); (f) To repay the federal government for any excess payments made to health care providers from the account if the assessments or payment increases set forth by the medicaid access program are deemed out of compliance with federal statutes and regulations in a final determination by a court of competent jurisdiction with all appeals exhausted. In such a case, the authority may require health care providers receiving excess payments to refund the payments in question to the account. The state in turn shall return funds to the federal government in the same proportion as the original financing. If a health care provider is unable to refund payments, the state shall develop either a payment plan, deduct moneys from future medicaid payments, or both; and (g) To pay up to $2,000,000 for administrative and service-related costs to expand medicaid access in schools by maximizing medicaid funding opportunities to support the school-based health services program, school-based health centers, and on-site behavioral health services.
RCW 74.08A.510 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 08A / Section 510
RCW 74.08A.510: Legislative-executive WorkFirst poverty reduction oversight task force—Intergenerational poverty advisory committee—Membership—Duties.
Status: in_force

(1) To assist the task force established in RCW 74.08A.505 , there is created the intergenerational poverty advisory committee. (2) The advisory committee must include diverse, statewide representation from public, nonprofit, and for-profit entities. The committee membership must reflect regional, racial, and cultural diversity to adequately represent the needs of all children and families in the state. (3) Members of the advisory committee are appointed by the secretary, with the approval of the task force. (4) The advisory committee must include representatives from: (a) Advocacy groups that focus on childhood poverty issues; (b) Advocacy groups that focus on education and early childhood education issues; (c) Academic experts in childhood poverty, education, or early childhood education issues; (d) Faith-based organizations that address childhood poverty, education, or early childhood education issues; (e) Tribal governments; (f) Families impacted by poverty; (g) Local government representatives that address childhood poverty or education issues; (h) The business community; (i) A group representing accredited financial counselors; (j) A subject matter expert in infant mental health; (k) The department of children, youth, and families; and (l) The department. (5) Each member of the advisory committee is appointed for a four-year term unless a member is appointed to complete an unexpired term. The secretary may adjust the length of term at the time of appointment or reappointment so that approximately one-half of the advisory committee is appointed every two years. (6) The secretary may remove an advisory committee member: (a) If the member is unable or unwilling to carry out the member's assigned responsibilities; or (b) For good cause. (7) If a vacancy occurs in the advisory committee membership for any reason, a replacement may be appointed for the unexpired term. (8) The advisory committee shall choose cochairs from among its membership. The secretary shall convene the initial meeting of the advisory committee. (9) A majority of the advisory committee constitutes a quorum of the advisory committee at any meeting and the action of the majority of members present is the action of the advisory committee. (10) The advisory committee shall: (a) Meet quarterly at the request of the task force cochairs or the cochairs of the advisory committee; (b) Make recommendations to the task force on how the task force and the state can effectively address the needs of children affected by intergenerational poverty and achieve the purposes and duties of the task force as described in RCW 74.08A.505 ; (c) Ensure that the advisory committee's recommendations to the task force are supported by verifiable data; and (d) Gather input from diverse communities about the impact of intergenerational poverty on outcomes such as education, health care, employment, involvement in the child welfare system, and other related areas. (11) The department shall provide staff support to the advisory committee and shall endeavor to accommodate the participation needs of its members. Accommodations may include considering the location and time of committee meetings, making options available for remote participation by members, and convening meetings of the committee in locations with proximity to available child care whenever feasible. (12) Members of the advisory committee may receive reimbursement for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060 .
RCW 74.09.890 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 890
RCW 74.09.890: Medicaid program integrity—Administrative oversight—Strategic plan—Best practices.
Status: in_force

(1) The authority shall provide administrative oversight for all funds received under the medical assistance program, as codified in Title XIX of the federal social security act, the state children's health insurance program, as codified in Title XXI of the federal social security act, and any other federal medicaid funding to ensure that: (a) All funds are spent according to federal and state laws and regulations; (b) Delivery of services aligns with federal statutes and regulations; (c) Corrective action plans are put in place if expenditures or services do not align with federal requirements; and (d) Sound fiscal stewardship of medicaid funding in all agencies where medicaid funding is provided. (2) The authority shall develop a strategic plan and performance measures for medicaid program integrity. The strategic plan must include stated strategic goals, agreed-upon objectives, performance measures, and a system to monitor progress and hold responsible parties accountable. In developing the strategic plan, the authority shall create a management information and reporting strategy with performance measures and management reports. (3) The authority shall oversee the medicaid program resources of any state agency expending medicaid funding, including but not limited to: (a) Regularly reviewing delegated work; (b) Jointly reviewing required reports on terminated or sanctioned providers, compliance data, and application data; (c) Requiring assurances that operational functions have been implemented; (d) Reviewing audits performed on the sister state agency; and (e) Assisting with risk assessments, setting goals, and developing policies and procedures. (4) The authority shall develop and maintain a single, statewide medicaid fraud and abuse prevention plan consistent with the national medicaid fraud and abuse initiative or current federal best practice as recognized by the centers for medicare and medicaid services. (5) The authority must follow best practices for identifying improper medicaid spending when implementing its program integrity activities, including but not limited to: (a) Conducting risk assessments or evaluating leads with established risk factors; (b) Relying on data analytics to generate leads; (c) Conducting a preliminary review of incoming leads, which includes analyzing data about the lead and may include reviewing records such as billing histories; (d) Determining the credibility of all allegations of potential fraud prior to referral to the state's medicaid fraud control unit; (e) Analyzing all leads under review by the state's managed care organizations; (f) Working with federally recognized experts that help state integrity programs improve their data analytics and identify potential fraud across medicare and medicaid such as unified program integrity contractors; and (g) Maintaining a current fraud and abuse detection system.
RCW 74.04.300 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 04 / Section 300
RCW 74.04.300: Recovery of payments improperly received—Lien—Recipient reporting requirements.
Status: in_force

If a recipient receives public assistance and/or food stamps or food stamp benefits transferred electronically for which the recipient is not eligible, or receives public assistance and/or food stamps or food stamp benefits transferred electronically in an amount greater than that for which the recipient is eligible, the portion of the payment to which the recipient is not entitled shall be a debt due the state recoverable under RCW 43.20B.030 and 43.20B.620 through 43.20B.645 . It shall be the duty of recipients of cash benefits to notify the department of changes to earned income as defined in RCW 74.04.005 . It shall be the duty of recipients of cash benefits to notify the department of changes to liquid resources as defined in RCW 74.04.005 that would result in ineligibility for cash benefits. It shall be the duty of recipients of food benefits to report changes in income that result in ineligibility for food benefits. All recipients shall report changes required in this section by the tenth of the month following the month in which the change occurs. The department shall make a determination of eligibility within ten days from the date it receives the reported change from the recipient. The department shall adopt rules consistent with federal law and regulations for additional reporting requirements. The department shall advise applicants for assistance that failure to report as required, failure to reveal resources or income, and false statements will result in recovery by the state of any overpayment and may result in criminal prosecution.
RCW 74.13A.080 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 13A / Section 080
RCW 74.13A.080: Short title—1971 act.
Status: in_force

RCW 26.33.320 and * 74.13.100 through 74.13.145 may be known and cited as the "Adoption Support Demonstration Act of 1971".
RCW 74.18.020 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 18 / Section 020
RCW 74.18.020: Definitions.
Status: in_force

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter. (1) "Department" means an agency of state government called the department of services for the blind. (2) "Director" means the director of the department of services for the blind. The director is appointed by the governor with the consent of the senate. (3) "Rehabilitation council for the blind" means the body of members appointed by the governor in accordance with the provisions of RCW 74.18.070 to advise the state agency. (4) "Blind person" means a person who: (a) Has no vision or whose vision with corrective lenses is so limited that the individual requires alternative methods or skills to do efficiently those things that are ordinarily done with sight by individuals with normal vision; (b) has an eye condition of a progressive nature which may lead to blindness; or (c) is blind for purposes of the business enterprise program as set forth in RCW 74.18.200 through 74.18.230 in accordance with requirements of the Randolph-Sheppard Act of 1936. (5) "Telephonic reading service" means audio information provided by telephone, including the acquisition and distribution of daily newspapers and other information of local, state, or national interest.
RCW 74.18.170 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 18 / Section 170
RCW 74.18.170: Rehabilitation or habilitation facilities authorized.
Status: in_force

The department may establish, construct, and/or operate rehabilitation or habilitation facilities to provide instruction in alternative skills necessary to adjust to blindness or substantial vision loss, to assist blind persons to develop increased confidence and independence, or to provide other services consistent with the purposes of this chapter. The department shall adopt rules concerning selection criteria for participation, services, and other matters necessary for efficient and effective operation of such facilities.
RCW 74.34.005 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 34 / Section 005
RCW 74.34.005: Findings.
Status: in_force

The legislature finds and declares that: (1) Some adults are vulnerable and may be subjected to abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or abandonment by a family member, care provider, or other person who has a relationship with the vulnerable adult; (2) A vulnerable adult may be home bound or otherwise unable to represent himself or herself in court or to retain legal counsel in order to obtain the relief available under this chapter or other protections offered through the courts; (3) A vulnerable adult may lack the ability to perform or obtain those services necessary to maintain his or her well-being because he or she lacks the capacity for consent; (4) A vulnerable adult may have health problems that place him or her in a dependent position; (5) The department and appropriate agencies must be prepared to receive reports of abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, or neglect of vulnerable adults; (6) The department must provide protective services in the least restrictive environment appropriate and available to the vulnerable adult.
RCW 74.42.520 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 42 / Section 520
RCW 74.42.520: Therapy area.
Status: in_force

The facility's therapy area shall be large enough and designed to accommodate the necessary equipment, conduct an examination, and provide treatment: PROVIDED, That developmentally disabled facilities shall not be subject to the provisions of this section if therapeutic services are obtained by contract with other facilities.
RCW 74.04.770 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 04 / Section 770
RCW 74.04.770: Consolidated standards of need—Rateable reductions—Grant maximums.
Status: in_force

(1) The department shall establish consolidated standards of need each fiscal year which may vary by geographical areas, program, and family size, for temporary assistance for needy families, refugee assistance, supplemental security income, and benefits under RCW 74.62.030 . (2)(a) Standards of need for temporary assistance for needy families, refugee assistance, and benefits under RCW 74.62.030 shall be based on studies of actual living costs and generally recognized inflation indices and shall include reasonable allowances for basic household needs including shelter, fuel, food, transportation, clothing, household maintenance and operations, personal maintenance, necessary incidentals, cell phone and internet, and out-of-pocket costs for child care and health care. (b) By July 1, 2022, to ensure the standards of need reflect the current goods and services households need, the department must use an existing, broadly used national standard that meets the requirements of (a) of this subsection as the base for annual updating in subsection (1) of this section. (c) The standard of need may take into account the economies of joint living arrangements, but unless explicitly required by federal statute, there shall not be proration of any portion of assistance grants unless the amount of the grant standard is equal to the standard of need. The department is authorized to establish rateable reductions and grant maximums consistent with federal law. (3) Payment level will be equal to need or a lesser amount if rateable reductions or grant maximums are imposed. In no case shall a recipient of supplemental security income receive a state supplement less than the minimum required by federal law.
RCW 74.13.325 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 13 / Section 325
RCW 74.13.325: Foster care and adoptive home recruitment program.
Status: in_force

Within available resources, the department shall increase the number of adoptive and foster families available to accept children through an intensive recruitment and retention program.
RCW 74.09.611 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 611
RCW 74.09.611: Hospital quality incentive payments—Noncritical access hospitals.
Status: in_force

(1) If sufficient funds are made available as provided in subsection (2) of this section the authority, in collaboration with the Washington state hospital association, shall design a system of hospital quality incentive payments for noncritical access hospitals. The system must be based upon the following principles: (a) Evidence-based treatment and processes must be used to improve health care outcomes for hospital patients; (b) Effective purchasing strategies to improve the quality of health care services should involve the use of common quality improvement measures by public and private health care purchasers, while recognizing that some measures may not be appropriate for application to specialty pediatric, psychiatric, or rehabilitation hospitals; (c) Quality measures chosen for the system should be consistent with the standards that have been developed by national quality improvement organizations, such as the national quality forum, the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services, or the federal agency for healthcare research and quality. New reporting burdens to hospitals should be minimized by giving priority to measures hospitals are currently required to report to governmental agencies, such as the hospital compare measures collected by the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services; (d) Benchmarks for each quality improvement measure should be set at levels that are feasible for hospitals to achieve, yet represent real improvements in quality and performance for a majority of hospitals in Washington state; and (e) Hospital performance and incentive payments should be designed in a manner such that all noncritical access hospitals are able to receive the incentive payments if performance is at or above the benchmark score set in the system established under this section. (2) If hospital safety net assessment funds under RCW 74.60.020 are made available, such funds must be used to support an additional one percent increase in inpatient hospital rates for noncritical access hospitals that: (a) Meet the quality incentive benchmarks established under this section; and (b) Participate in Washington state hospital association collaboratives related to the benchmarks in order to improve care and promote sharing of best practices with other hospitals. (3) Funds directed from any other lawful source may also be used to support the purposes of this section.
RCW 74.12.250 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 12 / Section 250
RCW 74.12.250: Payment of grant to another—Limited guardianship.
Status: in_force

If the department, after investigation, finds that any applicant for assistance under this chapter or any recipient of funds under this chapter would not use, or is not utilizing, the grant adequately for the needs of his or her child or children or would dissipate the grant or is dissipating such grant, or would be or is unable to manage adequately the funds paid on behalf of said child and that to provide or continue payments to the applicant or recipient would be contrary to the welfare of the child, the department may make such payments to another individual who is interested in or concerned with the welfare of such child and relative: PROVIDED, That the department shall provide such counseling and other services as are available and necessary to develop greater ability on the part of the relative to manage funds in such manner as to protect the welfare of the family. Periodic review of each case shall be made by the department to determine if said relative is able to resume management of the assistance grant. If after a reasonable period of time the payments to the relative cannot be resumed, the department may request the attorney general to file a petition in the superior court for the appointment of a guardian for the child or children. Such petition shall set forth the facts warranting such appointment. Notice of the hearing on such petition shall be served upon the recipient and the department not less than ten days before the date set for such hearing. Such petition may be filed with the clerk of [the] superior court and all process issued and served without payment of costs. If upon the hearing of such petition the court is satisfied that it is for the best interest of the child or children, and all parties concerned, that a guardian be appointed, he or she shall order the appointment, and may require the guardian to render to the court a detailed itemized account of expenditures of such assistance payments at such time as the court may deem advisable. It is the intention of this section that the guardianship herein provided for shall be a special and limited guardianship solely for the purpose of safeguarding the assistance grants made to dependent children. Such guardianship shall terminate upon the termination of such assistance grant, or sooner on order of the court, upon good cause shown.
RCW 74.20.220 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 20 / Section 220
RCW 74.20.220: Powers of department through the attorney general or prosecuting attorney.
Status: in_force

In order to carry out its responsibilities imposed under this chapter and as required by federal law, the state department of social and health services, through the attorney general or prosecuting attorney, is hereby authorized to: (1) Initiate an action in superior court to obtain a support order or obtain other relief related to support for a dependent child on whose behalf the department is providing public assistance or support enforcement services under RCW 74.20.040 , or to enforce a superior court order. (2) Appear as a party in dissolution, child support, parentage, maintenance suits, or other proceedings, for the purpose of representing the financial interest and actions of the state of Washington therein. (3) Petition the court for modification of a superior court order when the office of support enforcement is providing support enforcement services under RCW 74.20.040 . (4) When the attorney general or prosecuting attorney appears in, defends, or initiates actions to establish, modify, or enforce child support obligations he or she represents the state, the best interests of the child relating to parentage, and the best interests of the children of the state, but does not represent the interests of any other individual. (5) If public assistance has been applied for or granted on behalf of a child of parents who are divorced or legally separated, the attorney general or prosecuting attorney may apply to the superior court in such action for an order directing either parent or both to show cause: (a) Why an order of support for the child should not be entered, or (b) Why the amount of support previously ordered should not be increased, or (c) Why the parent should not be held in contempt for his or her failure to comply with any order of support previously entered. (6) Initiate any civil proceedings deemed necessary by the department to secure reimbursement from the parent or parents of minor dependent children for all moneys expended by the state in providing assistance or services to said children. (7) Nothing in this section limits the authority of the attorney general or prosecuting attorney to use any and all civil and criminal remedies to enforce, establish, or modify child support obligations whether or not the custodial parent receives public assistance.
RCW 74.41.090 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 41 / Section 090
RCW 74.41.090: Entitlement not created.
Status: in_force

Nothing in this chapter creates or provides any individual with an entitlement to services or benefits. It is the intent of the legislature that services under this chapter shall be made available only to the extent of the availability and level of appropriation made by the legislature.
RCW 74.42.058 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 42 / Section 058
RCW 74.42.058: Department case management services.
Status: in_force

(1) To the extent of available funding, the department shall provide case management services to assist nursing facility residents, in conjunction and partnership with nursing facility staff. The purpose of the case management services is to assist residents and their families to assess the appropriateness and availability of home and community services that could meet the resident's needs so that the resident and family can make informed choices. (2) To the extent of available funding, the department shall provide case management services to nursing facility residents who are: (a) Medicaid funded; (b) Dually medicaid and medicare eligible; (c) Medicaid applicants; and (d) Likely to become financially eligible for medicaid within one hundred eighty days, pursuant to RCW 74.42.057 .
RCW 74.09.659 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 659
RCW 74.09.659: Family planning waiver program request.
Status: in_force

(1) The authority shall continue to submit applications for the family planning waiver program. (2) The authority shall submit a request to the federal department of health and human services to amend the current family planning waiver program as follows: (a) Provide coverage for sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment; and (b) Return to the eligibility standards used in 2005 including, but not limited to, citizenship determination based on declaration or matching with federal social security databases, insurance eligibility standards comparable to 2005, and confidential service availability for minors and survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
RCW 74.20.260 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 20 / Section 260
RCW 74.20.260: Financial statements by parent whose absence is basis of application for public assistance.
Status: in_force

Any parent in the state whose absence is the basis upon which an application is filed for public assistance on behalf of a child shall be required to complete a statement, under oath, of his or her current monthly income, his or her total income over the past twelve months, the number of dependents for whom he or she is providing support, the amount he or she is contributing regularly toward the support of all children for whom application for such assistance is made, his or her current monthly living expenses, and such other information as is pertinent to determining his or her ability to support his or her children. Such statement shall be provided upon demand made by the state department of social and health services or attorney general, and if assistance based upon such application is granted on behalf of such child, additional statements shall be filed annually thereafter with the state department of social and health services until such time as the child is no longer receiving such assistance. Failure to comply with this section shall constitute a misdemeanor.
RCW 74.14C.040 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 14C / Section 040
RCW 74.14C.040: Intensive family preservation services—Eligibility criteria.
Status: in_force

(1) Intensive family preservation services may be provided to children and their families only when the department has determined that: (a) The child has been placed out-of-home or is at imminent risk of an out-of-home placement due to: (i) Child abuse or neglect; (ii) A serious threat of substantial harm to the child's health, safety, or welfare; or (iii) Family conflict; and (b) There are no other reasonably available services including family preservation services that will prevent out-of-home placement of the child or make it possible to immediately return the child home. (2) The department shall refer eligible families to intensive family preservation services on a twenty-four hour intake basis. The department need not refer otherwise eligible families, and intensive family preservation services need not be provided, if: (a) The services are not available in the community in which the family resides; (b) The services cannot be provided because the program is filled to capacity and there are no current service openings; (c) The family refuses the services; (d) The department, or the agency that is supervising the foster care placement, has developed a case plan that does not include reunification of the child and family; or (e) The department or the service provider determines that the safety of a child, a family member, or persons providing the service would be unduly threatened. (3) Nothing in this chapter shall prevent provision of intensive family preservation services to nonfamily members when the department or the service provider deems it necessary or appropriate to do so in order to assist the family or child.
RCW 74.09.540 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 540
RCW 74.09.540: Medical assistance—Working individuals with disabilities—Intent.
Status: in_force

(1) It is the intent of the legislature to remove barriers to employment for individuals with disabilities by providing medical assistance to working individuals with disabilities through a buy-in program in accordance with section 1902(a)(10)(A)(ii) of the social security act and eligibility and cost-sharing requirements established by the authority. (2) The authority shall establish cost-sharing requirements for the buy-in program in accordance with federal law and any conditions or limitations specified in the omnibus appropriations act. The authority shall establish and modify eligibility and cost-sharing requirements in order to administer the program within available funds. The authority may consider a person's income when establishing cost-sharing requirements. The authority may not establish eligibility restrictions for the buy-in program based upon a person's income or maximum age. The authority shall make every effort to coordinate benefits with employer-sponsored coverage available to the working individuals with disabilities receiving benefits under this chapter or other applicable law. (3) The authority shall seek federal approval to exclude resources accumulated in a separate account that results from earnings during an individual's enrollment in the buy-in program when determining the individual's subsequent eligibility for another medical assistance program.
RCW 74.04.385 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 04 / Section 385
RCW 74.04.385: Unlawful practices relating to surplus commodities—Penalty.
Status: in_force

It shall be unlawful for any recipient of federal or other surplus commodities received under RCW 74.04.380 to sell, transfer, barter, or otherwise dispose of such commodities to any other person. It shall be unlawful for any person to receive, possess, or use any surplus commodities received under RCW 74.04.380 unless he or she has been certified as eligible to receive, possess, and use such commodities by the state department of social and health services. Violation of the provisions of RCW 74.04.380 or this section shall constitute a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six months or by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or both.
RCW 74.08.210 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 08 / Section 210
RCW 74.08.210: Grants not assignable nor subject to execution.
Status: in_force

Grants awarded under this title shall not be transferable or assignable, at law or in equity, and none of the money paid or payable under this title shall be subject to execution, levy, attachment, garnishment, or other legal process, or to the operation of bankruptcy or insolvency law.
RCW 74.42.090 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 42 / Section 090
RCW 74.42.090: Work tasks by residents.
Status: in_force

No resident may be required to perform services for the facility; except that a resident may be required to perform work tasks specified or included in the comprehensive plan of care.
RCW 74.04.815 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 04 / Section 815
RCW 74.04.815: Military dependents—Home and community-based services programs.
Status: in_force

(1) As used in this section: (a) "Dependent" means a spouse, birth child, adopted child, or stepchild of a military service member. (b) "Legal resident" means a person who maintains Washington as his or her principal establishment, home of record, or permanent home and to where, whenever absent due to military obligation, he or she intends to return. (c) "Military service" means service in the armed forces, armed forces reserves, or membership in the Washington national guard. (d) "Military service member," for the purposes of this section, is expanded to mean a person who is currently in military service or who has separated from military service in the previous eighteen months either through retirement or military separation. (2) A dependent, who is a legal resident of the state, having previously been determined to be eligible for developmental disability services through the department, shall retain eligibility as long as he or she remains a legal resident of the state regardless of having left the state due to the military service member's military assignment outside the state. If the state eligibility requirements change, the dependent shall retain eligibility until a reeligibility determination is made. (3) Upon assessment determination, the department shall direct that services be provided consistent with Title 71A RCW and appropriate rules if the dependent furnishes: (a) A copy of the military service member's DD-214 or other equivalent discharge paperwork; and (b) Proof of the military service member's legal residence in the state, as provided under RCW 46.16A.140 . (4) For dependents who received developmental disability services and who left the state due to the military service member's military assignment outside the state, upon the dependent's return to the state and when a request for services is made, the department must: (a) Determine eligibility for services which may include request for waiver services; (b) Provide notification for the service eligibility determination which includes notification for denial of services; and (c) Provide due process through the appeals processes established by the department. (5) To continue eligibility under subsection (2) of this section, the dependent is required to inform the department of his or her current address and provide updates as requested by the department. (6) The secretary shall request a waiver from the appropriate federal agency if it is necessary to implement the provisions of this section. (7) The department may adopt rules necessary to implement the provisions of this section.
RCW 74.13.510 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 13 / Section 510
RCW 74.13.510: Disclosure of child welfare records—Consideration of effects.
Status: in_force

In determining under RCW 74.13.500 whether disclosure will be contrary to the best interests of the child, the secretary, or the secretary's designee, must consider the effects which disclosure may have on efforts to reunite and provide services to the family.
RCW 74.39A.051 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 39A / Section 051
RCW 74.39A.051: Quality improvement principles.
Status: in_force

The department's system of quality improvement for long-term care services shall use the following principles, consistent with applicable federal laws and regulations: (1) The system shall be client-centered and promote privacy, independence, dignity, choice, and a home or home-like environment for consumers consistent with chapter 392, Laws of 1997. (2) The goal of the system is continuous quality improvement with the focus on consumer satisfaction and outcomes for consumers. This includes that when conducting licensing or contract inspections, the department shall interview an appropriate percentage of residents, family members, resident case managers, and advocates in addition to interviewing providers and staff. (3) Providers should be supported in their efforts to improve quality and address identified problems initially through training, consultation, technical assistance, and case management. (4) The emphasis should be on problem prevention both in monitoring and in screening potential providers of service. (5) Monitoring should be outcome based and responsive to consumer complaints and based on a clear set of health, quality of care, and safety standards that are easily understandable and have been made available to providers, residents, and other interested parties. (6) Prompt and specific enforcement remedies shall also be implemented without delay, pursuant to RCW 70.97.110 , 71A.12.300 , 74.39A.080 , or 70.128.160 , or chapter 18.51 or 74.42 RCW, for providers found to have delivered care or failed to deliver care resulting in problems that are serious, recurring, or uncorrected, or that create a hazard that is causing or likely to cause death or serious harm to one or more residents. These enforcement remedies may also include, when appropriate, reasonable conditions on a contract or license. In the selection of remedies, the safety, health, and well-being of residents shall be of paramount importance. (7) Background checks of long-term care workers must be conducted as provided in RCW 74.39A.056 . (8) Except as provided in RCW 74.39A.074 and 74.39A.076 , individual providers and home care agency providers must satisfactorily complete department-approved orientation, basic training, and continuing education within the time period specified by the department in rule. The department shall adopt rules to implement this section. The department shall deny payment to a consumer directed employer or a home care agency for services provided by employees who have not completed the training requirements within the time limit specified by department rules. The department shall deny payment to any individual providers who provide services under a contract with the department if they have been notified that they are no longer permitted to work because they have not completed the training requirements within the time period required by department rules. (9) Under existing funds the department shall establish internally a quality improvement standards committee to monitor the development of standards and to suggest modifications.
RCW 74.09.830 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 830
RCW 74.09.830: Postpartum health care coverage.
Status: in_force

(1) The authority shall extend health care coverage from 60 days postpartum to one year postpartum for pregnant or postpartum persons who, on or after the expiration date of the federal public health emergency declaration related to COVID-19, are receiving postpartum coverage provided under this chapter. (2) By June 1, 2022, the authority must: (a) Provide health care coverage to postpartum persons who reside in Washington state, have countable income equal to or below 193 percent of the federal poverty level, and are not otherwise eligible under Title XIX or Title XXI of the federal social security act; and (b) Ensure all persons approved for pregnancy or postpartum coverage at any time are continuously eligible for postpartum coverage for 12 months after the pregnancy ends regardless of whether they experience a change in income during the period of eligibility. (3) By November 1, 2024, the income standards for a postpartum person eligible for Washington apple health pregnancy or postpartum coverage shall have countable income equal to or below 210 percent of the federal poverty level. (4) Health care coverage under this section must be provided during the 12-month period beginning on the last day of the pregnancy. (5) The authority shall not provide health care coverage under this section to individuals who are eligible to receive health care coverage under Title XIX or Title XXI of the federal social security act. Health care coverage for these individuals shall be provided by a program that is funded by Title XIX or Title XXI of the federal social security act. Further, the authority shall make every effort to expedite and complete eligibility determinations for individuals who are presumptively eligible to receive health care coverage under Title XIX or Title XXI of the federal social security act to ensure the state is receiving the maximum federal match. This includes, but is not limited to, working with the managed care organizations to provide continuous outreach in various modalities until the individual's eligibility determination is completed. Beginning January 1, 2022, the authority must submit quarterly reports to the caseload forecast work group on the number of individuals who are presumptively eligible to receive health care coverage under Title XIX or Title XXI of the federal social security act but are awaiting for the authority to complete eligibility determination, the number of individuals who were presumptively eligible but are now receiving health care coverage with the maximum federal match under Title XIX or Title XXI of the federal social security act, and outreach activities including the work with managed care organizations. (6) To ensure continuity of care and maximize the efficiency of the program, the amount and scope of health care services provided to individuals under this section must be the same as that provided to pregnant and postpartum persons under medical assistance, as defined in RCW 74.09.520 . (7) In administering this program, the authority must seek any available federal financial participation under the medical assistance program, as codified at Title XIX of the federal social security act, the state children's health insurance program, as codified at Title XXI of the federal social security act, and any other federal funding sources that are now available or may become available. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring the state is receiving the maximum federal match for individuals who are presumptively eligible to receive health care coverage under Title XIX or Title XXI of the federal social security act by expediting completion of the individual's eligibility determination. (8) Working with stakeholder and community organizations and the Washington health benefit exchange, the authority must establish a comprehensive community education and outreach campaign to facilitate applications for and enrollment in the program or into a more appropriate program where the state receives maximum federal match. Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the education and outreach campaign must provide culturally and linguistically accessible information to facilitate participation in the program, including but not limited to enrollment procedures, program services, and benefit utilization. (9) Beginning January 1, 2022, the managed care organizations contracted with the authority to provide postpartum coverage must annually report to the legislature on their work to improve maternal health for enrollees, including but not limited to postpartum services offered to enrollees, the percentage of enrollees utilizing each postpartum service offered, outreach activities to engage enrollees in available postpartum services, and efforts to collect eligibility information for the authority to ensure the enrollee is in the most appropriate program for the state to receive the maximum federal match.
RCW 74.34.320 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 34 / Section 320
RCW 74.34.320: Written protocol—Counties encouraged to develop for handling criminal cases involving vulnerable adults—Vulnerable adult advocacy teams—Confidentiality—Disclosure of information.
Status: in_force

(1) Each county is encouraged to develop a written protocol for handling criminal cases involving vulnerable adults. The protocol shall: (a) Address the coordination of vulnerable adult mistreatment investigations among the following groups as appropriate and when available: The prosecutor's office; law enforcement; adult protective services; vulnerable adult advocacy centers; local advocacy groups; community victim advocacy programs; professional guardians; medical examiners or coroners; financial analysts or forensic accountants; social workers with experience or training related to the mistreatment of vulnerable adults; medical personnel; the state long-term care ombuds or a regional long-term care ombuds specifically designated by the state long-term care ombuds; developmental disabilities ombuds; the attorney general's office; and any other local agency involved in the criminal investigation of vulnerable adult mistreatment; (b) Be developed by the prosecuting attorney with the assistance of the agencies referenced in this subsection; (c) Provide that participation as a member of the vulnerable adult advocacy team is voluntary; (d) Include a brief statement provided by the state long-term care ombuds, without alteration, that describes the confidentiality laws and policies governing the state long-term care ombuds program, and includes citations to relevant federal and state laws; (e) Require the development and use of a confidentiality agreement, in compliance with this section, that includes, but is not limited to, terms governing the type of information that must be shared, and the means by which it is shared; the existing confidentiality obligations of team members; and the circumstances under which team members may disclose information outside of the team; (f) Require the vulnerable adult advocacy team to make a good faith effort to obtain the participation of the state long-term care ombuds prior to addressing any issue related to abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult residing in a long-term care facility during the relevant time period. (2) Members of a vulnerable adult advocacy team must disclose to each other confidential or sensitive information and records, if the team member disclosing the information or records reasonably believes the disclosure is relevant to the duties of the vulnerable adult advocacy team. The disclosure and receipt of confidential information between vulnerable adult advocacy team members shall be governed by the requirements of this section, and by the county protocol developed pursuant to this section. (3) Prior to participation, each member of the vulnerable adult advocacy team must sign a confidentiality agreement that requires compliance with all governing federal and state confidentiality laws. (4) The information or records obtained shall be maintained in a manner that ensures the maximum protection of privacy and confidentiality rights. (5) Information and records communicated or provided to vulnerable adult advocacy team members, as well as information and records created in the course of an investigation, shall be deemed private and confidential and shall be protected from discovery and disclosure by all applicable statutory and common law protections. The disclosed information may not be further disclosed except by law or by court order.
RCW 74.42.290 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 42 / Section 290
RCW 74.42.290: Meal intervals—Food handling—Utensils—Disposal.
Status: in_force

(1) The facility shall serve at least three meals, or their equivalent, daily at regular times with not more than fourteen hours between a substantial evening meal and breakfast on the following day and not less than ten hours between breakfast and a substantial evening meal on the same day. (2) Food shall be procured, stored, transported, and prepared under sanitary conditions in compliance with state and local regulations. (3) Food of an appropriate quantity at an appropriate temperature shall be served in a form consistent with the needs of the resident; (4) Special eating equipment and utensils shall be provided for residents who need them; and (5) Food served and uneaten shall be discarded.
RCW 74.14B.070 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 14B / Section 070
RCW 74.14B.070: Child victims of sexual assault, sexual abuse, or commercial sexual exploitation—Identification, treatment, and services—Report—Work group.
Status: in_force

(1) The department shall, subject to available funds, establish a system of early identification and referral to treatment of child victims of sexual assault or sexual abuse. The system shall include schools, physicians, sexual assault centers, domestic violence centers, child protective services, and foster parents. A mechanism shall be developed to identify communities that have experienced success in this area and share their expertise and methodology with other communities statewide. (2) The department shall provide services to support children it suspects have been commercially sexually exploited. The child may decide whether to voluntarily engage in the services offered by the department. (a) To provide services supporting children it suspects have been commercially sexually exploited, the department may provide: (i) At least one liaison position in each region of the department where receiving center programs are established under RCW 7.68.380 who are dedicated to serving commercially sexually exploited children and who report directly to the statewide program manager under (a)(ii) of this subsection; (ii) One statewide program manager; (iii) A designated person responsible for supporting commercially sexually exploited children, who may be assigned other duties in addition to this responsibility, in regions of the department where there is not a dedicated liaison position as identified under (a)(i) of this subsection; and (iv) Coordinate appropriate, available, community-based services for children following discharge from an evaluation and treatment facility as defined in RCW 71.34.020 , including the receiving centers established in RCW 7.68.380 . (b) The department shall collect nonidentifiable data regarding the number of commercially sexually exploited children, including reports of commercially sexually exploited children received from law enforcement under chapter 26.44 RCW. (3) The department shall provide an annual report to the commercially sexually exploited children statewide coordinating committee established under *RCW 7.68.801 by December 1st that includes: (a) A description of services provided by the department to commercially sexually exploited children; and (b) Nonidentifiable data regarding the number of commercially sexually exploited children. (4) The department may solicit and accept gifts, grants, conveyances, bequests, and devices for supporting the purposes of this section. (5) Nothing in this section shall be construed to create a private right of action against the department for failure to identify, offer, or provide services. (6) The department shall convene a work group to study, analyze, and issue recommendations regarding how decriminalizing prostitution and prostitution loitering for persons under eighteen will impact law enforcement and prosecutor efforts and ability to discover and access the victim's cell phone records to aid in prosecution of the perpetrator or abuser. The work group must issue recommendations to appropriate committees of the legislature by October 31, 2021.
RCW 74.04.541 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 04 / Section 541
RCW 74.04.541: Supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits—Distribution dates.
Status: in_force

Beginning February 1, 2017, the department must expand the dates it distributes supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits from the first through the tenth of every month, to the first through the twentieth of every month.
RCW 74.70.030 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 70 / Section 030
RCW 74.70.030: Ambulance transport fund—Sources—Use.
Status: in_force

(1) A dedicated fund is hereby established within the state treasury to be known as the ambulance transport fund. The purpose and use of the fund shall be to receive and disburse funds, together with accrued interest, in accordance with this chapter. Moneys in the fund, including interest earned, shall not be used or disbursed for any purposes other than those specified in this chapter. Any amounts expended from the fund that are later recouped by the authority on audit or otherwise shall be returned to the fund. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. (2) The quality assurance fees collected by the authority pursuant to RCW 74.70.050 must be deposited in the ambulance transport fund. (3) The moneys in the ambulance transport fund, including any interest and dividends earned on money in the fund, shall be available exclusively for the following purposes in the following order of priority: (a) To provide funding in an amount not to exceed ten percent of the annual quality assurance fee rate collection amount, exclusive of any federal matching funds, for health care coverage for Washingtonians and for the authority's staffing and administrative costs directly attributable to administering this chapter; and (b) To make increased payments to ambulance transport providers pursuant to RCW 74.70.060 .
RCW 74.08.260 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 08 / Section 260
RCW 74.08.260: Federal act to control in event of conflict.
Status: in_force

If any plan of administration of this title submitted to the federal security agency shall be found to be not in conformity with the federal social security act by reason of any conflict of any section, portion, clause or part of this title and the federal social security act, such conflicting section, portion, clause or part of this title is hereby declared to be inoperative to the extent that it is so in conflict, and such finding or determination shall not affect the remainder of this title.
RCW 74.09.402 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 402
RCW 74.09.402: Children's health care—Findings—Intent.
Status: in_force

(1) The legislature finds that: (a) Improving the health of children in Washington state is an investment in a productive and successful next generation. The health of children is critical to their success in school and throughout their lives; (b) Healthy children are ready to learn. In order to provide students with the opportunity to become responsible citizens, to contribute to their own economic well-being and to that of their families and communities, and to enjoy productive and satisfying lives, the state recognizes the importance that access to appropriate health services and improved health brings to the children of Washington state. In addition, fully immunized children are themselves protected, and in turn protect others, from contracting communicable diseases; (c) Children with health insurance coverage have better health outcomes than those who lack coverage. Children without health insurance coverage are more likely to be in poor health and more likely to delay receiving, or go without, needed health care services; (d) Health care coverage for children in Washington state is the product of critical efforts in both the private and public sectors to help children succeed. Private health insurance coverage is complemented by public programs that meet needs of low-income children whose parents are not offered health insurance coverage through their employer or who cannot otherwise afford the costs of coverage. In 2006, thirty-five percent of children in Washington state had some form of public health coverage. Washington state is making progress in its efforts to increase the number of children with health care coverage. Yet, even with these efforts of both private and public sectors, many children in Washington state continue to lack health insurance coverage. In 2006, over seventy thousand children were uninsured. Almost two-thirds of these children are in families whose income is under two hundred fifty percent of the federal poverty level; and (e) Improved health outcomes for the children of Washington state are the expected result of improved access to health care coverage. Linking children with a medical home that provides preventive and well child health services and referral to needed specialty services, linking children with needed behavioral health and dental services, more effectively managing childhood diseases, improving nutrition, and increasing physical activity are key to improving children's health. Care should be provided in appropriate settings by efficient providers, consistent with high quality care and at an appropriate stage, soon enough to avert the need for overly expensive treatment. (2) It is therefore the intent of the legislature that: (a) All children in the state of Washington have health care coverage by 2010. This should be accomplished by building upon and strengthening the successes of private health insurance coverage and publicly supported children's health insurance programs in Washington state. Access to coverage should be streamlined and efficient, with reductions in unnecessary administrative costs and mechanisms to expeditiously link children with a medical home; (b) The state, in collaboration with parents, schools, communities, health plans, and providers, take steps to improve health outcomes for the children of Washington state by linking children with a medical home, identifying health improvement goals for children, and linking innovative purchasing strategies to those goals.
RCW 74.13.810 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 13 / Section 810
RCW 74.13.810: Child malnutrition field guide.
Status: in_force

By September 1, 2023, the department, in consultation with the department of health, shall produce and make available to department staff a child malnutrition field guide. This child malnutrition field guide must: (1) Be concise, but provide references to additional comprehensive and trauma-informed resources for department staff to access if needed; (2) Be easily accessible by department staff; (3) Describe how to identify signs of child malnutrition; (4) Include appropriate questions to ask the child and others close to the child when child malnutrition is suspected; (5) Include the appropriate next steps department staff may take when child malnutrition is suspected; and (6) Include any additional information the department deems relevant.
RCW 74.31.005 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 31 / Section 005
RCW 74.31.005: Findings—Intent.
Status: in_force

The center for disease control estimates that at least five million three hundred thousand Americans, approximately two percent of the United States population, currently have a long-term or lifelong need for help to perform activities of daily living as a result of a traumatic brain injury. Each year approximately one million four hundred thousand people in this country, including children, sustain traumatic brain injuries as a result of a variety of causes including falls, motor vehicle injuries, being struck by an object, or as a result of an assault and other violent crimes, including domestic violence. Additionally, there are significant numbers of veterans who sustain traumatic brain injuries as a result of their service in the military. Prevention and the provision of appropriate supports and services in response to traumatic brain injury are consistent with the governor's executive order No. 10-01, "Implementing Health Reform the Washington Way," which recognizes protection of public health and the improvement of health status as essential responsibilities of the public health system. Traumatic brain injury can cause a wide range of functional changes affecting thinking, sensation, language, or emotions. It can also cause epilepsy and increase the risk for conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other brain disorders that become more prevalent with age. The impact of a traumatic brain injury on the individual and family can be devastating. The legislature recognizes that current programs and services are not funded or designed to address the diverse needs of this population. It is the intent of the legislature to develop a comprehensive plan to help individuals with traumatic brain injuries meet their needs. The legislature also recognizes the efforts of many in the private sector who are providing services and assistance to individuals with traumatic brain injuries. The legislature intends to bring together those in both the public and private sectors with expertise in this area to address the needs of this growing population.
RCW 74.25A.030 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 25A / Section 030
RCW 74.25A.030: Employer eligibility—Conditions.
Status: in_force

An employer, before becoming eligible to fill a position under the employment partnership program, shall certify to the local employment partnership council that the employment, offer of employment, or work activity complies with the following conditions: (1) The conditions of work are reasonable and not in violation of applicable federal, state, or local safety and health standards; (2) The assignments are not in any way related to political, electoral, or partisan activities; (3) The employer shall provide industrial insurance coverage as required by Title 51 RCW; (4) The employer shall provide unemployment compensation coverage as required by Title 50 RCW; (5) The employment partnership program participants hired following the completion of the program shall be provided benefits equal to those provided to other employees including social security coverage, sick leave, the opportunity to join a collective bargaining unit, and medical benefits.
RCW 74.14C.032 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 14C / Section 032
RCW 74.14C.032: Preservation services contracts.
Status: in_force

The initial contracts under *RCW 74.14C.030 (3) shall be executed not later than July 1996 and shall expire June 30, 1997. Subsequent contracts shall be for periods not to exceed twenty-four months.
RCW 74.42.360 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 42 / Section 360
RCW 74.42.360: Adequate staff—Minimum staffing standards—Exceptions—Definition.
Status: in_force

(1) The facility shall have staff on duty twenty-four hours daily sufficient in number and qualifications to carry out the provisions of RCW 74.42.010 through 74.42.570 and the policies, responsibilities, and programs of the facility. (2) The department shall institute minimum staffing standards for nursing homes. Beginning July 1, 2016, facilities must provide a minimum of 3.4 hours per resident day of direct care. Direct care staff has the same meaning as defined in RCW 74.42.010 . The minimum staffing standard includes the time when such staff are providing hands-on care related to activities of daily living and nursing-related tasks, as well as care planning. The legislature intends to increase the minimum staffing standard to 4.1 hours per resident day of direct care, but the effective date of a standard higher than 3.4 hours per resident day of direct care will be identified if and only if funding is provided explicitly for an increase of the minimum staffing standard for direct care. (a) The department shall establish in rule a system of compliance of minimum direct care staffing standards by January 1, 2016. Oversight must be done at least quarterly using the centers for medicare and medicaid services' payroll-based journal and nursing home facility census and payroll data. (b) The department shall establish in rule by January 1, 2016, a system of financial penalties for facilities out of compliance with minimum staffing standards. No monetary penalty may be issued during the implementation period of July 1, 2016, through September 30, 2016. If a facility is found noncompliant during the implementation period, the department shall provide a written notice identifying the staffing deficiency and require the facility to provide a sufficiently detailed correction plan to meet the statutory minimum staffing levels. Monetary penalties begin October 1, 2016. Monetary penalties must be established based on a formula that calculates the cost of wages and benefits for the missing staff hours. If a facility meets the requirements in subsection (3) or (4) of this section, the penalty amount must be based solely on the wages and benefits of certified nurse aides. The first monetary penalty for noncompliance must be at a lower amount than subsequent findings of noncompliance. Monetary penalties established by the department may not exceed two hundred percent of the wage and benefit costs that would have otherwise been expended to achieve the required staffing minimum hours per resident day for the quarter. A facility found out of compliance must be assessed a monetary penalty at the lowest penalty level if the facility has met or exceeded the requirements in subsection (2) of this section for three or more consecutive years. Beginning July 1, 2016, pursuant to rules established by the department, funds that are received from financial penalties must be used for technical assistance, specialized training, or an increase to the quality enhancement established in RCW 74.46.561 . (c) The department shall establish in rule an exception allowing geriatric behavioral health workers as defined in RCW 74.42.010 to be recognized in the minimum staffing requirements as part of the direct care service delivery to individuals who have a behavioral health condition. Hours worked by geriatric behavioral health workers may be recognized as direct care hours for purposes of the minimum staffing requirements only up to a portion of the total hours equal to the proportion of resident days of clients with a behavioral health condition identified at that facility on the most recent semiannual minimum data set. In order to qualify for the exception: (i) The worker must: (A) Have a bachelor's or master's degree in social work, behavioral health, or other related areas; or (B) Have at least three years experience providing care for individuals with chronic mental health issues, dementia, or intellectual and developmental disabilities in a long-term care or behavioral health care setting; or (C) Have successfully completed a facility-based behavioral health curriculum approved by the department under RCW 74.39A.078 ; (ii) Any geriatric behavioral health worker holding less than a master's degree in social work must be directly supervised by an employee who has a master's degree in social work or a registered nurse. (d)(i) The department shall establish a limited exception to the 3.4 hours per resident day staffing requirement for facilities demonstrating a good faith effort to hire and retain staff. (ii) To determine initial facility eligibility for exception consideration, the department shall send surveys to facilities anticipated to be below, at, or slightly above the 3.4 hours per resident day requirement. These surveys must measure the hours per resident day in a manner as similar as possible to the centers for medicare and medicaid services' payroll-based journal and cover the staffing of a facility from October through December of 2015, January through March of 2016, and April through June of 2016. A facility must be below the 3.4 staffing standard on all three surveys to be eligible for exception consideration. If the staffing hours per resident day for a facility declines from any quarter to another during the survey period, the facility must provide sufficient information to the department to allow the department to determine if the staffing decrease was deliberate or a result of neglect, which is the lack of evidence demonstrating the facility's efforts to maintain or improve its staffing ratio. The burden of proof is on the facility and the determination of whether or not the decrease was deliberate or due to neglect is entirely at the discretion of the department. If the department determines a facility's decline was deliberate or due to neglect, that facility is not eligible for an exception consideration. (iii) To determine eligibility for exception approval, the department shall review the plan of correction submitted by the facility. Before a facility's exception may be renewed, the department must determine that sufficient progress is being made towards reaching the 3.4 hours per resident day staffing requirement. When reviewing whether to grant or renew an exception, the department must consider factors including but not limited to: Financial incentives offered by the facilities such as recruitment bonuses and other incentives; the robustness of the recruitment process; county employment data; specific steps the facility has undertaken to improve retention; improvements in the staffing ratio compared to the baseline established in the surveys and whether this trend is continuing; and compliance with the process of submitting staffing data, adherence to the plan of correction, and any progress toward meeting this plan, as determined by the department. (iv) Only facilities that have their direct care component rate increase capped according to RCW 74.46.561 are eligible for exception consideration. Facilities that will have their direct care component rate increase capped for one or two years are eligible for exception consideration through June 30, 2017. Facilities that will have their direct care component rate increase capped for three years are eligible for exception consideration through June 30, 2018. (v) The department may not grant or renew a facility's exception if the facility meets the 3.4 hours per resident day staffing requirement and subsequently drops below the 3.4 hours per resident day staffing requirement. (vi) The department may grant exceptions for a six-month period per exception. The department's authority to grant exceptions to the 3.4 hours per resident day staffing requirement expires June 30, 2018. (3)(a) Large nonessential community providers must have a registered nurse on duty directly supervising resident care twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week. (b)(i) The department shall establish a limited exception process for large nonessential community providers that can demonstrate a good faith effort to hire a registered nurse for the last eight hours of required coverage per day. In granting an exception, the department may consider the competitiveness of the wages and benefits offered as compared to nursing facilities in comparable geographic or metropolitan areas within Washington state, the provider's recruitment and retention efforts, and the availability of registered nurses in the particular geographic area. A one-year exception may be granted and may be renewable; however, the department may limit the admission of new residents, based on medical conditions or complexities, when a registered nurse is not on-site and readily available. If a large nonessential community provider receives an exception, that information must be included in the department's nursing home locator. (ii) By August 1, 2023, and every three years thereafter, the department, along with a stakeholder work group established by the department, shall conduct a review of the exceptions process to determine if it is still necessary. As part of this review, the department shall provide the legislature with a report that includes enforcement and citation data for large nonessential community providers that were granted an exception in the three previous fiscal years in comparison to those without an exception. The report must include a similar comparison of data, provided to the department by the long-term care ombuds, on long-term care ombuds referrals for large nonessential community providers that were granted an exception in the three previous fiscal years and those without an exception. This report, along with a recommendation as to whether the exceptions process should continue, is due to the legislature by December 1st of each year in which a review is conducted. Based on the recommendations outlined in this report, the legislature may take action to end the exceptions process. (4) Essential community providers and small nonessential community providers must have a registered nurse on duty directly supervising resident care a minimum of sixteen hours per day, seven days per week, and a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse on duty directly supervising resident care the remaining eight hours per day, seven days per week. (5) For the purposes of this section, "behavioral health condition" means one or more of the behavioral symptoms specified in section E of the minimum data set. (6) If a pandemic, natural disaster, or other declared state of emergency impedes or prevents facilities from compliance with subsections (2) through (4) of this section, the department may adopt rules to grant exceptions to these requirements, waive penalties, and suspend oversight activities. Facilities must remain in compliance with subsection (1) of this section. Rules adopted under this subsection are effective until 12 months after the termination of the pandemic, natural disaster, or other declared state of emergency or until determined no longer necessary by the department, whichever occurs first. Once the department determines a rule adopted under this subsection is no longer necessary, it must repeal the rule under RCW 34.05.353 .
RCW 74.13A.060 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 13A / Section 060
RCW 74.13A.060: Nonrecurring adoption expenses.
Status: in_force

The secretary may authorize the payment, from the appropriations available from the general fund, of all or part of the nonrecurring adoption expenses incurred by a prospective parent. "Nonrecurring adoption expenses" means those expenses incurred by a prospective parent in connection with the adoption of a difficult to place child including, but not limited to, attorneys' fees, court costs, and agency fees. Payment shall be made in accordance with rules adopted by the department.
RCW 74.13.705 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 13 / Section 705
RCW 74.13.705: Background checks—Out-of-state requests—Fees.
Status: in_force

The department shall charge a fee to process a request made by a person in another state for an individual's child abuse or neglect history in this state or other background history on the individual possessed by the department. All proceeds from the fees collected must go directly to aiding the cost associated with the department conducting background checks.
RCW 36.39.030 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 39 / Section 030
RCW 36.39.030: Disposal of remains of indigent persons.
Status: in_force

The board of county commissioners of any county shall provide for the disposition of the remains of any indigent person including a recipient of public assistance who dies within the county and whose body is unclaimed by relatives or church organization. The board of county commissioners of any county may provide for the disposition of the remains of an indigent resident of the county who dies in an adjacent county not in Washington state.The department shall request an amendment to its community options program entry system waiver under section 1905(c) of the federal social security act to include respite services as a service available under the waiver.
RCW 74.12.470 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 12 / Section 470
RCW 74.12.470: Monthly diaper subsidy—Rules—Outreach.
Status: in_force

(1) Subject to funds appropriated for this specific purpose, to assist with child-related necessities such as diapers, the department may make additional monthly payments to recipients with children under the age of three who are otherwise eligible for and receiving temporary assistance for needy families. (2) The department shall set the benefit amounts in rule in accordance with available funds appropriated for this purpose. (3) The department shall make reasonable efforts to ensure timely communication to families of the new subsidy at implementation and as the diaper subsidy eligibility changes.
RCW 74.34.165 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 34 / Section 165
RCW 74.34.165: Rules.
Status: in_force

The department may adopt rules relating to the reporting, investigation, and provision of protective services in in-home settings, consistent with the objectives of this chapter.
RCW 74.62.030 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 62 / Section 030
RCW 74.62.030: Assistance programs—Eligibility criteria.
Status: in_force

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2632.SL ) ***

(1)(a) The aged, blind, or disabled assistance program shall provide financial grants to persons in need who: (i) Are not eligible to receive supplemental security income, refugee cash assistance, temporary assistance for needy families, or state family assistance benefits; (ii) Meet the eligibility requirements of subsection (3) of this section; and (iii) Are aged, blind, or disabled. For purposes of determining eligibility for assistance for the aged, blind, or disabled assistance program, the following definitions apply: (A) "Aged" means age 65 or older. (B) "Blind" means statutorily blind as defined for the purpose of determining eligibility for the federal supplemental security income program. (C) "Disabled" means likely to meet the federal supplemental security income disability standard. In making this determination, the department should give full consideration to the cumulative impact of an applicant's multiple impairments, an applicant's age, and vocational and educational history. In determining whether a person is disabled, the department may rely on, but is not limited to, the following: (I) A previous disability determination by the social security administration or the disability determination service entity within the department; or (II) A determination that an individual is eligible to receive optional categorically needy medicaid as a disabled person under the federal regulations at 42 C.F.R. Parts 435, Secs. 201(a)(3) and 210. (b) The following persons are not eligible for the aged, blind, or disabled assistance program: (i) Persons who are not able to engage in gainful employment due primarily to a substance use disorder. These persons shall be referred to appropriate assessment, treatment, or shelter services. Referrals shall be made at the time of application or at the time of eligibility review. This subsection may not be construed to prohibit the department from granting aged, blind, or disabled assistance benefits to persons with a substance use disorder who are incapacitated due to other physical or mental conditions that meet the eligibility criteria for the aged, blind, or disabled assistance program; or (ii) Persons for whom there has been a final determination of ineligibility based on age, blindness, or disability for federal supplemental security income benefits. (c) Persons may receive aged, blind, or disabled assistance benefits and a referral for essential needs and housing program support under RCW 43.185C.220 concurrently while pending application for federal supplemental security income benefits. Effective October 1, 2028, a person's receipt of supplemental security income received for the same period as aged, blind, or disabled program assistance as described in this section shall not be considered a debt due to the state and is not subject to recovery. However, the monetary value of aged, blind, or disabled cash assistance paid prior to October 1, 2028, that is duplicated by the person's receipt of supplemental security income for the same period shall be considered a debt due to the state and shall by operation of law be subject to recovery through all available legal remedies. (2) The pregnant women assistance program shall provide financial grants to persons who: (a) Are pregnant and in need, based upon the current income and resource standards of the federal temporary assistance for needy families program, but are ineligible for federal temporary assistance for needy families or state family assistance benefits for a reason other than failure to cooperate in program requirements; and (b) Meet the eligibility requirements of subsection (3) of this section. (3) To be eligible for the aged, blind, or disabled assistance program under subsection (1) of this section or the pregnant women assistance program under subsection (2) of this section, a person must: (a) Be a citizen or alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence or otherwise residing in the United States under color of law, or be a victim of human trafficking as defined in RCW 74.04.005 ; (b) Meet the income and resource standards described in RCW 74.04.805 (1) (b) and (c); (c)(i) Have furnished the department with their social security number. If the social security number cannot be furnished because it has not been issued or is not known, an application for a number shall be made prior to authorization of benefits, and the social security number shall be provided to the department upon receipt; (ii) This requirement does not apply to victims of human trafficking as defined in RCW 74.04.005 if they have not been issued a social security number; (d) Not have refused or failed without good cause to participate in substance use treatment if an assessment by a certified substance use disorder professional indicates a need for such treatment. Good cause must be found to exist when a person's physical or mental condition, as determined by the department, prevents the person from participating in substance use treatment, when needed outpatient treatment is not available to the person in the county of their residence, when needed inpatient treatment is not available in a location that is reasonably accessible for the person, or when the person is a parent or other relative personally providing care for a minor child or an incapacitated individual living in the same home as the person, and child care or day care would be necessary for the person to participate in substance use disorder treatment, and such care is not available; and (e) Not have refused or failed to cooperate in obtaining federal aid assistance, without good cause. (4) Referrals for essential needs and housing support under RCW 43.185C.220 (1)(a) shall be provided to persons found eligible under RCW 74.04.805 . (5) No person may be considered an eligible individual for benefits under this section with respect to any month if during that month the person: (a) Is fleeing to avoid prosecution of, or to avoid custody or confinement for conviction of, a felony, or an attempt to commit a felony, under the laws of the state of Washington or the place from which the person flees; or (b) Is violating a condition of probation, community supervision, or parole imposed under federal or state law for a felony or gross misdemeanor conviction. (6) The department must share client data for individuals eligible for a referral to essential needs and housing support with the department of commerce and designated essential needs and housing support entities as required under RCW 43.185C.230 .
RCW 74.15.900 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 15 / Section 900
RCW 74.15.900: Short title—Purpose—Entitlement not granted—1999 c 267 ss 10-26.
Status: in_force

Sections 10 through 26, chapter 267, Laws of 1999 may be referred to as the homeless youth prevention, protection, and education act, or the HOPE act. Every day many youth in this state seek shelter out on the street. A nurturing nuclear family does not exist for them, and state-sponsored alternatives such as foster homes do not meet the demand and isolate youth, who feel like outsiders in families not their own. The legislature recognizes the need to develop placement alternatives for dependent youth ages sixteen to eighteen, who are living on the street. The HOPE act is an effort to engage youth and provide them access to services through development of life skills in a setting that supports them. Nothing in sections 10 through 26, chapter 267, Laws of 1999 shall constitute an entitlement.
RCW 13.60.110 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 60 / Section 110
RCW 13.60.110: Task force on missing and exploited children—Establishment—Activities.
Status: in_force

(1) A task force on missing and exploited children is established in the Washington state patrol. The task force shall be under the direction of the chief of the state patrol. (2) The task force is authorized to assist law enforcement agencies, upon request, in cases involving missing or exploited children by: (a) Direct assistance and case management; (b) Technical assistance; (c) Personnel training; (d) Referral for assistance from local, state, national, and international agencies; and (e) Coordination and information sharing among local, state, interstate, and federal law enforcement and social service agencies. (3) To maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of state resources and to improve interagency cooperation, the task force shall, where feasible, use existing facilities, systems, and staff made available by the state patrol and other local, state, interstate, and federal law enforcement and social service agencies. The chief of the state patrol may employ such additional personnel as are necessary for the work of the task force and may share personnel costs with other agencies. (4) The chief of the state patrol shall seek public and private grants and gifts to support the work of the task force. (5) For the purposes of this chapter, "exploited children" means children under the age of eighteen who are employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, or coerced to engage in, or assist another person to engage in, sexually explicit conduct. "Exploited children" also means the rape, molestation, or use for prostitution of children under the age of eighteen.In each fiscal year commencing upon satisfaction of the applicable conditions in RCW 74.60.150 (1), $2,040,000 must be distributed from the fund and, with available federal matching funds, paid to hospitals eligible for small rural disproportionate share payments under WAC 182-550-4900 or successor rule. Payments must be made directly to hospitals by the authority in accordance with that regulation. The authority shall provide a report of such payments to the Washington state hospital association within 30 calendar days after payments are made. Any unused funds remaining under this section shall be retained in the fund described under RCW 74.60.020 and used to reduce future assessments.
RCW 74.15.903 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 15 / Section 903
RCW 74.15.903: Construction—Religious or nonprofit organizations.
Status: in_force

Nothing contained in chapter 3, Laws of 2012 shall be construed to alter or affect existing law regarding the manner in which a religious or nonprofit organization may be licensed to and provide adoption, foster care, or other child-placing services under this chapter or chapter 74.13 or 26.33 RCW.
RCW 74.76.030 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 76 / Section 030
RCW 74.76.030: Covered lives assessment—Notification.
Status: in_force

(1) All health carriers and medicaid managed care organizations shall pay an annual covered lives assessment beginning January 1st of the plan year following the approval in RCW 74.76.020 (2)(a) as follows: (a) For assessments due the first plan year: (i) The authority shall assess a per member per month assessment of $16 per covered life for medicaid managed care organizations; and (ii) The commissioner shall assess a per member per month assessment of $0.50 per covered life for health carriers. (b) On or before May 15th of the first plan year of assessments due and on or before May 15th of each subsequent year, the authority shall determine the covered lives assessment at the rate necessary to fund the adjustment based on the inflation factor using the medicare economic index for professional services rates in RCW 74.76.050 . (c) The ratio of the total assessments collected from managed care organizations and health carriers must be set as 36 to one, respectively. Assessments for each calendar year shall be set utilizing the proportion of fully insured to medicaid managed care covered lives from the previous calendar year. (2) The assessments as applied in subsection (1) of this section are limited to: (a) The first 2,300,000 member months of fully insured lives per medicaid managed care organization on a per medicaid managed care organization basis; and (b) The first 2,300,000 member months of fully insured lives per health carrier. For each health carrier, the assessment shall apply to member months of all group health plan lives first, followed by member months of individual health plans lives. (3) If an assessment against a health carrier or medicaid managed care organization is prohibited by court order, the assessment for the remaining health carriers and medicaid managed care organizations may be adjusted in a manner consistent with subsection (1) of this section to ensure that the assessment amount calculated in subsection (1)(b) of this section will be collected. (4) The authority shall annually notify, in writing, each medicaid managed care organization of the estimated total assessment and its payment obligation for the upcoming year. The authority shall determine a payment schedule for receipt of assessments under this section in accordance with the medicaid access program rules as defined by the authority. Payment collections may be made no more frequently than quarterly. (5) Payments from managed care organizations are due to the authority within 45 days of the payment schedule determined under subsection (4) of this section. The authority shall charge interest as defined by RCW 43.17.240 , which begins to accrue on the 46th day, on amounts received after the 45-day period. The authority may allow each managed care organization in arrears to submit a payment plan, subject to approval by the authority and initial payment under an approved payment plan. (6) The authority may abate or defer, in whole or in part, the assessment of a managed care organization if, in the opinion of the authority, payment of the assessment would endanger the ability of the managed care organization to fulfill its contractual obligations under chapter 74.09 RCW. If an assessment against a managed care organization is abated or deferred in whole or in part, the amount by which such assessment is abated or deferred may be assessed against the other managed care organizations in a manner consistent with the basis for assessments in subsection (1) of this section. The managed care organization receiving such abatement or deferment remains liable to the program for the deficiency plus interest the rate established in RCW 43.17.240 . Upon receipt of payment of any abatement or deferment by a managed care organization, the authority shall adjust future assessments made against other managed care organizations under this subsection to reflect receipt of the payment. (7) The authority shall deposit annual assessments and interest collected under this section with the state treasurer to the credit of the medicaid access program account created in RCW 74.76.040 . (8) Managed care organizations shall submit any annual statements or other reports deemed necessary by the authority to calculate the assessment under this section in a manner consistent with the schedule and procedures in accordance with the medicaid access program rules as defined by the authority.
RCW 74.42.056 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 42 / Section 056
RCW 74.42.056: Department assessment of medicaid eligible individuals—Requirements.
Status: in_force

A nursing facility shall not admit any individual who is medicaid eligible unless that individual has been assessed by the department. Appropriate hospital discharge shall not be delayed pending the assessment. To ensure timely hospital discharge of medicaid eligible persons, the date of the request for a department long-term care assessment, or the date that nursing home care actually begins, whichever is later, shall be deemed the effective date of the initial service and payment authorization. The department shall respond promptly to such requests. A nursing facility admitting an individual without a request for a department assessment shall not be reimbursed by the department and shall not be allowed to collect payment from a medicaid eligible individual for any care rendered before the date the facility makes a request to the department for an assessment. The date on which a nursing facility makes a request for a department long-term care assessment, or the date that nursing home care actually begins, whichever is later, shall be deemed the effective date of initial service and payment authorization for admissions regardless of the source of referral. A medicaid eligible individual residing in a nursing facility who is transferred to an acute care hospital shall not be required to have a department assessment under this section prior to returning to the same or another nursing facility.
RCW 74.08A.285 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 08A / Section 285
RCW 74.08A.285: Job search instruction and assistance.
Status: in_force

The WorkFirst program operated by the department to meet the federal work requirements specified in P.L. 104-193 shall contain a job search component. The component shall consist of instruction on how to secure a job and assisted job search activities to locate and retain employment. Nonexempt recipients of temporary assistance for needy families shall participate in an initial job search for no more than twelve consecutive weeks. Each recipient shall receive a work skills assessment upon referral to the job search program. The work skills assessment shall include but not be limited to education, employment history, employment strengths, and job skills. The recipient's ability to obtain employment will be reviewed periodically thereafter and, if it is clear at any time that further participation in a job search will not be productive, the department shall assess the recipient pursuant to RCW 74.08A.260 . The department shall refer recipients unable to find employment through the initial job search period to work activities that will develop their skills or knowledge to make them more employable, including additional job search and job readiness assistance.
RCW 74.42.410 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 42 / Section 410
RCW 74.42.410: Laundry services.
Status: in_force

The facility shall manage laundry services to meet the residents' daily clothing and linen needs. The facility shall have available at all times enough linen for the proper care and comfort of the residents.
RCW 74.04.790 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 04 / Section 790
RCW 74.04.790: Supplementary program—Reimbursement for employees being victims of assault.
Status: in_force

(1) For purposes of this section only, "assault" means an unauthorized touching of a child protective, child welfare, or adult protective services worker employed by the department of children, youth, and families or the department of social and health services resulting in physical injury to the employee. (2) In recognition of the hazardous nature of employment in child protective, child welfare, and adult protective services, the legislature hereby provides a supplementary program to reimburse employees of the department, for some of their costs attributable to their being the victims of assault while in the course of discharging their assigned duties. This program shall be limited to the reimbursement provided in this section. (3) An employee is only entitled to receive the reimbursement provided in this section if the secretary of children, youth, and families, or the secretary's designee, or the secretary of social and health services, or the secretary's designee, finds that each of the following has occurred: (a) A person has assaulted the employee while the employee was in the course of performing his or her official duties and, as a result thereof, the employee has sustained demonstrated physical injuries which have required the employee to miss days of work; (b) The assault cannot be attributable to any extent to the employee's negligence, misconduct, or failure to comply with any rules or conditions of employment; and (c) The department of labor and industries has approved the employee's workers' compensation application pursuant to chapter 51.32 RCW. (4) The reimbursement authorized under this section shall be as follows: (a) The employee's accumulated sick leave days shall not be reduced for the workdays missed; (b) For each workday missed for which the employee is not eligible to receive compensation under chapter 51.32 RCW, the employee shall receive full pay; and (c) In respect to workdays missed for which the employee will receive or has received compensation under chapter 51.32 RCW, the employee shall be reimbursed in an amount which, when added to that compensation, will result in the employee receiving full pay for the workdays missed. (5) Reimbursement under this section may not last longer than three hundred sixty-five consecutive days after the date of the injury. (6) The employee shall not be entitled to the reimbursement provided in subsection (4) of this section for any workday for which the secretary, or the secretary's designee, finds that the employee has not diligently pursued his or her compensation remedies under chapter 51.32 RCW. (7) The reimbursement shall only be made for absences which the secretary, or the secretary's designee, believes are justified. (8) While the employee is receiving reimbursement under this section, he or she shall continue to be classified as a state employee and the reimbursement amount shall be considered as salary or wages. (9) All reimbursement payments required to be made to employees under this section shall be made by the department. The payments shall be considered as a salary or wage expense and shall be paid by the department in the same manner and from the same appropriations as other salary and wage expenses of the department. (10) Should the legislature revoke the reimbursement authorized under this section or repeal this section, no affected employee is entitled thereafter to receive the reimbursement as a matter of contractual right.
RCW 74.09.741 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 741
RCW 74.09.741: Adjudicative proceedings.
Status: in_force

(1) The following persons have the right to an adjudicative proceeding: (a) Any applicant or recipient who is aggrieved by a decision of the authority or an authorized agency of the authority; or (b) A current or former recipient who is aggrieved by the authority's claim that he or she owes a debt for overpayment of assistance. (2) For purposes of this section: (a) "Applicant" means any person who has made a request, or on behalf of whom a request has been made to the authority for any medical services program established under this chapter. (b) "Recipient" means a person who is receiving benefits from the authority for any medical services program established in this chapter. (3) An applicant or recipient has no right to an adjudicative proceeding when the sole basis for the authority's decision is a federal or state law requiring an assistance adjustment for a class of applicants or recipients. (4) An applicant or recipient may file an application for an adjudicative proceeding with either the authority or the department and must do so within 90 calendar days after receiving notice of the aggrieving decision unless good cause is shown, to the extent allowable under federal law. The authority shall determine which agency is responsible for representing the state of Washington in the hearing, in accordance with agreements entered pursuant to RCW 41.05.021 . (a) For the purpose of this subsection, good cause is defined as a substantive reason or legal justification for failing to meet a hearing deadline. Good cause to fail to meet a hearing deadline may include, but is not limited to: Military deployment, medical reasons, housing instability, language barriers, or domestic violence. (b) The authority or the department shall not grant a request for a hearing for good cause if the request is filed more than one year after the aggrieving decision. (5)(a) The adjudicative proceeding is governed by the administrative procedure act, chapter 34.05 RCW, and this subsection. The following requirements shall apply to adjudicative proceedings in which an appellant seeks review of decisions made by more than one agency. When an appellant files a single application for an adjudicative proceeding seeking review of decisions by more than one agency, this review shall be conducted initially in one adjudicative proceeding. The presiding officer may sever the proceeding into multiple proceedings on the motion of any of the parties, when: (i) All parties consent to the severance; or (ii) Either party requests severance without another party's consent, and the presiding officer finds there is good cause for severing the matter and that the proposed severance is not likely to prejudice the rights of an appellant who is a party to any of the severed proceedings. (b) If there are multiple adjudicative proceedings involving common issues or parties where there is one appellant and both the authority and the department are parties, upon motion of any party or upon his or her own motion, the presiding offer may consolidate the proceedings if he or she finds that the consolidation is not likely to prejudice the rights of the appellant who is a party to any of the consolidated proceedings. (c) The adjudicative proceeding shall be conducted at the local community services office or other location in Washington convenient to the applicant or recipient and, upon agreement by the applicant or recipient, may be conducted telephonically. (d) The applicant or recipient, or his or her representative, has the right to inspect his or her file from the authority and, upon request, to receive copies of authority documents relevant to the proceedings free of charge. (e) The applicant or recipient has the right to a copy of the audio recording of the adjudicative proceeding free of charge. (f) If a final adjudicative order is issued in favor of an applicant, medical services benefits must be provided from the date of earliest eligibility, the date of denial of the application for assistance, or 45 days following the date of application, whichever is soonest. If a final adjudicative order is issued in favor of a recipient, medical services benefits must be provided from the effective date of the authority's decision. (g) The authority is limited to recovering an overpayment arising from assistance being continued pending the adjudicative proceeding to the amount recoverable up to the 60th day after the director's receipt of the application for an adjudicative proceeding. (6) If the director requires that a party seek administrative review of an initial order to an adjudicative proceeding governed by this section, in order for the party to exhaust administrative remedies pursuant to RCW 34.05.534 , the director shall adopt and implement rules in accordance with this subsection. (a) The director, in consultation with the secretary, shall adopt rules to create a process for parties to seek administrative review of initial orders issued pursuant to RCW 34.05.461 in adjudicative proceedings governed by this subsection when multiple agencies are parties. (b) This process shall seek to minimize any procedural complexities imposed on appellants that result from multiple agencies being parties to the matter, without prejudicing the rights of parties who are public assistance applicants or recipients. (c) Nothing in this subsection shall impose or modify any legal requirement that a party seek administrative review of initial orders in order to exhaust administrative remedies pursuant to RCW 34.05.534 . (7) This subsection only applies to an adjudicative proceeding in which the appellant is an applicant for or recipient of medical services programs established under this chapter and the issue is his or her eligibility or ineligibility due to the assignment or transfer of a resource. The burden is on the authority or its authorized agency to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the person knowingly and willingly assigned or transferred the resource at less than market value for the purpose of qualifying or continuing to qualify for medical services programs established under this chapter. If the prevailing party in the adjudicative proceeding is the applicant or recipient, he or she is entitled to reasonable attorneys' fees. (8) When an applicant or recipient files a petition for judicial review as provided in RCW 34.05.514 of an adjudicative order entered with respect to the medical services program, no filing fee may be collected from the person and no bond may be required on any appeal. In the event that the superior court, the court of appeals, or the supreme court renders a decision in favor of the applicant or recipient, the person is entitled to reasonable attorneys' fees and costs. If a decision of the court is made in favor of an applicant, assistance shall be paid from the date of earliest eligibility, the date of the denial of the application for assistance, or 45 days following the date of application, whichever is soonest. If a decision of the court is made in favor of a recipient, assistance shall be paid from the effective date of the authority's decision. (9) The provisions of RCW 74.08.080 do not apply to adjudicative proceedings requested or conducted with respect to the medical services program pursuant to this section. (10) The authority shall adopt any rules it deems necessary to implement this section.
RCW 74.09.5225 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 5225
RCW 74.09.5225: Medical assistance—Payments for services provided by rural hospitals—Participation in Washington rural health access preservation pilot.
Status: in_force

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 6103.SL ) ***

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 5923-S.SL ) ***

(1) Payments for recipients eligible for medical assistance programs under this chapter for services provided by hospitals, regardless of the beneficiary's managed care enrollment status, shall be made based on allowable costs incurred during the year, when services are provided by a rural hospital certified by the centers for medicare and medicaid services as a critical access hospital, unless the critical access hospital is participating in the Washington rural health access preservation pilot described in subsection (2)(b) of this section. Any additional payments made by the authority for the healthy options program shall be no more than the additional amounts per service paid under this section for other medical assistance programs. (2)(a) Beginning on July 24, 2005, except as provided in (b) of this subsection, a moratorium shall be placed on additional hospital participation in critical access hospital payments under this section. However, rural hospitals that applied for certification to the centers for medicare and medicaid services prior to January 1, 2005, but have not yet completed the process or have not yet been approved for certification, remain eligible for medical assistance payments under this section. (b)(i) The purpose of the Washington rural health access preservation pilot is to develop an alternative service and payment system to the critical access hospital authorized under section 1820 of the social security act to sustain essential services in rural communities. (ii) For the purposes of state law, any rural hospital approved by the department of health for participation in critical access hospital payments under this section that participates in the Washington rural health access preservation pilot identified by the state office of rural health and ceases to participate in critical access hospital payments may renew participation in critical access hospital associated payment methodologies under this section at any time. (iii) The Washington rural health access preservation pilot is subject to the following requirements: (A) In the pilot formation or development, the department of health, health care authority, and Washington state hospital association will identify goals for the pilot project before any hospital joins the pilot project; (B) Participation in the pilot is optional and no hospital may be required to join the pilot; (C) Before a hospital enters the pilot program, the health care authority must provide information to the hospital regarding how the hospital could end its participation in the pilot if the pilot is not working in its community; (D) Payments for services delivered by public health care service districts participating in the Washington rural health access preservation pilot to recipients eligible for medical assistance programs under this chapter must be based on an alternative, value-based payment methodology established by the authority. Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the payment methodology must provide sufficient funding to sustain essential services in the areas served, including but not limited to emergency and primary care services. The methodology must adjust payment amounts based on measures of quality and value, rather than volume. As part of the pilot, the health care authority shall encourage additional payers to use the adopted payment methodology for services delivered by the pilot participants to individuals insured by those payers; (E) The department of health, health care authority, and Washington state hospital association will report interim progress to the legislature no later than December 1, 2018, and will report on the results of the pilot no later than six months following the conclusion of the pilot. The reports will describe any policy changes identified during the course of the pilot that would support small critical access hospitals; and (F) Funds appropriated for the Washington rural health access preservation pilot will be used to help participating hospitals transition to a new payment methodology and will not extend beyond the anticipated three-year pilot period. (3)(a) Beginning January 1, 2015, payments for recipients eligible for medical assistance programs under this chapter for services provided by a hospital, regardless of the beneficiary's managed care enrollment status, shall be increased to one hundred twenty-five percent of the hospital's fee-for-service rates, when services are provided by a rural hospital that: (i) Was certified by the centers for medicare and medicaid services as a sole community hospital as of January 1, 2013; (ii) Had a level III adult trauma service designation from the department of health as of January 1, 2014; (iii) Had less than one hundred fifty acute care licensed beds in fiscal year 2011; and (iv) Is owned and operated by the state or a political subdivision. (b) The enhanced payment rates under this subsection shall be considered the hospital's medicaid payment rate for purposes of any other state or private programs that pay hospitals according to medicaid payment rates. (c) Hospitals participating in the certified public expenditures program may not receive the increased reimbursement rates provided in this subsection (3) for inpatient services.
RCW 74.04.820 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 04 / Section 820
RCW 74.04.820: Victims of human trafficking eligibility.
Status: in_force

Victims of human trafficking, as defined in RCW 74.04.005 , are eligible for state family assistance programs as provided in rule on February 1, 2022, who otherwise meet program eligibility requirements.
RCW 74.20A.310 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 20A / Section 310
RCW 74.20A.310: Federal and state cooperation—Rules—Construction.
Status: in_force

In furtherance of the policy of the state to cooperate with the federal government in the administration of the child support enforcement program, the department may adopt such rules and regulations as may become necessary to entitle the state to participate in federal funds, unless such rules would be expressly prohibited by law. Any section or provision of law dealing with the child support program which may be susceptible to more than one construction shall be interpreted in favor of the construction most likely to comply with federal laws entitling the state to receive federal funds. If any law dealing with the child support enforcement program is ruled to be in conflict with federal requirements which are a prescribed condition of the allocation of federal funds, such conflicting law is declared to be inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict.
RCW 74.09.710 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 710
RCW 74.09.710: Chronic care management programs—Medical homes—Definitions.
Status: in_force

(1) The authority, in collaboration with the department of health and the department of social and health services, shall: (a) Design and implement medical homes for its aged, blind, and disabled clients in conjunction with chronic care management programs to improve health outcomes, access, and cost-effectiveness. Programs must be evidence based, facilitating the use of information technology to improve quality of care, must acknowledge the role of primary care providers and include financial and other supports to enable these providers to effectively carry out their role in chronic care management, and must improve coordination of primary, acute, and long-term care for those clients with multiple chronic conditions. The authority shall consider expansion of existing medical home and chronic care management programs and build on the Washington state collaborative initiative. The authority shall use best practices in identifying those clients best served under a chronic care management model using predictive modeling through claims or other health risk information; and (b) Evaluate the effectiveness of current chronic care management efforts in the authority and the department, comparison to best practices, and recommendations for future efforts and organizational structure to improve chronic care management. (2) For purposes of this section: (a) "Medical home" means a site of care that provides comprehensive preventive and coordinated care centered on the patient needs and assures high quality, accessible, and efficient care. (b) "Chronic care management" means the authority's program that provides care management and coordination activities for medical assistance clients determined to be at risk for high medical costs. "Chronic care management" provides education and training and/or coordination that assist program participants in improving self-management skills to improve health outcomes and reduce medical costs by educating clients to better utilize services.
RCW 74.09.5222 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 5222
RCW 74.09.5222: Medical assistance—Section 1115 demonstration waiver request.
Status: in_force

(1) The authority shall submit a section 1115 demonstration waiver request to the federal department of health and human services to expand and revise the medical assistance program as codified in Title XIX of the federal social security act. The waiver request should be designed to ensure the broadest federal financial participation under Title XIX and XXI of the federal social security act. To the extent permitted under federal law, the waiver request should include the following components: (a) Establishment of a single eligibility standard for low-income persons, including expansion of categorical eligibility to include childless adults. The authority shall request that the single eligibility standard be phased in such that incremental steps are taken to cover additional low-income parents and individuals over time, with the goal of offering coverage to persons with household income at or below two hundred percent of the federal poverty level; (b) Establishment of a single seamless application and eligibility determination system for all state low-income medical programs included in the waiver. Applications may be electronic and may include an electronic signature for verification and authentication. Eligibility determinations should maximize federal financing where possible; (c) The delivery of all low-income coverage programs as a single program, with a common core benefit package that may be similar to the basic health benefit package or an alternative benefit package approved by the secretary of the federal department of health and human services, including the option of supplemental coverage for select categorical groups, such as children, and individuals who are aged, blind, and disabled; (d) A program design to include creative and innovative approaches such as: Coverage for preventive services with incentives to use appropriate preventive care; enhanced medical home reimbursement and bundled payment methodologies; cost-sharing options; use of care management and care coordination programs to improve coordination of medical and behavioral health services; application of an innovative predictive risk model to better target care management services; and mandatory enrollment in managed care, as may be necessary; (e) The ability to impose enrollment limits or benefit design changes for eligibility groups that were not eligible under the Title XIX state plan in effect on the date of submission of the waiver application; (f) A premium assistance program whereby employers can participate in coverage options for employees and dependents of employees otherwise eligible under the waiver. The waiver should make every effort to maximize enrollment in employer-sponsored health insurance when it is cost-effective for the state to do so, and the purchase is consistent with the requirements of Titles XIX and XXI of the federal social security act. To the extent allowable under federal law, the authority shall require enrollment in available employer-sponsored coverage as a condition of eligibility for coverage under the waiver; and (g) The ability to share savings that might accrue to the federal medicare program, Title XVIII of the federal social security act, from improved care management for persons who are eligible for both medicare and medicaid. Through the waiver application process, the authority shall determine whether the state could serve, directly or by contract, as a medicare special needs plan for persons eligible for both medicare and medicaid. (2) The authority shall hold ongoing stakeholder discussions as it is developing the waiver request, and provide opportunities for public review and comment as the request is being developed. (3) The authority shall identify statutory changes that may be necessary to ensure successful and timely implementation of the waiver request as submitted to the federal department of health and human services as the apple health program for adults. (4) The legislature must authorize implementation of any waiver approved by the federal department of health and human services under this section.
RCW 74.70.100 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 70 / Section 100
RCW 74.70.100: Operation and termination—Contingent expiration date.
Status: in_force

(1) The assessment, collection, and disbursement of funds under this chapter shall be conditional upon: (a) The federal centers for medicare and medicaid services not determining that the quality assurance fee revenues may not be used for the purposes set forth in this chapter; (b) The state not reducing its fee-for-service payment schedule for emergency ambulance transports provided by ambulance transport providers; (c) The state not delegating responsibility to pay for emergency ambulance transports to a managed care organization, prepaid inpatient health plan, or prepaid ambulatory health plan, as those terms are defined in 42 C.F.R. Sec. 438.2; (d) Federal financial participation being available and not otherwise jeopardized; (e) The program not prohibiting, diminishing, or harming the ground emergency medical transportation services reimbursement program described in RCW 41.05.730 ; and (f) Consistent with RCW 74.70.060 (3), the state continuing its maintenance of effort for the level of state funding not derived from the quality assurance fee of emergency ambulance transports reimbursement for the 2021–22 rate year, and for each applicable rate year thereafter, in an amount not less than the amount that the state would have paid for the same number of emergency ambulance transports under the rate methodology that was in effect on July 1, 2019. (2) This chapter ceases to be operative on the first day of the state fiscal year beginning on or after the date one or more of the following conditions is satisfied: (a) The federal centers for medicare and medicaid services no longer allows the collection or use of the ambulance transport provider assessment provided in this chapter; (b) The increase to the medicaid payments described in RCW 74.70.060 no longer remains in effect; (c) The quality assurance fee assessed and collected pursuant to this chapter is no longer available for the purposes specified in this chapter; (d) A final judicial determination made by any state or federal court that is not appealed, or by a court of appellate jurisdiction that is not further appealed, in any action by any party, or a final determination by the administrator of the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services that is not appealed, that federal financial participation is not available with respect to any payment made under the methodology implemented pursuant to this chapter; (e) The state reduces its fee-for-service payment schedule for emergency ambulance transports provided by ambulance transport providers; (f) The state delegates responsibility to pay for emergency ambulance transports to a managed care organization, prepaid inpatient health plan, or prepaid ambulatory health plan, as those terms are defined in 42 C.F.R. Sec. 438.2; and (g) The program not prohibiting, diminishing, or harming the ground emergency medical transportation services reimbursement program described in RCW 41.05.730 . (3) In the event one or more of the conditions listed in subsection (2) of this section is satisfied, the authority shall notify, in writing and as soon as practicable, the secretary of state, the secretary of the senate, the chief clerk of the house of representatives, the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the legislature, and the code reviser's office of the condition and the approximate date or dates that it occurred. The authority shall post the notice on the authority's website. (4)(a) Notwithstanding any other law, in the event this chapter becomes inoperative pursuant to subsection (2) of this section, the authority shall be authorized to conduct all appropriate close-out activities and implement applicable provisions of this chapter for prior state fiscal years during which this chapter was operative including, but not limited to, the collection of outstanding quality assurance fees pursuant to RCW 74.70.050 and payments associated with any add-on increase to the medicaid fee-for-service payment schedule pursuant to RCW 74.70.060 . In implementing these close-out activities, the authority shall ensure that the actual or projected available fee amount for each applicable state fiscal year remains approximately equal to the aggregate fee schedule amount for the state fiscal year, as defined by RCW 74.70.050 (2)(c). During this close-out period, the full amount of the quality assurance fee assessed and collected remains available only for the purposes specified in this chapter. (b) Upon a determination by the authority that all appropriate close-out and implementation activities pursuant to (a) of this subsection have been completed, the authority shall notify, in writing, the secretary of state, the secretary of the senate, the chief clerk of the house of representatives, the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the legislature, and the code reviser's office of that determination. This chapter shall expire as of the effective date of the notification issued by the authority pursuant to this subsection.
RCW 74.20A.100 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 20A / Section 100
RCW 74.20A.100: Civil liability upon failure to comply with order or lien—Collection.
Status: in_force

(1) Any person, firm, corporation, association, political subdivision, or department of the state shall be liable to the department, or to the agency or firm providing child support enforcement for another state, under Title IV-D of the federal social security act and issuing a notice, garnishment, or wage assignment attaching wages or earnings in satisfaction of a support obligation, in the amount that should have been withheld, together with costs, interest, and reasonable attorney fees if that person or entity: (a) Fails to answer an order to withhold and deliver, or substantially similar action issued by the agency or firm providing child support enforcement for another state, under Title IV-D of the federal social security act, within the time prescribed herein; (b) Fails or refuses to deliver property pursuant to said order; (c) After actual notice of filing of a support lien, pays over, releases, sells, transfers, or conveys real or personal property subject to a support lien to or for the benefit of the debtor or any other person; (d) Fails or refuses to surrender property distrained under RCW 74.20A.130 upon demand; or (e) Fails or refuses to honor an assignment of earnings presented by the secretary. (2) The secretary is authorized to issue a notice of noncompliance under RCW 74.20A.350 or to proceed in superior court to obtain a judgment for noncompliance under this section.
RCW 74.12.300 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 12 / Section 300
RCW 74.12.300: Grant during period required to eliminate undesirable conditions.
Status: in_force

If the home in which the child lives is found to be unsuitable, but there is reason to believe that elimination of the undesirable conditions can be effected, and the child is otherwise eligible for aid, a grant shall be initiated or continued for such time as the state department of social and health services and the family require to remedy the conditions.
RCW 74.09.825 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 825
RCW 74.09.825: Donor human milk—Standards—Federal funding.
Status: in_force

(1) The authority shall provide coverage under this chapter for medically necessary donor human milk for inpatient use when ordered by a licensed health care provider with prescriptive authority or an international board certified lactation consultant certified by the international board of lactation consultant examiners for an infant who is medically or physically unable to receive maternal human milk or participate in chest feeding or whose parent is medically or physically unable to produce maternal human milk in sufficient quantities or caloric density or participate in chest feeding, if the infant meets at least one of the following criteria: (a) An infant birth weight of below 2,500 grams; (b) An infant gestational age equal to or less than 34 weeks; (c) Infant hypoglycemia; (d) A high risk for development of necrotizing enterocolitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, or retinopathy of prematurity; (e) A congenital or acquired gastrointestinal condition with long-term feeding or malabsorption complications; (f) Congenital heart disease requiring surgery in the first year of life; (g) An organ or bone marrow transplant; (h) Sepsis; (i) Congenital hypotonias associated with feeding difficulty or malabsorption; (j) Renal disease requiring dialysis in the first year of life; (k) Craniofacial anomalies; (l) An immunologic deficiency; (m) Neonatal abstinence syndrome; (n) Any other serious congenital or acquired condition for which the use of pasteurized donor human milk and donor human milk derived products is medically necessary and supports the treatment and recovery of the child; or (o) Any baby still inpatient within 72 hours of birth without sufficient human milk available. (2) Donor human milk covered under this section must be obtained from a milk bank that meets minimum standards adopted by the department of health pursuant to RCW 43.70.645 . (3) The authority may require an enrollee to obtain expedited prior authorization to receive coverage for donor human milk as required under this section. (4) In administering this program, the authority must seek any available federal financial participation under the medical assistance program, as codified at Title XIX of the federal social security act, the state children's health insurance program, as codified at Title XXI of the federal social security act, and any other federal funding sources that are now available or may become available. (5) For purposes of this section: (a) "Donor human milk" means human milk that has been contributed to a milk bank by one or more donors. (b) "Milk bank" means an organization that engages in the procurement, processing, storage, distribution, or use of human milk contributed by donors.
RCW 74.18.210 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 18 / Section 210
RCW 74.18.210: Business enterprises program—Purposes.
Status: in_force

The department shall maintain or cause to be maintained a business enterprises program for blind persons to operate vending facilities in public buildings. The purposes of the business enterprises program are to implement the Randolph-Sheppard Act and thereby give priority to qualified blind persons in operating vending facilities on federal property, to make similar provisions for vending facilities in public buildings in the state of Washington and thereby increase employment opportunities for blind persons, and to encourage blind persons to become successful, independent business persons.
RCW 74.39A.400 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 39A / Section 400
RCW 74.39A.400: Personal care services—Community first choice option.
Status: reserved

(1) The department of social and health services shall refinance medicaid personal care services under the community first choice option. Beginning July 1, 2014, the department shall seek stakeholder input on program and system design prior to the submission of a proposal to the center for medicaid and medicare [centers for medicare and medicaid] services. The community first choice option shall be designed in such a way to meet the federal minimum maintenance of effort requirements and all service requirements as specified in federal rule. Optional services may also be included in the benefit package. In the first full year of implementation, the increase in per capita cost of services directly resulting from meeting the federal requirements of the community first choice option, as well as the cost of new optional services, shall not exceed a three percent increase over the per capita costs of personal care services in the fiscal year prior to full implementation of the community first choice option. The three percent limit on new expenditures shall not apply to cost increases that are not the result of implementing the community first choice option, including case load growth, case mix changes, inflation, vendor rate changes, expenditures necessary to meet state and federal law requirements, and any adjustments made pursuant to collective bargaining. The community first choice option must be fully implemented no later than August 30, 2015. (2) The department shall use general fund — state savings from the refinance in this section to offset additional caseload, per capita cost increases, and staff resources necessary to implement the community first choice option. Any remaining general fund — state savings from the refinance shall be reserved for potential investments in home and community-based services for individuals with developmental disabilities or individuals with long-term care needs, including investments recommended by the joint legislative executive committee on aging and disability and the development and implementation council that the department must convene prior to submitting the proposed community first choice option to the centers for medicare and medicaid services. At a minimum, the final report to the legislature from the joint legislative executive committee on aging and disability must explore the cost and benefit of rate enhancements for providers of long-term services and supports, restoration of hours for in-home clients, additional investment in the family caregiver support program, and additional investment in the individual and family services program or other medicaid services to support individuals with developmental disabilities.
RCW 74.39A.210 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 39A / Section 210
RCW 74.39A.210: Disclosure of employee information—Employer immunity—Rebuttable presumption.
Status: in_force

An employer providing home and community services, including facilities licensed under chapters 18.51 , 18.20, 70.97, and 70.128 RCW, an employer of a program operating under RCW 71A.12.040 (10), a consumer directed employer, or an in-home services agency employer licensed under chapter 70.127 RCW, who discloses information about a former or current employee to a prospective home and community services employer, nursing home employer, consumer directed employer, or in-home services agency employer, is presumed to be acting in good faith and is immune from civil and criminal liability for such disclosure or its consequences if the disclosed information relates to: (1) The employee's ability to perform his or her job; (2) the diligence, skill, or reliability with which the employee carried out the duties of his or her job; or (3) any illegal or wrongful act committed by the employee when related to his or her ability to care for a vulnerable adult. For purposes of this section, the presumption of good faith may only be rebutted upon a showing by clear and convincing evidence that the information disclosed by the employer was knowingly false or made with reckless disregard for the truth of the information disclosed. If the employee successfully rebuts the presumption of good faith standard in a court of competent jurisdiction, as the prevailing party, the employee shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees against the employer. Nothing in this section shall affect or limit any other state, federal, or constitutional right otherwise available.
RCW 74.20A.240 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 20A / Section 240
RCW 74.20A.240: Assignment of earnings to be honored—Effect—Income withholding forms—Processing fee.
Status: in_force

(1) Any person, firm, corporation, association, political subdivision, department of the state, or agency, subdivision, or instrumentality of the United States employing a person owing a support debt or obligation, shall honor, according to its terms, a duly executed assignment of earnings presented by the secretary as a plan to satisfy or retire a support debt or obligation. This requirement to honor the assignment of earnings and the assignment of earnings itself shall be applicable whether said earnings are to be paid presently or in the future and shall continue in force and effect until released in writing by the secretary. Payment of moneys pursuant to an assignment of earnings presented by the secretary shall serve as full acquittance under any contract of employment. A person, firm, corporation, association, political subdivision, department of the state, or agency, subdivision, or instrumentality of the United States that complies with the assignment of earnings under this chapter is not civilly liable to the debtor for complying with the assignment of earnings under this chapter. The secretary shall be released from liability for improper receipt of moneys under an assignment of earnings upon return of any moneys so received. (2) An assignment of earnings presented by the secretary in accordance with this section must include income withholding forms adopted and required by the United States department of health and human services. (3) An assignment of earnings presented by the secretary in accordance with this section has priority over any other wage assignment, garnishment, attachment, or other legal process except for another wage assignment, garnishment, attachment, or other legal process for support moneys. (4) The employer may deduct a processing fee from the remainder of the debtor's earnings, even if the remainder would be exempt under RCW 74.20A.090 . The processing fee shall not exceed fifteen dollars from the first disbursement to the department and one dollar for each subsequent disbursement under the assignment of earnings.
RCW 74.20A.040 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 20A / Section 040
RCW 74.20A.040: Notice of support debt—Service or mailing—Contents—Action on, when.
Status: in_force

(1) The secretary may issue a notice of a support debt accrued and/or accruing based upon RCW 74.20A.030 , assignment of a support debt or a request for support enforcement services under RCW 74.20.040 (2) or (3), to enforce and collect a support debt created by a superior court order or administrative order. The payee under the order shall be informed when a notice of support debt is issued under this section. (2) The notice may be served upon the debtor in the manner prescribed for the service of a summons in a civil action or be mailed to the debtor at his or her last known address by certified mail, return receipt requested, demanding payment within twenty days of the date of receipt. (3) The notice of debt shall include: (a) A statement of the support debt accrued and/or accruing, computable on the amount required to be paid under any superior court order to which the department is subrogated or is authorized to enforce and collect under RCW 74.20A.030 , has an assigned interest, or has been authorized to enforce pursuant to RCW 74.20.040 (2) or (3); (b) A statement that the property of the debtor is subject to collection action; (c) A statement that the property is subject to lien and foreclosure, distraint, seizure and sale, or order to withhold and deliver; and (d) A statement that the net proceeds will be applied to the satisfaction of the support debt. (4) Action to collect a support debt by lien and foreclosure, or distraint, seizure and sale, or order to withhold and deliver shall be lawful after twenty days from the date of service upon the debtor or twenty days from the receipt or refusal by the debtor of said notice of debt. (5) The secretary shall not be required to issue or serve such notice of support debt prior to taking collection action under this chapter when a responsible parent's support order: (a) Contains language directing the parent to make support payments to the Washington state support registry; and (b) Includes a statement that income-withholding action under this chapter may be taken without further notice to the responsible parent, as provided in RCW 26.23.050 (1).
RCW 74.15.100 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 15 / Section 100
RCW 74.15.100: License application, issuance, duration—Reclassification—Location changes.
Status: in_force

Each agency shall make application for a license or renewal of license to the department on forms prescribed by the department. A licensed agency having foster family homes under its supervision may make application for a license on behalf of any such foster family home. Such a foster home license shall cease to be valid when the home is no longer under the supervision of that agency. Upon receipt of such application, the department shall either grant or deny a license within ninety days unless the application is for licensure as a foster family home, in which case RCW 74.15.040 shall govern. A license shall be granted if the agency meets the minimum requirements set forth in this chapter and RCW 74.13.031 and the departmental requirements consistent herewith, except that an initial license may be issued as provided in RCW 74.15.120 . Licenses provided for in this chapter and RCW 74.13.031 shall be issued for a period of three years. The licensee, however, shall advise the secretary of any material change in circumstances which might constitute grounds for reclassification of license as to category. The license issued under this chapter is not transferable and applies only to the licensee. The license shall be limited to a particular location which shall be stated on the license. For licensed foster family homes having an acceptable history of child care, the license may remain in effect for thirty days after a move, except that this will apply only if the family remains intact and children are placed in their care. Licensees must notify their licensor before moving to a new location and may request a continuation of the license at the new location. The department shall conduct a home inspection following notification that a foster family home has moved to a new location. Provided the new location and licensees meet minimum licensing standards, the licensor shall amend the license to reflect the new location. Licensees whose family remains intact and have no children placed in their care at the time of a move to a new location shall notify their licensor within ninety days of moving. If the licensee is in good standing at the time of the move, the licensor shall place the home on no-referral status and complete a home inspection within thirty days of notification. Such licensees shall remain on no-referral status and no new placements may be made in their home until the inspection is complete and the licensor determines that the new location meets minimum licensing standards.
RCW 74.39A.903 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 39A / Section 903
RCW 74.39A.903: Effective date—1993 c 508.
Status: in_force

This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately [May 18, 1993].
RCW 74.39A.155 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 39A / Section 155
RCW 74.39A.155: Support for persons at risk of institutional placement.
Status: in_force

Within funds appropriated for this purpose, the department shall provide additional support for residents in community settings who exhibit challenging behaviors that put them at risk for institutional placement. The residents must be receiving services under programs authorized through the medicaid state plan, medicaid waiver authorities, or similar state-funded in-home care programs, and must have been evaluated under the individual comprehensive assessment reporting and evaluation process.
RCW 74.09.230 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 230
RCW 74.09.230: False statements, fraud—Penalties.
Status: in_force

Any person, including any corporation, that (1) knowingly makes or causes to be made any false statement or representation of a material fact in any application for any payment under any medical care program authorized under this chapter or other applicable law, or (2) at any time knowingly makes or causes to be made any false statement or representation of a material fact for use in determining rights to such payment, or knowingly falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact in connection with such application or payment, or (3) having knowledge of the occurrence of any event affecting (a) the initial or continued right to any payment, or (b) the initial or continued right to any such payment of any other individual in whose behalf he or she has applied for or is receiving such payment, conceals or fails to disclose such event with an intent fraudulently to secure such payment either in a greater amount or quantity than is due or when no such payment is authorized, shall be guilty of a class C felony: PROVIDED, That the fine, if imposed, shall not be in an amount more than twenty-five thousand dollars, except as authorized by RCW 9A.20.030 .
RCW 74.14A.025 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 14A / Section 025
RCW 74.14A.025: Services for emotionally disturbed and mentally ill children, potentially dependent children, and families-in-conflict—Policy updated.
Status: in_force

To update, specify, and expand the policy stated in RCW 74.14A.020 , the following is declared: It is the policy of the state of Washington to promote: (1) Family-oriented services and supports that: (a) Respond to the changing nature of families; and (b) Respond to what individuals and families say they need, and meet those needs in a way that maintains their dignity and respects their choices; (2) Culturally relevant services and supports that: (a) Explicitly recognize the culture and beliefs of each family and use these as resources on behalf of the family; (b) Provide equal access to culturally unique communities in planning and programs, and day-to-day work, and actively address instances where clearly disproportionate needs exist; and (c) Enhance every culture's ability to achieve self-sufficiency and contribute in a productive way to the larger community; (3) Coordinated services that: (a) Develop strategies and skills for collaborative planning, problem solving, and service delivery; (b) Encourage coordination and innovation by providing both formal and informal ways for people to communicate and collaborate in planning and programs; (c) Allow clients, vendors, community people, and other agencies to creatively provide the most effective, responsive, and flexible services; and (d) Commit to an open exchange of skills and information; and expect people throughout the system to treat each other with respect, dignity, and understanding; (4) Locally planned services and supports that: (a) Operate on the belief that each community has special characteristics, needs, and strengths; (b) Include a cross section of local community partners from the public and private sectors, in the planning and delivery of services and supports; and (c) Support these partners in addressing the needs of their communities through both short-range and long-range planning and in establishing priorities within state and federal standards; (5) Community-based prevention that encourages and supports state residents to create positive conditions in their communities to promote the well-being of families and reduce crises and the need for future services; (6) Outcome-based services and supports that: (a) Include a fair and realistic system for measuring both short-range and long-range progress and determining whether efforts make a difference; (b) Use outcomes and indicators that reflect the goals that communities establish for themselves and their children; (c) Work towards these goals and outcomes at all staff levels and in every agency; and (d) Provide a mechanism for informing the development of program policies; (7) Customer service that: (a) Provides a climate that empowers staff to deliver quality programs and services; (b) Is provided by courteous, sensitive, and competent professionals; and (c) Upholds the dignity and respect of individuals and families by providing appropriate staff recognition, information, training, skills, and support; (8) Creativity that: (a) Increases the flexibility of funding and programs to promote innovation in planning, development, and provision of quality services; and (b) Simplifies and reduces or eliminates rules that are barriers to coordination and quality services.
RCW 74.09.850 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 850
RCW 74.09.850: Conflict with federal requirements.
Status: in_force

If any part of this chapter is found to conflict with federal requirements which are a prescribed condition to the allocation of federal funds to the state, the conflicting part of this chapter is hereby declared to be inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict, and such finding or determination shall not affect the operation of the remainder of this chapter.
RCW 74.39A.320 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 39A / Section 320
RCW 74.39A.320: Establishment of capital add-on rate—Determination of medicaid occupancy percentage.
Status: in_force

(1) To the extent funds are appropriated for this purpose, the department shall establish a capital add-on rate, not less than the July 1, 2005, capital add-on rate established by the department, for those assisted living facilities contracting with the department that have a medicaid occupancy percentage of sixty percent or greater. (2) Effective for July 1, 2006, and for each July 1st rate-setting period thereafter, the department shall determine the facility's medicaid occupancy percentage using the last six months' medicaid resident days from the preceding calendar year divided by the product of all its licensed assisted living facility beds irrespective of use, times calendar days for the six-month period. For the purposes of this section, medicaid resident days include those clients who are enrolled in a medicaid managed long-term care program, including but not limited to the program for all inclusive care and the medicaid integration project. (3) The medicaid occupancy percentage established beginning on July 1, 2006, and for each July 1st thereafter, shall be used to determine whether an assisted living facility qualifies for the capital add-on rate under this section. Those facilities that qualify for the capital add-on rate shall receive the capital add-on rate throughout the applicable fiscal year.
RCW 74.14A.050 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 14A / Section 050
RCW 74.14A.050: Identification of children in a state-assisted support system—Program development for long-term care—Foster care caseload—Emancipation of minors study.
Status: in_force

The secretary shall: (1)(a) Consult with relevant qualified professionals to develop a set of minimum guidelines to be used for identifying all children who are in a state-assisted support system, whether at-home or out-of-home, who are likely to need long-term care or assistance, because they face physical, emotional, medical, mental, or other long-term challenges; (b) The guidelines must, at a minimum, consider the following criteria for identifying children in need of long-term care or assistance: (i) Placement within the foster care system for two years or more; (ii) Multiple foster care placements; (iii) Repeated unsuccessful efforts to be placed with a permanent adoptive family; (iv) Chronic behavioral or educational problems; (v) Repetitive criminal acts or offenses; (vi) Failure to comply with court-ordered disciplinary actions and other imposed guidelines of behavior, including drug and alcohol rehabilitation; and (vii) Chronic physical, emotional, medical, mental, or other similar conditions necessitating long-term care or assistance; (2) Develop programs that are necessary for the long-term care of children and youth that are identified for the purposes of this section. Programs must: (a) Effectively address the educational, physical, emotional, mental, and medical needs of children and youth; and (b) incorporate an array of family support options, to individual needs and choices of the child and family. The programs must be ready for implementation by January 1, 1995; (3) Conduct an evaluation of all children currently within the foster care agency caseload to identify those children who meet the criteria set forth in this section. All children entering the foster care system must be evaluated for identification of long-term needs within thirty days of placement; (4) As a result of the passage of chapter 232, Laws of 2000, the department is conducting a pilot project to do a comparative analysis of a variety of assessment instruments to determine the most effective tools and methods for evaluation of children. The pilot project may extend through August 31, 2001. The department shall report to the appropriate committees in the senate and house of representatives by September 30, 2001, on the results of the pilot project. The department shall select an assessment instrument that can be implemented within available resources. The department shall complete statewide implementation by December 31, 2001. The department shall report to the appropriate committees in the senate and house of representatives on how the use of the selected assessment instrument has affected department policies, by no later than December 31, 2002, December 31, 2004, and December 31, 2006; (5) Use the assessment tool developed pursuant to subsection (4) of this section in making out-of-home placement decisions for children; (6) Each region of the department shall make the appropriate number of referrals to the foster care assessment program to ensure that the services offered by the program are used to the extent funded pursuant to the department's contract with the program. The department shall report to the legislature by November 30, 2000, on the number of referrals, by region, to the foster care assessment program. If the regions are not referring an adequate number of cases to the program, the department shall include in its report an explanation of what action it is or has taken to ensure that the referrals are adequate; (7) The department shall report to the legislature by December 15, 2000, on how it will use the foster care assessment program model to assess children as they enter out-of-home care; (8) The department is to accomplish the tasks listed in subsections (4) through (7) of this section within existing resources; (9) Study and develop a comprehensive plan for the evaluation and identification of all children and youth in need of long-term care or assistance, including, but not limited to, the mentally ill, developmentally disabled, medically fragile, seriously emotionally or behaviorally disabled, and physically impaired; (10) Study and develop a plan for the children and youth in need of long-term care or assistance to ensure the coordination of services between the department's divisions and between other state agencies who are involved with the child or youth; (11) Study and develop guidelines for transitional services, between long-term care programs, based on the person's age or mental, physical, emotional, or medical condition; and (12) Study and develop a statutory proposal for the emancipation of minors.
RCW 74.42.270 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 42 / Section 270
RCW 74.42.270: Drug disposal.
Status: in_force

Any drug that is discontinued or outdated and any container with a worn, illegible, or missing label shall be properly disposed.
RCW 74.09.475 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 475
RCW 74.09.475: Newborn delivery services to medical assistance clients—Policies and procedures—Reporting.
Status: in_force

(1) Effective January 1, 2018, the authority shall require that all health care facilities that provide newborn delivery services to medical assistance clients establish policies and procedures to provide: (a) Skin-to-skin placement of the newborn on the mother's chest immediately following birth to promote the initiation of breastfeeding, except as otherwise indicated by authority guidelines; and (b) Room-in practices in which a newborn and a mother share the same room for the duration of their postdelivery stay at the facility, except as otherwise indicated by authority guidelines. (2) The authority shall provide guidelines for hospitals to use when establishing policies and procedures for services under subsection (1) of this section, including circumstances in which providing the services is not appropriate. (3) The authority shall require managed care organizations to report on the frequency with which each facility they contract with is able to adhere to the policies and procedures and the most common reasons for nonadherence. The authority shall include a summary of this information in the biennial report required under RCW 74.09.480 (3).
RCW 74.66.070 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 66 / Section 070
RCW 74.66.070: Qui tam action—Award—Proceeds of action or settlement of claim.
Status: in_force

(1)(a) Subject to (b) of this subsection, if the attorney general proceeds with a qui tam action, the relator must receive at least fifteen percent but not more than twenty-five percent of the proceeds of the action or settlement of the claim, depending upon the extent to which the relator substantially contributed to the prosecution of the action. (b) Where the action is one which the court finds to be based primarily on disclosures of specific information, other than information provided by the relator, relating to allegations or transactions in a criminal, civil, or administrative hearing, in a legislative or administrative report, hearing, audit, or investigation, or from the news media, the court may award an amount it considers appropriate, but in no case more than ten percent of the proceeds, taking into account the significance of the information and the role of the relator in advancing the case to litigation. (c) Any payment to a relator under (a) or (b) of this subsection must be made from the proceeds. The relator must also receive an amount for reasonable expenses which the court finds to have been necessarily incurred, plus reasonable attorneys' fees and costs. All expenses, fees, and costs must be awarded against the defendant. (2) If the attorney general does not proceed with a qui tam action, the relator shall receive an amount which the court decides is reasonable for collecting the civil penalty and damages. The amount may not be less than twenty-five percent and not more than thirty percent of the proceeds of the action or settlement and must be paid out of the proceeds. The relator must also receive an amount for reasonable expenses, which the court finds to have been necessarily incurred, plus reasonable attorneys' fees and costs. All expenses, fees, and costs must be awarded against the defendant. (3) Whether or not the attorney general proceeds with the qui tam action, if the court finds that the action was brought by a person who planned and initiated the violation of RCW 74.66.020 upon which the action was brought, then the court may, to the extent the court considers appropriate, reduce the share of the proceeds of the action which the person would otherwise receive under subsection (1) or (2) of this section, taking into account the role of that person in advancing the case to litigation and any relevant circumstances pertaining to the violation. If the person bringing the action is convicted of criminal conduct arising from his or her role in the violation of RCW 74.66.020 , that person must be dismissed from the civil action and may not receive any share of the proceeds of the action. The dismissal may not prejudice the right of the state to continue the action, represented by the attorney general. (4) If the attorney general does not proceed with the qui tam action and the relator conducts the action, the court may award to the defendant reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses if the defendant prevails in the action and the court finds that the claim of the relator was clearly frivolous, clearly vexatious, or brought primarily for purposes of harassment. (5) Any funds recovered that remain after calculation and distribution under subsections (1) through (3) of this section must be deposited into the medicaid fraud penalty account established in RCW 74.09.215 .
RCW 74.13.600 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 13 / Section 600
RCW 74.13.600: Kinship caregivers—Definition—Placement of children with kin a priority—Strategies.
Status: in_force

(1) For the purposes of this section, "kin" means persons eighteen years of age or older to whom the child is related by blood, adoption, or marriage, including marriages that have been dissolved, and means: (a) Any person denoted by the prefix "grand" or "great"; (b) sibling, whether full, half, or step; (c) uncle or aunt; (d) nephew or niece; or (e) first cousin. (2) The department shall plan, design, and implement strategies to prioritize the placement of children with willing and able kin when out-of-home placement is required. These strategies must include at least the following: (a) Development of standardized, statewide procedures to be used when searching for kin of children prior to out-of-home placement. The procedures must include a requirement that documentation be maintained in the child's case record that identifies kin, and documentation that identifies the assessment criteria and procedures that were followed during all kin searches. The procedures must be used when a child is placed in out-of-home care under authority of chapter 13.34 RCW, when a petition is filed under RCW 13.32A.140 , or when a child is placed under a voluntary placement agreement. To assist with implementation of the procedures, the department shall request that the juvenile court require parents to disclose to the department all contact information for available and appropriate kin within two weeks of an entered order. For placements under signed voluntary agreements, the department shall encourage the parents to disclose to the department all contact information for available and appropriate kin within two weeks of the date the parent signs the voluntary placement agreement. (b) Development of procedures for conducting active outreach efforts to identify and locate kin during all searches. The procedures must include at least the following elements: (i) Reasonable efforts to interview known kin, friends, teachers, and other identified community members who may have knowledge of the child's kin, within sixty days of the child entering out-of-home care; (ii) Increased use of those procedures determined by research to be the most effective methods of promoting reunification efforts, permanency planning, and placement decisions; (iii) Contacts with kin identified through outreach efforts and interviews under this subsection as part of permanency planning activities and change of placement discussions; (iv) Establishment of a process for ongoing contact with kin who express interest in being considered as a placement resource for the child; and (v) A requirement that when the decision is made to not place the child with any kin, the department provides documentation as part of the child's individual service and safety plan that clearly identifies the rationale for the decision and corrective action or actions the kin must take to be considered as a viable placement option. (3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to create an entitlement to services or to create judicial authority to order the provision of services to any person or family if the services are unavailable or unsuitable or the child or family is not eligible for such services.
RCW 74.09.120 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 120
RCW 74.09.120: Purchases of services, care, supplies—Nursing homes—Veterans' homes—Institutions for persons with intellectual disabilities—Institutions for mental diseases.
Status: in_force

(1) The department shall purchase nursing home care by contract and payment for the care shall be in accordance with the provisions of chapter 74.46 RCW and rules adopted by the department. No payment shall be made to a nursing home which does not permit inspection by the authority and the department of every part of its premises and an examination of all records, including financial records, methods of administration, general and special dietary programs, the disbursement of drugs and methods of supply, and any other records the authority or the department deems relevant to the regulation of nursing home operations, enforcement of standards for resident care, and payment for nursing home services. (2) The department may purchase nursing home care by contract in veterans' homes operated by the state department of veterans affairs and payment for the care shall be in accordance with the provisions of chapter 74.46 RCW and rules adopted by the department under the authority of RCW 74.46.800 . (3) The department may purchase care in institutions for persons with intellectual disabilities, also known as intermediate care facilities for persons with intellectual disabilities. The department shall establish rules for reasonable accounting and reimbursement systems for such care. Institutions for persons with intellectual disabilities include licensed nursing homes, public institutions, licensed assisted living facilities with fifteen beds or less, and hospital facilities certified as intermediate care facilities for persons with intellectual disabilities under the federal medicaid program to provide health, habilitative, or rehabilitative services and twenty-four hour supervision for persons with intellectual disabilities or related conditions and includes in the program "active treatment" as federally defined. (4) The department may purchase care in institutions for mental diseases by contract. The department shall establish rules for reasonable accounting and reimbursement systems for such care. Institutions for mental diseases are certified under the federal medicaid program and primarily engaged in providing diagnosis, treatment, or care to persons with mental diseases, including medical attention, nursing care, and related services. (5) Both the department and the authority may each purchase all other services provided under this chapter or other applicable law by contract or at rates established by the department or the authority respectively.
RCW 74.48.040 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 48 / Section 040
RCW 74.48.040: Administration and collection.
Status: in_force

(1) The department, in cooperation with the office of financial management, shall develop rules for determining the amount to be assessed to individual skilled nursing facilities, notifying individual skilled nursing facilities of the assessed amount, and collecting the amounts due. Such rule making shall specifically include provision for: (a) Payment of the skilled nursing facility safety net assessment; (b) Interest on delinquent assessments; (c) Adjustment of the assessment amounts as follows: (i) The assessment amounts under RCW 74.48.030 may be adjusted as follows: (A) If sufficient other appropriated funds for skilled nursing facilities, are available to support the nursing facility reimbursement rates as authorized in the biennial appropriations act and other uses and payments permitted by RCW 74.48.020 and 74.48.030 without utilizing the full assessment authorized under RCW 74.48.030 , the department shall reduce the amount of the assessment to the minimum level necessary to support those reimbursement rates and other uses and payments. (B) So long as none of the conditions set forth in RCW 74.48.060 (2) have occurred, if the department's forecasts indicate that the assessment amounts under RCW 74.48.030 , together with all other appropriated funds, are not sufficient to support the skilled nursing facility reimbursement rates authorized in the biennial appropriations act and other uses and payments authorized under RCW 74.48.020 and 74.48.030 , the department shall increase the assessment rates to the amount necessary to support those reimbursement rates and other payments to the maximum amount allowable under federal law. (C) Any positive balance remaining in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall be applied to reduce the assessment amount for the subsequent fiscal year. (ii) Beginning July 1, 2012, any adjustment to the assessment amounts pursuant to this subsection, and the data supporting such adjustment, including but not limited to relevant data listed in subsection (2) of this section, must be submitted to the Washington health care association, and aging services of Washington, for review and comment at least sixty calendar days prior to implementation of such adjusted assessment amounts. Any review and comment provided by the Washington health care association, and aging services of Washington, shall not limit the ability of either association or its members to challenge an adjustment or other action by the department that is not made in accordance with this chapter. (2) By November 30th of each year, the department shall provide the following data to the office of financial management, the chair of the fiscal committee of the senate and the house of representatives, the Washington health care association, and aging services of Washington: (a) The fund balance; and (b) The amount of assessment paid by each skilled nursing facility. (3) Assessments shall be assessed from July 1, 2011.
RCW 74.74.030 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 74 / Section 030
RCW 74.74.030: Coordination of statewide efforts.
Status: in_force

The department shall coordinate statewide efforts to support the economic and social integration and basic needs of immigrants and refugees arriving and resettling in Washington. The department shall coordinate with local, state, and federal government agencies and other stakeholders.
RCW 74.13A.035 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 13A / Section 035
RCW 74.13A.035: Application—1996 c 130.
Status: in_force

Chapter 130, Laws of 1996 applies to adoption support payments for eligible children whose eligibility is determined on or after July 1, 1996. Chapter 130, Laws of 1996 does not apply retroactively to current recipients of adoption support payments.
RCW 74.04.805 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 04 / Section 805
RCW 74.04.805: Essential needs and housing support eligibility.
Status: in_force

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2632.SL ) ***

(1) The department is responsible for determining eligibility for referral for essential needs and housing support under RCW 43.185C.220 . Persons eligible for a referral are persons who: (a) Have been determined to be eligible for the aged, blind, or disabled assistance program under RCW 74.62.030 or the pregnant women assistance program under RCW 74.62.030 , or are incapacitated from gainful employment by reason of bodily or mental infirmity that will likely continue for a minimum of 90 days. The standard for incapacity in this subsection, as evidenced by the 90-day duration standard, is not intended to be as stringent as federal supplemental security income disability standards; (b) Are citizens or aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence or otherwise residing in the United States under color of law, or are victims of human trafficking as defined in RCW 74.04.005 ; (c)(i) Have furnished the department with their social security number. If the social security number cannot be furnished because it has not been issued or is not known, an application for a number must be made prior to authorization of benefits, and the social security number must be provided to the department upon receipt; (ii) This requirement does not apply to victims of human trafficking as defined in RCW 74.04.005 if they have not been issued a social security number; (d)(i) Have countable income as described in RCW 74.04.005 that meets the standard established by the department, which shall not exceed 100 percent of the federal poverty level; or (ii) Have income that meets the standard established by the department, who are eligible for the pregnant women assistance program; (e) Do not have countable resources in excess of those described in RCW 74.04.005 ; and (f) Are not eligible for federal aid assistance, other than basic food benefits transferred electronically and medical assistance. (2) Recipients of pregnant women assistance program benefits who meet other eligibility requirements in this section are eligible for referral for essential needs and housing support services, within funds appropriated for the department of commerce, for 24 consecutive months from the date the department determines pregnant women assistance program eligibility. (3) The following persons are not eligible for a referral for essential needs and housing support: (a) Persons who refuse or fail to cooperate in obtaining federal aid assistance, without good cause; (b) Persons who refuse or fail without good cause to participate in substance use treatment if an assessment by a certified substance use disorder professional indicates a need for such treatment. Good cause must be found to exist when a person's physical or mental condition, as determined by the department, prevents the person from participating in substance use treatment, when needed outpatient treatment is not available to the person in the county of their residence, when needed inpatient treatment is not available in a location that is reasonably accessible for the person, or when the person is a parent or other relative personally providing care for a minor child or an incapacitated individual living in the same home as the person, and child care or day care would be necessary for the person to participate in substance use disorder treatment, and such care is not available; and (c) Persons who are fleeing to avoid prosecution of, or to avoid custody or confinement for conviction of, a felony, or an attempt to commit a felony, under the laws of the state of Washington or the place from which the person flees; or who are violating a condition of probation, community supervision, or parole imposed under federal or state law for a felony or gross misdemeanor conviction. (4) For purposes of determining whether a person is incapacitated from gainful employment under subsection (1) of this section: (a) The department shall adopt by rule medical criteria for incapacity determinations to ensure that eligibility decisions are consistent with statutory requirements and are based on clear, objective medical information; and (b) The process implementing the medical criteria must involve consideration of opinions of the treating or consulting physicians or health care professionals regarding incapacity, and any eligibility decision which rejects uncontroverted medical opinion must set forth clear and convincing reasons for doing so. (5) For purposes of reviewing a person's continuing eligibility and in order to remain eligible for the program, persons who have been found to have an incapacity from gainful employment must demonstrate that there has been no material improvement in their medical or mental health condition. The department may discontinue benefits when there was specific error in the prior determination that found the person eligible by reason of incapacitation. (6) The department must review the cases of all persons who have received benefits under the essential needs and housing support program for twelve consecutive months, and at least annually after the first review, to determine whether they are eligible for the aged, blind, or disabled assistance program. (7) The department shall share client data for individuals eligible for essential needs and housing support with the department of commerce and designated essential needs and housing support entities as required under RCW 43.185C.230 .
RCW 74.09.885 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 885
RCW 74.09.885: Apple health and homes program—Definitions.
Status: in_force

The definitions in this section apply throughout RCW 74.09.886 and 74.09.888 unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Community support services" means active search and promotion of access to, and choice of, appropriate, safe, and affordable housing and ongoing supports to assure ongoing successful tenancy. The term includes, but is not limited to, services to medical assistance clients who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless through outreach, engagement, and coordination of services with shelter and housing. The term includes benefits offered through the foundational community supports program established pursuant to the authority's federal waiver, entitled "medicaid transformation project," as amended and reauthorized. (2) "Community support services provider" means a local entity that contracts with a coordinating entity to provide community support services. A community support services provider may also separately perform the functions of a housing provider. (3) "Coordinating entity" means one or more organizations, including medicaid managed care organizations, under contract with the authority to coordinate community support services as required under RCW 74.09.886 and 74.09.888 . There may only be one coordinating entity per regional service area. (4) "Department" means the department of commerce. (5) "Homeless person" has the same meaning as in RCW 43.185C.010 . (6) "Housing provider" means a public or private organization that supplies permanent supportive housing units consistent with RCW 36.70A.030 to meet the housing needs of homeless persons. A housing provider may supply permanent supportive housing in a site-based or scattered site arrangement using a variety of public, private, philanthropic, or tenant-based sources of funds to cover operating costs or rent. A housing provider may also perform the functions of a community support services provider. (7) "Office" means the office of apple health and homes created in RCW 43.330.181 . (8) "Program" means the apple health and homes program established in RCW 74.09.886 . (9) "Permanent supportive housing" has the same meaning as in RCW 36.70A.030 .
RCW 74.04.650 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 04 / Section 650
RCW 74.04.650: Individuals failing to comply with federal requirements.
Status: in_force

Notwithstanding any other provisions of RCW 74.04.600 through 74.04.650 , those individuals who have been receiving supplemental security income assistance and failed to comply with any federal requirements, including those relating to drug abuse and alcoholism treatment and rehabilitation, shall be ineligible for state assistance.
RCW 74.13.530 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 13 / Section 530
RCW 74.13.530: Child placement—Conflict of interest.
Status: in_force

(1) No child may be placed or remain in a specific out-of-home placement under this chapter or chapter 13.34 RCW when there is a conflict of interest on the part of any adult residing in the home in which the child is to be or has been placed. A conflict of interest exists when: (a) There is an adult in the home who, as a result of: (i) His or her employment; and (ii) an allegation of abuse or neglect of the child, conducts or has conducted an investigation of the allegation; or (b) The child has been, is, or is likely to be a witness in any pending cause of action against any adult in the home when the cause includes: (i) An allegation of abuse or neglect against the child or any sibling of the child; or (ii) a claim of damages resulting from wrongful interference with the parent-child relationship of the child and his or her biological or adoptive parent. (2) For purposes of this section, "investigation" means the exercise of professional judgment in the review of allegations of abuse or neglect by: (a) Law enforcement personnel; (b) persons employed by, or under contract with, the state; (c) persons licensed to practice law and their employees; and (d) mental health professionals as defined in chapter 71.05 RCW. (3) The prohibition set forth in subsection (1) of this section may not be waived or deferred by the department under any circumstance or at the request of any person, regardless of who has made the request or the length of time of the requested placement.
RCW 74.20.280 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 20 / Section 280
RCW 74.20.280: Central unit for information and administration—Cooperation enjoined—Availability of records.
Status: in_force

The department is authorized and directed to establish a central unit to serve as a registry for the receipt of information, for answering interstate inquiries concerning the parents of dependent children, to coordinate and supervise departmental activities in relation to such parents, to assure effective cooperation with law enforcement agencies, and to perform other functions authorized by state and federal support enforcement and child custody statutes and regulations. To effectuate the purposes of this section, the secretary may request from state, county and local agencies all information and assistance as authorized by this chapter. Upon the request of the department of social and health services, all state, county and city agencies, officers and employees shall cooperate in the location of the parents of a dependent child and shall supply the department with all information relative to the location, income and property of such parents, notwithstanding any provision of law making such information confidential. Any records established pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be available only to the attorney general, prosecuting attorneys, courts having jurisdiction in support and/or abandonment proceedings or actions, or other authorized agencies or persons for use consistent with the intent of state and federal support enforcement and child custody statutes and regulations.
RCW 74.09.860 — Washington Code / Title 74 / Chapter 09 / Section 860
RCW 74.09.860: Request for proposals—Foster children—Integrated managed health and behavioral health care—Continuation of health care benefits following reunification.
Status: in_force

(1) The authority shall issue a request for proposals to provide integrated managed health and behavioral health care for foster children receiving care through the medical assistance program. Behavioral health services provided under chapters 71.24 and 71.34 RCW must be integrated into the managed care organization for foster children beginning January 1, 2019. The request for proposals must address the program elements described in section 110, chapter 225, Laws of 2014, including development of a service delivery system, benefit design, reimbursement mechanisms, incorporation or coordination of services currently provided by the regional support networks, and standards for contracting with health organizations. The request for proposals must be issued and completed in time for services under the integrated managed care plan to begin on October 1, 2016. (2) The parent or guardian of a child who is no longer a dependent child pursuant to chapter 13.34 RCW may choose to continue in the transitional foster care eligibility category for up to twelve months following reunification with the child's parents or guardian if the child: (a) Is under eighteen years of age; (b) Was in foster care under the legal responsibility of the department of social and health services, the department of children, youth, and families, or a federally recognized Indian tribe located within the state; and (c) Meets income and other eligibility standards for medical assistance coverage.