RCW 41.05.018
Transfer of certain behavioral health-related powers, duties, and functions from the department of social and health services.
(1) The powers, duties, and functions of the department of social and health services pertaining to the behavioral health system and purchasing function of the behavioral health administration, except for oversight and management of state-run mental health institutions and licensing and certification activities, are hereby transferred to the Washington state health care authority to the extent necessary to carry out the purposes of chapter 201, Laws of 2018. All references to the secretary or the department of social and health services in the Revised Code of Washington shall be construed to mean the director of the health care authority or the health care authority when referring to the functions transferred in this section.
(2)(a) All reports, documents, surveys, books, records, files, papers, or written material in the possession of the department of social and health services pertaining to the powers, duties, and functions transferred shall be delivered to the custody of the health care authority. All cabinets, furniture, office equipment, motor vehicles, and other tangible property employed by the department of social and health services in carrying out the powers, duties, and functions transferred shall be made available to the health care authority. All funds, credits, or other assets held by the department of social and health services in connection with the powers, duties, and functions transferred shall be assigned to the health care authority.
(b) Any appropriations made to the department of social and health services for carrying out the powers, functions, and duties transferred shall, on July 1, 2018, be transferred and credited to the health care authority.
(c) Whenever any question arises as to the transfer of any personnel, funds, books, documents, records, papers, files, equipment, or other tangible property used or held in the exercise of the powers and the performance of the duties and functions transferred, the director of financial management shall make a determination as to the proper allocation and certify the same to the state agencies concerned.
(3) All rules and all pending business before the department of social and health services pertaining to the powers, duties, and functions transferred shall be continued and acted upon by the health care authority. All existing contracts and obligations shall remain in full force and shall be performed by the health care authority.
(4) The transfer of the powers, duties, functions, and personnel of the department of social and health services shall not affect the validity of any act performed before July 1, 2018.
(5) If apportionments of budgeted funds are required because of the transfers directed by this section, the director of financial management shall certify the apportionments to the agencies affected, the state auditor, and the state treasurer. Each of these shall make the appropriate transfer and adjustments in funds and appropriation accounts and equipment records in accordance with the certification.
(6) On July 1, 2018, all employees of the department of social and health services engaged in performing the powers, functions, and duties transferred to the health care authority are transferred to the health care authority. All employees classified under chapter 41.06 RCW, the state civil service law, are assigned to the health care authority to perform their usual duties upon the same terms as formerly, without any loss of rights, subject to any action that may be appropriate thereafter in accordance with the laws and rules governing state civil service law.
(7) Positions in any bargaining unit within the health care authority existing on July 1, 2018, will not be removed from an existing bargaining unit as a result of this section unless and until the existing bargaining unit is modified by the public employment relations commission pursuant to Title 391 WAC. The portions of any bargaining units of employees at the department of social and health services existing on July 1, 2018, that are transferred to the health care authority shall be considered separate appropriate units within the health care authority unless and until modified by the public employment relations commission pursuant to Title 391 WAC. The exclusive bargaining representatives recognized as representing the portions of the bargaining units of employees at the department of social and health services existing on July 1, 2018, shall continue as the exclusive bargaining representatives of the transferred bargaining units without the necessity of an election.
(8) The public employment relations commission may review the appropriateness of the collective bargaining units that are a result of the transfer from the department of social and health services to the health care authority under chapter 201, Laws of 2018. The employer or the exclusive bargaining representative may petition the public employment relations commission to review the bargaining units in accordance with this section.
(9) On July 1, 2018, the health care authority must enter into an agreement with the department of health to ensure coordination of preventative behavioral health services or other necessary agreements to carry out the intent of chapter 201, Laws of 2018.
(10) The health care authority may enter into agreements as necessary with the department of social and health services to carry out the transfer of duties as set forth in chapter 201, Laws of 2018.
[ 2018 c 201 § 10001.]
NOTES:
Findings—Intent—2018 c 201: "The legislature finds that:
(1) Washington state government must be organized to be efficient, cost-effective, and responsive to its residents.
(2) Pursuant to existing legislative direction, Washington state continues to transform how it delivers behavioral health services by integrating the financing and delivery of behavioral and physical health care by 2020. Integration will improve prevention and treatment of behavioral health conditions. Integration, leading to better whole person care, should also enable many individuals to avoid commitment at the state psychiatric hospitals or divert from jails, and support them in leading healthy, productive lives.
(3) The responsibility for oversight, purchasing, and management of Washington state's community behavioral health system is currently split between the department of social and health services, which is the state's behavioral health authority, and the health care authority, which is the single state medicaid agency responsible for state health care purchasing.
(4) The health care authority is the state's primary health care purchaser. Integrating and consolidating the oversight and purchasing of state behavioral health care into a single state agency at the health care authority will align core operations and provide better, coordinated, and more cost-effective services, with the ultimate goal of achieving whole person care.
(5) The legislature therefore intends to consolidate state behavioral health care purchasing and oversight within the health care authority, positioning the state to use its full purchasing power to get the greatest value for its investment. The department of social and health services will continue to operate the state mental health institutions, with the intent of further analyzing the future proper alignment of these services.
(6) Similar to the issues with our disparate purchasing programs, the responsibility for licensing and certification of behavioral health providers and facilities is currently spread across multiple agencies, with the department of social and health services regulating some behavioral health providers and the department of health regulating others.
(7) The department of health is responsible for the majority of licensing and certification of health care providers and facilities. The state will best be able to ensure patient safety and reduce administrative burdens of licensing and certification of behavioral health providers and facilities by consolidating those functions within a single agency at the department of health. This change will streamline processes leading to improved patient safety outcomes.
(8) The legislature therefore intends to integrate and consolidate the behavioral health licensing and certification functions within the department of health." [ 2018 c 201 § 1001.]
Effective date—2018 c 201: "Except as provided in section 11005 of this act, this act takes effect July 1, 2018." [ 2018 c 201 § 11006.]
Structure Revised Code of Washington
Title 41 - Public Employment, Civil Service, and Pensions
Chapter 41.05 - State Health Care Authority.
41.05.004 - Intent—Use of word "board."
41.05.008 - Duties of employing agencies.
41.05.009 - Determination of employee or school employee eligibility for benefits.
41.05.0091 - Eligibility exists prior to January 1, 2010.
41.05.013 - State purchased health care programs—Uniform policies—Report to the legislature.
41.05.014 - Applications, enrollment forms, and eligibility certification documents—Signatures.
41.05.015 - Medical director—Appointment of personnel.
41.05.017 - Provisions applicable to health plans offered under this chapter.
41.05.022 - State agent for purchasing health services—Single community-rated risk pool.
41.05.023 - Chronic care management program—Uniform medical plan—Definitions.
41.05.031 - Agencies to establish health care information systems.
41.05.033 - Shared decision-making demonstration project—Preference-sensitive care.
41.05.036 - Health information—Definitions.
41.05.037 - Nurse hotline, when funded.
41.05.039 - Health information—Secure access—Lead organization—Administrator's duties.
41.05.042 - Health information—Processes, guidelines, and standards.
41.05.046 - Health information—Conflict with federal requirements.
41.05.050 - Contributions for employees and dependents—Definitions.
41.05.055 - Public employees' benefits board—Members.
41.05.065 - Public employees' benefits board—Duties—Eligibility—Definitions—Penalties.
41.05.066 - Domestic partner benefits.
41.05.068 - Federal employer incentive program—Authority to participate.
41.05.085 - Retired state employee and retired or disabled school employee health insurance subsidy.
41.05.095 - Coverage for dependents under the age of twenty-six.
41.05.100 - Chapter not applicable to certain employees of Cooperative Extension Service.
41.05.110 - Chapter not applicable to officers and employees of state convention and trade center.
41.05.120 - Public employees' and retirees' insurance account—School employees' insurance account.
41.05.140 - Payment of claims—Self-insurance—Insurance reserve fund created.
41.05.165 - Rules—Insurance benefit reimbursement.
41.05.170 - Neurodevelopmental therapies—Employer-sponsored group contracts.
41.05.175 - Prescribed, self-administered anticancer medication.
41.05.177 - Prostate cancer screening—Required coverage.
41.05.180 - Mammograms—Insurance coverage.
41.05.183 - General anesthesia services for dental procedures—Public employee benefit plans.
41.05.185 - Diabetes benefits—State purchased health care.
41.05.188 - Eosinophilic gastrointestinal associated disorder—Elemental formula.
41.05.195 - Medicare supplemental insurance policies.
41.05.197 - Medicare supplemental insurance policies.
41.05.205 - Tricare supplemental insurance policy—Authority to offer—Rules.
41.05.225 - Blind licensees in the business enterprises program—Plan of health insurance.
41.05.240 - American Indian health care delivery plan.
41.05.280 - Department of corrections—Inmate health care.
41.05.295 - Dependent care assistance program—Health care authority—Powers, duties, and functions.
41.05.300 - Salary reduction agreements—Authorized.
41.05.310 - Salary reduction plan—Policies and procedures—Plan document.
41.05.320 - Salary reduction plan—Eligibility—Participation, withdrawal.
41.05.330 - Salary reduction plan—Accounts and records.
41.05.340 - Salary reduction plan—Termination—Amendment.
41.05.350 - Salary reduction plan—Rules.
41.05.360 - Salary reduction plan—Construction.
41.05.405 - Public option plans—Availability—Hospital contracts—Recommendations.
41.05.410 - Qualified health plans—Contract for—Requirements—Cost and quality data.
41.05.413 - Qualified health plans—Reimbursement limit—Waiver.
41.05.420 - Plan of health care coverage—Prescription insulin drug cost limits—Cost sharing.
41.05.430 - Plan of health care coverage—Immediate postpartum contraception devices.
41.05.520 - Pharmacy connection program—Notice.
41.05.525 - Treatment of opioid use disorder—Prior authorization.
41.05.527 - Opioid overdose reversal medication bulk purchasing and distribution program.
41.05.530 - Prescription drug assistance, education—Rules.
41.05.540 - State employee health program—Requirements—Report.
41.05.600 - Mental health services—Definition—Coverage required, when.
41.05.601 - Mental health services—Rules.
41.05.630 - Annual report of customer service complaints and appeals.
41.05.660 - Community health care collaborative grant program—Award and disbursement of grants.
41.05.670 - Chronic care management incentives—Provider reimbursement methods.
41.05.680 - Report—Chronic care management.
41.05.740 - School employees' benefits board.
41.05.742 - Single enrollment requirement.
41.05.744 - School employee eligibility during COVID-19 state of emergency.
41.05.745 - School employees' benefits board—Employee-paid, voluntary benefits—Optional benefits.
41.05.750 - Problem and pathological gambling treatment program.
41.05.751 - Problem gambling account.
41.05.760 - Recovery residences—Registry.
41.05.761 - Recovery residences—Technical assistance for residences seeking certification.
41.05.762 - Recovery residences—Revolving fund.
41.05.765 - Insulin drugs—Cap on enrollee's required payment amount—Cost-sharing requirements.
41.05.830 - Coverage for hearing instruments—Definitions.