Revised Code of Washington
Chapter 7.70 - Actions for Injuries Resulting From Health Care.
7.70.065 - Informed consent—Persons authorized to provide for patients who do not have capacity—Priority—Unaccompanied homeless minors.

RCW 7.70.065
Informed consent—Persons authorized to provide for patients who do not have capacity—Priority—Unaccompanied homeless minors.

(1) Informed consent for health care for a patient who does not have the capacity to make a health care decision may be obtained from a person authorized to consent on behalf of such patient. For purposes of this section, a person who is of the age of consent to make a particular health care decision is presumed to have capacity, unless a health care provider reasonably determines the person lacks capacity to make the health care decision due to the person's demonstrated inability to understand and appreciate the nature and consequences of a health condition, the proposed treatment, including the anticipated results, benefits, risks, and alternatives to the proposed treatment, including nontreatment, and reach an informed decision as a result of cognitive impairment; and the health care provider documents the basis for the determination in the medical record.
(a) Persons authorized to provide informed consent to health care on behalf of an adult patient who does not have the capacity to make a health care decision shall be a member of one of the following classes of persons in the following order of priority:
(i) The appointed guardian of the patient, if any;
(ii) The individual, if any, to whom the patient has given a durable power of attorney that encompasses the authority to make health care decisions;
(iii) The patient's spouse or state registered domestic partner;
(iv) Children of the patient who are at least eighteen years of age;
(v) Parents of the patient;
(vi) Adult brothers and sisters of the patient;
(vii) Adult grandchildren of the patient who are familiar with the patient;
(viii) Adult nieces and nephews of the patient who are familiar with the patient;
(ix) Adult aunts and uncles of the patient who are familiar with the patient; and
(x)(A) An adult who:
(I) Has exhibited special care and concern for the patient;
(II) Is familiar with the patient's personal values;
(III) Is reasonably available to make health care decisions;
(IV) Is not any of the following: A physician to the patient or an employee of the physician; the owner, administrator, or employee of a health care facility, nursing home, or long-term care facility where the patient resides or receives care; or a person who receives compensation to provide care to the patient; and
(V) Provides a declaration under (a)(x)(B) of this subsection.
(B) An adult who meets the requirements of (a)(x)(A) of this subsection shall provide a declaration, which is effective for up to six months from the date of the declaration, signed and dated under penalty of perjury pursuant to chapter 5.50 RCW, that recites facts and circumstances demonstrating that he or she is familiar with the patient and that he or she:
(I) Meets the requirements of (a)(x)(A) of this subsection;
(II) Is a close friend of the patient;
(III) Is willing and able to become involved in the patient's health care;
(IV) Has maintained such regular contact with the patient as to be familiar with the patient's activities, health, personal values, and morals; and
(V) Is not aware of a person in a higher priority class willing and able to provide informed consent to health care on behalf of the patient.
(C) A health care provider may, but is not required to, rely on a declaration provided under (a)(x)(B) of this subsection. The health care provider or health care facility where services are rendered is immune from suit in any action, civil or criminal, or from professional or other disciplinary action when such reliance is based on a declaration provided in compliance with (a)(x)(B) of this subsection.
(b) If the health care provider seeking informed consent for proposed health care of the patient who does not have the capacity to make a particular health care decision, other than a person who is under the age of consent for the particular health care decision, makes reasonable efforts to locate and secure authorization from a competent person in the first or succeeding class and finds no such person available, authorization may be given by any person in the next class in the order of descending priority. However, no person under this section may provide informed consent to health care:
(i) If a person of higher priority under this section has refused to give such authorization; or
(ii) If there are two or more individuals in the same class and the decision is not unanimous among all available members of that class.
(c) Before any person authorized to provide informed consent on behalf of a patient who does not have the capacity to make a health care decision exercises that authority, the person must first determine in good faith that that patient, if he or she had the capacity to make the health care decision, would consent to the proposed health care. If such a determination cannot be made, the decision to consent to the proposed health care may be made only after determining that the proposed health care is in the patient's best interests. This subsection (1)(c) does not apply to informed consent provided on behalf of a patient who has not reached the age of consent required to make a particular health care decision.
(d) No rights under Washington's death with dignity act, chapter 70.245 RCW, may be exercised through a person authorized to provide informed consent to health care on behalf of a patient who does not have the capacity to make a health care decision.
(2) Informed consent for health care, including mental health care, for a patient who is under the age of majority and who is not otherwise authorized to provide informed consent, may be obtained from a person authorized to consent on behalf of such a patient.
(a) Persons authorized to provide informed consent to health care, including mental health care, on behalf of a patient who is under the age of majority and who is not otherwise authorized to provide informed consent, shall be a member of one of the following classes of persons in the following order of priority:
(i) The appointed guardian, or legal custodian authorized pursuant to Title 26 RCW, of the minor patient, if any;
(ii) A person authorized by the court to consent to medical care for a child in out-of-home placement pursuant to chapter 13.32A or 13.34 RCW, if any;
(iii) Parents of the minor patient;
(iv) The individual, if any, to whom the minor's parent has given a signed authorization to make health care decisions for the minor patient; and
(v) A competent adult representing himself or herself to be a relative responsible for the health care of such minor patient or a competent adult who has signed and dated a declaration under penalty of perjury pursuant to chapter 5.50 RCW stating that the adult person is a relative responsible for the health care of the minor patient. Such declaration shall be effective for up to six months from the date of the declaration.
(b)(i) Informed consent for health care on behalf of a patient who is under the age of majority and who is not otherwise authorized to provide informed consent may be obtained from a school nurse, school counselor, or homeless student liaison when:
(A) Consent is necessary for nonemergency, outpatient, primary care services, including physical examinations, vision examinations and eyeglasses, dental examinations, hearing examinations and hearing aids, immunizations, treatments for illnesses and conditions, and routine follow-up care customarily provided by a health care provider in an outpatient setting, excluding elective surgeries;
(B) The minor patient meets the definition of a "homeless child or youth" under the federal McKinney-Vento homeless education assistance improvements act of 2001, P.L. 107-110, January 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 2005; and
(C) The minor patient is not under the supervision or control of a parent, custodian, or legal guardian, and is not in the care and custody of the department of social and health services.
(ii) A person authorized to consent to care under this subsection (2)(b) and the person's employing school or school district are not subject to administrative sanctions or civil damages resulting from the consent or nonconsent for care, any care, or payment for any care, rendered pursuant to this section. Nothing in this section prevents a health care facility or a health care provider from seeking reimbursement from other sources for care provided to a minor patient under this subsection (2)(b).
(iii) Upon request by a health care facility or a health care provider, a person authorized to consent to care under this subsection (2)(b) must provide to the person rendering care a declaration signed and dated under penalty of perjury pursuant to chapter 5.50 RCW stating that the person is a school nurse, school counselor, or homeless student liaison and that the minor patient meets the elements under (b)(i) of this subsection. The declaration must also include written notice of the exemption from liability under (b)(ii) of this subsection.
(c) A health care provider may, but is not required to, rely on the representations or declaration of a person claiming to be a relative responsible for the care of the minor patient, under (a)(v) of this subsection, or a person claiming to be authorized to consent to the health care of the minor patient under (b) of this subsection, if the health care provider does not have actual notice of the falsity of any of the statements made by the person claiming to be a relative responsible for the health care of the minor patient, or person claiming to be authorized to consent to the health care of the minor patient.
(d) A health care facility or a health care provider may, in its discretion, require documentation of a person's claimed status as being a relative responsible for the health care of the minor patient, or a person claiming to be authorized to consent to the health care of the minor patient under (b) of this subsection. However, there is no obligation to require such documentation.
(e) The health care provider or health care facility where services are rendered shall be immune from suit in any action, civil or criminal, or from professional or other disciplinary action when such reliance is based on a declaration signed under penalty of perjury pursuant to chapter 5.50 RCW stating that the adult person is a relative responsible for the health care of the minor patient under (a)(v) of this subsection, or a person claiming to be authorized to consent to the health care of the minor patient under (b) of this subsection.
(3) An unaccompanied homeless youth who is under the age of majority, who is not otherwise authorized to provide informed consent, and is unable to obtain informed consent under subsection (2)(b)(i) of this section is authorized to provide informed consent for nonemergency, outpatient, primary care services, including physical examinations, vision examinations and eyeglasses, dental examinations, hearing examinations and hearing aids, immunizations, treatments for illnesses and conditions, and routine follow-up care customarily provided by a health care provider in an outpatient setting, excluding elective surgeries.
(a) For purposes of this subsection:
(i) "Unaccompanied" means a youth experiencing homelessness while not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.
(ii) "Homeless" means without a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence as set forth in the federal McKinney-Vento homeless education assistance improvements act of 2001, P.L. 107-110, January 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 2005.
(b) A health care facility or a health care provider may, in its discretion, require documentation that the minor patient under this subsection (3) is an unaccompanied homeless youth. However, there is no obligation to require such documentation. Acceptable documentation that a minor patient is an unaccompanied homeless youth includes a written or electronic statement signed under penalty of perjury pursuant to chapter 5.50 RCW by:
(i) Staff at a governmental or nonprofit human services agency or homeless services agency;
(ii) An attorney representing the minor patient; or
(iii) An adult relative of the minor patient or other adult with knowledge of the minor patient and the minor patient's housing situation.
(c) A health care provider may, but is not required to, rely on the representations or declaration stating that the patient is an unaccompanied homeless youth, if the health care provider does not have actual notice of the falsity of any of the statements made by the person claiming to be authorized to consent to the health care of the minor patient.
(d) The health care provider or health care facility where services are rendered is immune from suit in any action, civil or criminal, and from professional or other disciplinary action when such reliance is based on a declaration signed under penalty of perjury pursuant to chapter 5.50 RCW stating that the patient is an unaccompanied homeless youth under (b) of this subsection, or is based on the statement of a minor patient regarding the minor patient's housing situation.
(e) A person who provides a statement for documentation that the minor patient is an unaccompanied homeless youth is not subject to administrative sanctions or civil liability for providing documentation in good faith based upon the person's knowledge of the minor patient and the minor patient's housing situation.
(f) During a visit with an unaccompanied homeless youth who provides informed consent authorized under this subsection (3), a primary care provider as defined under RCW 74.09.010 shall use existing best practices that align with any guidelines developed by the office of crime victims advocacy established in RCW 43.280.080 and the commercially sexually exploited children statewide coordinating committee established under RCW 7.68.801 designed to identify:
(i) Whether the unaccompanied homeless youth may be a victim of human trafficking; and
(ii) Potential referral to additional services, the department of children, youth, and families, or law enforcement.
(4) For the purposes of this section, "health care," "health care provider," and "health care facility" shall be defined as established in RCW 70.02.010.
(5) A person who knowingly provides a false declaration under this section shall be subject to criminal penalties under chapter 9A.72 RCW.

[ 2022 c 291 § 1; 2021 c 270 § 1; 2020 c 312 § 705. Prior: 2019 c 232 § 8; 2019 c 209 § 1; 2017 c 275 § 1; 2007 c 156 § 11; 2006 c 93 § 1; 2005 c 440 § 2; 2003 c 283 § 29; 1987 c 162 § 1.]
NOTES:

Effective date—2021 c 270: "This act takes effect January 1, 2022." [ 2021 c 270 § 6.]

Effective dates—2020 c 312: See note following RCW 11.130.915.

Intent—2005 c 440: "(1) It is the intent of the legislature to assist children in the care of kin to access appropriate medical services. Children being raised by kin have faced barriers to medical care because their kinship caregivers have not been able to verify that they are the identified primary caregivers of these children. Such barriers pose an especially significant challenge to kinship caregivers in dealing with health professionals when children are left in their care.
(2) It is the intent of the legislature to assist kinship caregivers in accessing appropriate medical care to meet the needs of a child in their care by permitting such responsible adults who are providing care to a child to give informed consent to medical care." [ 2005 c 440 § 1.]