Washington Administrative Code
Title 246 - Health, Department of
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
Chapter 246-100 - Communicable and certain other diseases
Section 246-100-072 - Rules for notification of partners at risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

Universal Citation: WA Admin Code 246-100-072

Current through Register Vol. 24-06, March 15, 2024

(1) A local health officer or authorized representative shall:

(a) Within three working days of receipt of a report of a previously unreported case of HIV infection, attempt to contact or obtain information from the principal health care provider to:
(i) Seek input on the best means of conducting a case investigation including partner notification; and

(ii) If appropriate, request that the provider contact the person living with HIV as required in subsection (2) of this section.

(b) Contact the person diagnosed with HIV to:
(i) Discuss the need to notify sex or injection equipment-sharing partners, including spouses, that they may have been exposed to HIV and that they should seek HIV testing; and

(ii) Offer assistance with partner notification as appropriate.

(c) Unless the health officer or designated representative determines partner notification is not needed or the person living with HIV refuses assistance with partner notification, assist with notifying partners in accordance with the "Recommendations for Partner Services Programs for HIV Infection, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and Chlamydial Infection" as published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, October 2008.

(2) If the local health officer or designated representative informs the principal health care provider that they in-tend to conduct a partner notification case investigation, the principal health care provider shall attempt to inform the person living with HIV that the local health officer or authorized representative will contact the person living with HIV for the purpose of providing assistance with the notification of partners.

(3) A health care provider may not disclose the identity of a person living with HIV or the identity of sex or injection equipment-sharing partners, including spouses, at risk of HIV infection, except as authorized in RCW 70.02.220 or in this section.

(4) Local health officers and authorized representatives shall use identifying information, according to this section, on persons living with HIV only to:

(a) Contact the person living with HIV to refer, as appropriate, to medical care, or to contact sex or injection equipment-sharing partners, including spouses; or

(b) Carry out an investigation of behavior that endangers the public health or of behaviors presenting an imminent danger to the public health pursuant to RCW 70.24.022 or 70.24.024.

(5) A health care provider may consult with the local health officer or an authorized representative about a person living with HIV and the need for notification of persons identified as sex or injection equipment-sharing partners at any time.

Statutory Authority: RCW 70.24.130. 10-01-082, § 246-100-072, filed 12/15/09, effective 1/15/10. Statutory Authority: RCW 70.24.130 and 70.24.380. 05-11-110, § 246-100-072, filed 5/18/05, effective 6/18/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 70.24.125 and 70.24.130. 99-17-077, § 246-100-072, filed 8/13/99, effective 9/1/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 70.24.022, [70.24].340 and Public Law 104-146. 97-15-099, § 246-100-072, filed 7/21/97, effective 7/21/97. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.20.050 and 70.24.130. 92-02-019 (Order 225B), § 246-100-072, filed 12/23/91, effective 1/23/92. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.20.050. 91-02-051 (Order 124B), recodified as § 246-100-072, filed 12/27/90, effective 1/31/91. Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.24 RCW. 89-02-008 (Order 324), § 248-100-072, filed 12/27/88.

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