Washington Administrative Code
Title 246 - Health, Department of
FACILITY STANDARDS AND LICENSING
Chapter 246-341 - Behavioral health agency licensing and certification requirements
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH-DEFINITIONS
Section 246-341-0200 - Behavioral health-Definitions

(1) "23-hour crisis relief center" has the same meaning as under RCW 71.24.025.

(2) "Administrator" means the designated person responsible for the day-to-day operation of either the licensed behavioral health agency, or certified treatment service, or both.

(3) "Adult" means an individual 18 years of age or older. For purposes of the medicaid program, adult means an individual 21 years of age or older.

(4) "ASAM criteria" means admission, continued service, transfer, and discharge criteria for the treatment of substance use disorders as published by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM).

(5) "Assessment" means the process of obtaining all pertinent bio-psychosocial information, as identified by the individual, and family and collateral sources, for determining a diagnosis and to plan individualized services and supports.

(6) "Behavioral health" means the prevention, treatment of, and recovery from any or all of the following disorders: Substance use disorders, mental health disorders, co-occurring disorders, or problem gambling and gambling disorders.

(7) "Behavioral health agency," "licensed behavioral health agency," or "agency" means an entity licensed by the department to provide behavioral health services under chapter 71.24, 71.05, or 71.34 RCW.

(8) "Behavioral health service" means the specific service(s) that may be provided under an approved certification.

(9) "Branch site" means a physically separate licensed site, governed by the same parent organization as the main site, where qualified staff provides certified treatment services.

(10) "Campus" means an area where all of the agency's buildings are located on contiguous properties undivided by:

(11) "Care coordination" or "coordination of care" means a process-oriented activity to facilitate ongoing communication and collaboration to meet multiple needs of an individual. Care coordination includes facilitating communication between the family, natural supports, community resources, and involved providers and agencies, organizing, facilitating and participating in team meetings, and providing for continuity of care by creating linkages to and managing transitions between levels of care.

(12) "Certified" or "certification" means the status given by the department that authorizes the agency to provide specific types of behavioral health services included under the certification category.

(13) "Child," "minor," and "youth" mean:

(14) "Clinical supervision" means regular and periodic activities performed by a mental health professional, co-occurring disorder specialist, or substance use disorder professional licensed, certified, or registered under Title 18 RCW. Clinical supervision may include review of assessment, diagnostic formulation, individual service plan development, progress toward completion of care, identification of barriers to care, continuation of services, authorization of care, and the direct observation of the delivery of clinical care. In the context of this chapter, clinical supervision is separate from clinical supervision required for purposes of obtaining supervised hours toward fulfilling requirements related to professional licensure under Title 18 RCW.

(15) "Complaint" means an alleged violation of licensing or certification requirements under chapters 71.05, 71.12, 71.24, 71.34 RCW, and this chapter, which has been authorized by the department for investigation.

(16) "Consent" means agreement given by an individual after being provided with a description of the nature, character, anticipated results of proposed treatments and the recognized serious possible risks, complications, and anticipated benefits, including alternatives and nontreatment, that must be provided in a terminology that the individual can reasonably be expected to understand. Consent can be obtained from an individual's parent or legal representative, when applicable.

(17) "Consultation" means the clinical review and development of recommendations by persons with appropriate knowledge and experience regarding activities or decisions of clinical staff, contracted employees, volunteers, or students.

(18) "Co-occurring disorder" means the coexistence of both a mental health and a substance use disorder. Co-occurring treatment is a unified treatment approach intended to treat both disorders within the context of a primary treatment relationship or treatment setting.

(19) "Cultural competence" or "culturally competent" means the ability to recognize and respond to health-related beliefs and cultural values, disease incidence and prevalence, and treatment efficacy. Examples of culturally competent care include striving to overcome cultural, language, and communications barriers, providing an environment in which individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds feel comfortable discussing their cultural health beliefs and practices in the context of negotiating treatment options, encouraging individuals to express their spiritual beliefs and cultural practices, and being familiar with and respectful of various traditional healing systems and beliefs and, where appropriate, integrating these approaches into treatment plans.

(20) "Deemed" means a status that is given to a licensed behavioral health agency as a result of the agency receiving accreditation by a recognized behavioral health accrediting body which has a current agreement with the department.

(21) "Disability" means a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of the individual and the individual:

(22) "Face-to-face" means either in person or by way of synchronous video conferencing.

(23) "Individual service record" means either a paper, or electronic file, or both that is maintained by the behavioral health agency and contains pertinent behavioral health, medical, and clinical information for each individual served.

(24) "Licensed" or "licensure" means the status given to behavioral health agencies by the department under its authority to license and certify mental health and substance use disorder programs under chapters 71.05, 71.12, 71.34, and 71.24 RCW and its authority to certify problem gambling and gambling disorder treatment programs under RCW 43.70.080(5) and 41.05.750.

(25) "Medical practitioner" means a physician licensed under chapter 18.57 or 18.71 RCW, advance registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW, or physician assistant licensed under chapter 18.71A RCW.

(26) "Mental health disorder" means any organic, mental, or emotional impairment that has substantial adverse effects on a person's cognitive or volitional functions.

(27) "Mental health professional" or "MHP" means a person who meets the definition in RCW 71.05.020.

(28) "Peer " means a peer counselor as defined in WAC 182-538D-0200 or a certified peer specialist certified under chapter 18.420 RCW.

(29) "Peer support" means services provided by peer counselors to individuals under the supervision of a mental health professional or individual appropriately credentialed to provide substance use disorder treatment. Peer support provides scheduled activities that promote recovery, self-advocacy, development of natural supports, and maintenance of community living skills.

(30) "Problem gambling and gambling disorder" means one or more of the following disorders:

(31) "Progress notes" means permanent written or electronic record of services and supports provided to an individual documenting the individual's participation in, and response to, treatment or support services, progress in recovery, and progress toward intended outcomes.

(32) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department of health.

(33) "State minimum standards" means minimum requirements established by rules adopted by the secretary and necessary to implement chapters 71.05, 71.24, and 71.34 RCW for delivery of behavioral health services.

(34) "Substance use disorder professional" or "SUDP" means a person credentialed by the department as a substance use disorder professional (SUDP) under chapter 18.205 RCW.

(35) "Substance use disorder professional trainee" or "SUDPT" means a person credentialed by the department as a substance use disorder professional trainee (SUDPT) under chapter 18.205 RCW.

(36) "Summary suspension" means the immediate suspension of either a facility's license or program-specific certification or both by the department pending administrative proceedings for suspension, revocation, or other actions deemed necessary by the department.

(37) "Supervision" means the regular monitoring of the administrative, clinical, or clerical work performance of a staff member, trainee, student, volunteer, or employee on contract by a person with the authority to give direction and require change.

(38) "Suspend" means termination of a behavioral health agency's license or program specific certification to provide behavioral health treatment program service for a specified period or until specific conditions have been met and the department notifies the agency of the program's reinstatement of license or certification.