Current through Register Vol. 24-18, September 15, 2024
(1) Mental
health peer respite facilities provide voluntary, holistic, trauma-informed,
short-term, noncrisis, peer support services, in a home-like environment, which
focus on recovery and wellness. These services are limited to individuals who
are:
(a) At least 18 years of age;
(b) Experiencing psychiatric distress but who
are not detained or involuntarily committed under chapter 71.05 RCW;
and
(c) Independently seeking
respite services by their own choice.
(2) An agency certified to provide mental
health peer respite services must meet the behavioral health support
certification requirements in WAC
246-341-0700.
(3) An agency certified to provide mental
health peer respite services must develop and implement policies and procedures
that address how the agency will:
(a) Have an
agreement with the local crisis system, including the closest agency providing
evaluation and treatment services and designated crisis responders to ensure
timely response to, and assessment of, individuals who need a higher level of
care;
(b) Be staffed 24 hours per
day, seven days a week by certified peer counselors;
(c) Be peer-run. This includes:
(i) Having a managing board, with a majority
of members who are peers, that manages the day-to-day operations of the mental
health peer respite center and reports to the agency's governing body;
and
(ii) Supervision of services by
a certified peer counselor who meets the qualifications of a mental health
professional.
(d) Limit
services to an individual to a maximum of seven nights in a 30-day period;
and
(e) Develop and implement a
guest agreement that establishes expectations for individuals receiving mental
health peer respite services, including expectations for things such as:
Cooking, cleaning, self-management of medications, and personal
hygiene.
(4) An agency
certified to provide mental health peer respite services must provide the
services in a residence that meets local building and zoning codes and must
develop and implement policies and procedures that address the following:
(a) Kitchen environment, including kitchen
equipment that is in good working repair and follows general principles of safe
food handling;
(b) Food storage,
including how the agency will provide each individual with adequate storage for
perishable and nonperishable food items;
(c) Laundry facilities, including how the
agency will give residents access to laundry facilities and equipment that is
clean and in good repair;
(d)
Housekeeping, including cleaning, maintenance, and refuse disposal;
(e) Bedding and linens, including how the
agency will provide each individual with clean, sanitary bedding and linens
that are in good repair;
(f) Secure
storage, including how each individual is provided with secure storage for
personal belongings including medications;
(g) Furnishings, including how the agency
will provide appropriate furniture for bedrooms and common spaces, as well as
other furnishings appropriate to create a home-like setting; and
(h) Accessibility needs of individuals with
disabilities as it relates to program operations and communications.
