SB 5229 — Concerning health equity continuing education for health care professionals.

ENGROSSEDS-0367.1 SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5229 State of Washington 67th Legislature 2021 Regular Session By Senate Health & Long Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Randall, Das, Keiser, Lovelett, Nobles, Wilson, C., Dhingra, Hasegawa, Kuderer, Nguyen, and Stanford)Stanford READRead FIRSTfirst TIMEtime 02/08/21.01/14/21.

Referred to Committee on Health & Long Term Care.

and adding a new section to chapter 43.70 RCW;RCW.

and creating a new section.

The legislature finds that:

(1) Healthy Washingtonians contribute to the economic and social welfare of their families and communities, and access to health services and improved health outcomes allows all Washington families to enjoy productive and satisfying lives;

(2) The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed that health outcomes are experienced differently by different people based on discrimination and bias by the health care system.

Research shows that health care resources are distributed unevenly by intersectional categories including, but not limited to, race, gender, ability status, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and geography;

and (3) These inequities have permeated health care delivery, deepening adverse outcomes for marginalized communities.

This bill aims to equip health care workers with the skills to recognize and reduce these inequities in their daily work.

In addition to their p.

1 ESSB 5229 individual impact, health care workers need the skills to address systemic racism and bias.

NEW SECTION.

Sec.

2.

(1) By January 1, 2024,2023, the rule-making authority for each health profession licensed under Title 18 RCW subject to continuing education requirements must adopt rules requiring a licensee to complete health equity continuing education training at least once every four years.years using standards and criteria based on available research and evidence.

A rule-making authority shall consult with patients or communities with lived experiences of health inequities or racism in the health care system, relevant professional organizations, and the department in the development of these rules.

(3)(a)p. The secretary and the rule-making authorities must work collaboratively to provide information to licensees about available courses.

1 SB 5229 (3)(a) The secretary and the rule-making authorities must work collaboratively to provide information to licensees about available courses.

The information should include a course option that is free of charge to licensees.

(b) ByThe Januarycontinuing 1,education 2023,courses themust department,teach inattitudes, consultationknowledge, withand theskills boardsthat andenable commissions,a shallhealth adoptcare modelprofessional rulesto establishingcare theeffectively minimumfor standardspatients forfrom continuingdiverse educationcultures, programsgroups, meetingand thecommunities, requirementsvarying ofin thisrace, section.ethnicity, gender identity, sexuality, religion, age, ability, and socioeconomic status.

The department shall consult with patients or communities with lived experience of health inequities or racism in the health care system, relevant professional organizations, and the rule-making authorities in the development of these rules.

(c) The minimum standards must include instruction on skills to address the structural factors, such as bias, racism, and poverty, that manifest as health inequities.

These skills include individual- level and system-level intervention, and self-reflection to assess how the licensee's social position can influence their relationship with patients and their communities.

These skills enable a health care professional to care effectively for patients from diverse p.

2 ESSB 5229 cultures, groups, and communities, varying in race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexuality, religion, age, ability, socioeconomic status, and other categories of identity.

The courses must assess the licensee's ability to apply health equity concepts into practice.

(a)p. "Rule-making authority" means the regulatory entities identified in RCW 18.130.040 and authorized to establish continuing education requirements for the health care professions governed by those regulatory entities.

2 SB 5229 (a) "Rule-making authority" means the regulatory entities identified in RCW 18.130.040 and authorized to establish continuing education requirements for the health care professions governed by those regulatory entities.

Structural competency reviews existing structural approaches to stigma and health inequities developed p.outside of medicine and proposes changes to United States medical education that will infuse clinical training with a structural focus.

3 ESSB 5229 outside of medicine and proposes changes to United States medical education that will infuse clinical training with a structural focus.

3.2.

(2) The department, in consultation with the disciplining authorities as defined in RCW 18.130.040, shall establish, within available department general funds, an ongoing multicultural health awarenessp. and education program as an integral part of its health professions regulation.

3 SB 5229 awareness and education program as an integral part of its health professions regulation.

((The disciplining authorities having the authority to offer continuing education may provide training in the dynamics of providing culturally competent, multicultural health care to diverse populations.)) Any such education shall be developed in collaboration with education programs p.that train students in that health profession.

4 ESSB 5229 that train students in that health profession.

54 ESSBSB 5229