SB 5884 — Establishing behavioral health support specialists.

S-4115.1S-3548.1 SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5884 State of Washington 67th Legislature 2022 Regular Session By Senate Behavioral Health Subcommittee to Health & Long Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Trudeau, Dhingra, Hasegawa, Kuderer, Lovick, Nguyen, Nobles, Saldaña, and C.

Wilson)Wilson READRead FIRSTfirst TIMEtime 01/31/22.01/18/22.

Referred to Committee on Health & Long Term Care.

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(2) "Behavioral health support specialist" means a trained paraprofessional certified under this chapter to deliver low- intensity, evidence-based behavioral health interventions for adults with mild-to-moderate behavioral health conditions in a stepped care model in ongoing partnership with a licensed health care provider whose scope of practice includes behavioral healthhealth. or a licensed community behavioral health agency.

The department shall partner with the University of Washington department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and consult with other stakeholders including the Washington state council on behavioral health to develop rules to implement this chapter by January 1, 2024,2023, which shall be consistent with the evidence-based improving access to psychological therapies model, and shall include appropriate standards for accreditation of educational programs for behavioral health support specialists, which shall include a practicum component and may be integrated into a bachelor's degree program or structured as a continuing education program.

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and p.(4) Ongoing partnership with a licensed health care provider whose scope of practice includes behavioral health.

3p. SSB 5884 (4) Ongoing partnership with a licensed health care provider whose scope of practice includes behavioral health or a licensed community behavioral health agency.

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(1) The health care authority shall take any steps which are necessary and proper to ensure that the services of behavioral health support specialists are covered under the state medicaid programprogram. by January 1, 2024.

(2) By July 1, 2023, the office of the insurance commissioner shall make recommendations to health carriers regarding appropriate use of behavioral health support specialists, network adequacy for behavioral health support specialists, and steps to incorporate p.

4 SSBSB 5884 (2) By July 1, 2024, the office of the insurance commissioner shall make recommendations to health carriers regarding appropriate use of behavioral health support specialists, network adequacy for behavioral health support specialists, and steps to incorporate behavioral health support specialists into commercial provider networks.

(xiii) Dietitians and nutritionists certified under chapter 18.138 RCW;

5 SSBSB 5884 (xiii)(xiv) DietitiansSubstance anduse nutritionistsdisorder professionals, substance use disorder professional trainees, or co-occurring disorder specialists certified under chapter 18.13818.205 RCW;

(xiv) Substance use disorder professionals, substance use disorder professional trainees, or co-occurring disorder specialists certified under chapter 18.205 RCW;

(iv) The board of hearing and speech as established in chapter 18.35 RCW;

6 SSBSB 5884 (iv)(v) The board of hearingexaminers andfor speechnursing home administrators as established in chapter 18.3518.52 RCW;

(v) The board of examiners for nursing home administrators as established in chapter 18.52 RCW;

(1) This chapter applies only to the secretary and the boards and commissions having jurisdiction in relation to the professions p.

7 SSBSB 5884 (1) This chapter applies only to the secretary and the boards and commissions having jurisdiction in relation to the professions licensed under the chapters specified in this section.

(xvii) Orthotists and prosthetists licensed under chapter 18.200 RCW;

8 SSBSB 5884 (xvii)(xviii) OrthotistsSurgical andtechnologists prosthetistsregistered licensed under chapter 18.20018.215 RCW;

(xviii) Surgical technologists registered under chapter 18.215 RCW;

(viii) The pharmacy quality assurance commission as established in chapter 18.64 RCW governing licenses issued under chapters 18.64 and 18.64A RCW;

9 SSBSB 5884 (viii)(ix) The pharmacyWashington qualitymedical assurance commission as established in chapter 18.6418.71 RCW governing licenses and registrations issued under chapters 18.6418.71 and 18.64A18.71A RCW;

(ix) The Washington medical commission as established in chapter 18.71 RCW governing licenses and registrations issued under chapters 18.71 and 18.71A RCW;

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