Bill > SB5388

This bill addresses the certification and monitoring of behavioral health services in Washington state correctional facilities. Building on a 2020 law that required substance use disorder treatment services in prisons to be licensed by the Department of Health, this legislation modifies the previous requirements by establishing that the Department of Health will monitor behavioral health services in correctional facilities through jointly developed standards with the Department of Corrections, rather than through direct licensure. The bill requires the two departments to establish these standards by July 1, 2026, with full implementation beginning July 1, 2027. Starting in 2027, the Department of Health will conduct annual inspections to ensure compliance, issue reports on any noncompliance, and provide technical assistance. The departments must enter into a biennial agreement covering inspection processes and cost reimbursement, and they are required to review and update the standards every four years. The bill also updates language in existing statutes, replacing the term "offender" with "individual" and making technical changes to sentencing alternative provisions. Importantly, the bill will become null and void if specific funding is not provided in the omnibus appropriations act by June 30, 2025.