(1) An involuntary treatment act work group is established to evaluate the effect of changes to this chapter and chapter 71.34 RCW and to evaluate vulnerabilities in the crisis system.
(2) The work group shall:
(a) Commencing July 1, 2020, meet at least three times to: (i) Identify and evaluate systems and procedures that may be required to implement one hundred twenty hour initial detention; (ii) develop recommendations to implement one hundred twenty hour initial detention statewide; and (iii) disseminate the recommendations to stakeholders and report them to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature by January 1, 2021.
(b) Commencing January 1, 2021, meet at least six times to evaluate: (i) The implementation of one hundred twenty hour initial detention, and the effects, if any, on involuntary behavioral health treatment capacity statewide, including the frequency of detentions, commitments, revocations of less restrictive alternative treatment, conditional release orders, single bed certifications, and no-bed reports under RCW 71.05.750; (ii) other issues related to implementation of chapter 302, Laws of 2020; and (iii) other vulnerabilities in the involuntary treatment system.
(c)(i) Develop recommendations for operating the crisis system based on the evaluations in (b) of this subsection; and (ii) disseminate those recommendations to stakeholders and report them to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature no later than June 30, 2022.
(3) The work group shall be convened by the authority and shall receive technical and data gathering support from the authority, the department, and the department of social and health services as needed. The membership must consist of not more than eighteen members appointed by the governor, reflecting statewide representation, diverse viewpoints, and experience with involuntary treatment cases. Appointed members must include but not be limited to:
(a) Representatives of the authority, the department, and the department of social and health services;
(b) Certified short-term civil commitment providers and providers who accept single bed certification under RCW 71.05.745;
(c) Certified long-term inpatient care providers for involuntary patients or providers with experience providing community long-term inpatient care for involuntary patients;
(d) Prosecuting attorneys;
(e) Defense attorneys;
(f) Family members and persons with lived experience of behavioral health disorders;
(g) At least two behavioral health peers with lived experience of civil commitment;
(h) The Washington state office of the attorney general;
(i) Advocates for persons with behavioral health disorders;
(j) Designated crisis responders;
(k) Behavioral health administrative services organizations;
(l) Managed care organizations;
(m) Law enforcement; and
(n) Judicial officers in involuntary treatment cases.
(4) Interested legislators and legislative staff may participate in the work group. The governor must request participation in the work group by a representative of tribal governments.
(5) The work group shall choose cochairs from among its members and receive staff support from the authority.
(6) This section expires June 30, 2022.
[ 2020 c 302 § 103.]