2024 Behavioral Health Legislation

Priority Bills that Passed the House and Senate (They Await the Governor's Signature)

Bills in green are supported. Bills in red are opposed by the League. Bills in black the League is watching.

HB 1881/SB 5821 Establishing a uniform standard for creating an established relationship for the purposes of coverage of audio-only telemedicine services. The use of audio only technology such as phones makes it easier for persons in rural areas, persons with disabilities, and the elderly to access healthcare services. However, to ensure that services can be delivered safely the patient must have an “established relationship” with the provider. These bills create a uniform definition of established relationship for the purposes of providing audio-only telemedicine, requiring that the provider must have seen the patient, at least once, either in person or through a video and audio telemedicine appointment within the past three years.

• SB 5821 passed the Senate unanimously and with only some opposition in the House (Yeas 76, Nays 16). The bill is fully funded in the Operating Budget.

SHB 1889 Allowing persons to receive professional licenses and certifications regardless of immigration or citizenship status. This bill removes citizenship requirements for professional licensure, but all other requirements must be met. This would help address healthcare and behavioral health workforce shortage issues.

• A substitute version, SHB 1889, was passed by the House Committee on Consumer Protection & Business.  It expanded the professions impacted by the bill. SHB 1889 passed the House (Yeas, 66; Nays, 31) and the Senate (Yeas, 41; Nays, 8).

2SHB 1929/SB 6050 Supporting young adults following inpatient behavioral health treatment. Provides supportive transitional housing for young adults (18-24) exiting inpatient behavioral health treatment. The focus is on securing long-term housing. 

• A substitute version, SHB 1929,was passed by the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness and a second substitute version, 2SHB 1929, was passed the House Committee on Appropriations. The substitutes allowed federally recognized tribes in Washington to receive funding to operate a residential program and specified that the residential programs must be voluntary. The substituted version of the bill passed both the House and the Senate unanimously. The bill is fully funded in the Operating Budget.

SHB 1939 Adopting the social work licensure compact. This bill provides for Washington State to join a Social Work Licensure Compact. The Compact would allow licensed social workers to practice across state lines under a Compact privilege. This would help address workforce shortage issues. 

• A substitute version, SHB 1939, was passed by the House Committee on Postsecondary Education & Workforce. The substitute version made a technical correction to an incorrect reference. SHB 1939, passed both the House and the Senate unanimously.

HB 1946 Creating the Washington health corps behavioral health scholarship program. The bill provides assistance with higher education in the form of loan repayment or conditional scholarships for behavioral health professionals working in underserved behavioral health areas.

• HB 1946 passed the House and the Senate unanimously. The bill is partially funded in the Operating Budget, about 60% of what was requested by the agencies charged with implementing the bill.

E2SHB 2247Addressing behavioral health provider shortages. The bill changed licensure, certification, or registration requirements for several categories of behavioral health providers, including psychologists, mental health counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapists, agency affiliated counselors, and substance use disorder professionals, in order to increase the available workforce. It established a new category of provider, Licensed Psychological Associate, for students pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology. They would practice only under the supervision of a licensed psychologist. For other master's level behavioral health professionals, continuing education requirements and associate licensure requirements were changed. Associates will be able to bill for services under the Medicaid State Plan. 

• A substitute version, SHB 2247,was passed by the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness and a second substitute version, 2SHB 2247, was passed by the House Committee on Appropriations. The substitute versions delayed the start date of some provisions, allowed associates to practice up to 120 days while their license applications were being processed, and removed the provision that Medicaid plans must include associates in their networks. An amendment was adopted on the House floor requiring consultation regarding the rules relating to continuing education and a recommendation by the Secretary of Health regarding the appropriate disciplining authorities for behavioral health professionals. The amended bill passed the House unanimously. In the Senate the Committee on Health & Long Term Care added another amendment making some technical changes. It passed the Senate unanimously and the House concurred with the Senate version. The bill is fully funded in the Operating Budget.

E2SSB 5853Extending the crisis relief center model to provide behavioral health crisis services for minors. This expands the services of crisis relief centers to adolescents, individuals 13 to 18. Adolescent services would be separate from adult services. 

• A substitute version, SSB 5853,was passed by the Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care and a second substitute version, 2SSB 5853, was passed by the Senate Committee on Ways & Means. The substitute versions added the requirements that parents or guardians be provided with written and verbal information about available treatment options and that staff of a Crisis Relief Center may detain an adolescent for up to 12 hours for evaluation by a designated crisis responder if the staff regards the adolescent as presenting an imminent danger to self or others. The substitute version, E2SSB 5853, passed the Senate unanimously with the addition of an amendment requiring that a Center serving both adolescents and adults have separate internal entrances for the them. It passed the House with little opposition (Yeas, 92; Nays, 4). The bill is fully funded in the Operating Budget.

E2SSB 6251 Coordinating regional behavioral crisis response and suicide prevention services. (Coordinating regional behavioral crisis response services). 

• A substitute version, SSB 6251,was passed by the Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care and a second substitute version, 2SSB 6251, was passed by the Senate Committee on Ways & Means. The substitute versions made various changes regarding details of how the coordination would work. The substitute version, E2SSB 6251, passed the Senate unanimously with the addition of an amendment requiring that the Department of Health seek and consider recommendations from the regional behavioral health administrative services organizations when determining which 988 contact hub would best meet regional needs. There were additional amendments to the bill in the House Committee on Appropriations and again on the House floor. These amendments further specified the coordination required and the partners. The amendments also specified that a 988 crisis hotline dedicated to the crisis needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives must provide methods of communication similar to and to the same extent as the general 988 crisis hotline. E2SSB 6251, as amended, passed the House unanimously. The Senate concurred with the House version. The bill is fully funded in the Operating Budget.