Concerning department of corrections behavioral health certification.

 S-1998.1

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5388

State of Washington

69th Legislature

2025 Regular Session

By Senate Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Dhingra, Nobles, Saldaña, Trudeau, and C. Wilson)

READ FIRST TIME 02/28/25.

AN ACT Relating to department of corrections behavioral health certification; amending RCW 9.94A.662 ; adding a new section to chapter 72.09 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that in 2020, the governor signed Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 6211 into law, which made various changes to the drug offender sentencing alternative statutes. As part of that legislation, revisions were made to RCW 9.94A.662 to state that substance use disorder treatment services provided in prisons be licensed by the department of health.

As a result, under RCW 71.24.037 , the department of health is also required to license mental health services provided in prisons.