WAC 388-865-0575   Special considerations for serving children.  Inpatient evaluation and treatment facilities serving children must develop policies and procedures to address special considerations for serving children, including:

     (1) Adults must be separated from children who are not yet thirteen years of age;

     (2) Children who have had their thirteenth birthday, but are under the age of eighteen, may be served with adults only if the child's clinical record contains a professional judgment saying that placement in an adult facility will not be harmful to the child or adult.

     (3) Examination and evaluation by a children's mental health specialist within twenty-four hours of admission.

     (4) Provisions for evaluation of children brought to the facility for evaluation by their parents.

     (5) Procedures to notify child protective services any time the facility has reasonable cause to believe that abuse, neglect, financial exploitation or abandonment of a child has occurred.

     (6) For a child thirteen years or older who is brought to an inpatient evaluation and treatment facility or hospital for immediate mental health services, the professional person in charge of the facility must evaluate the child's mental condition, determine a mental disorder, need for inpatient treatment, and willingness to obtain voluntary treatment. The facility may detain or arrange for the detention of the child up to twelve hours for evaluation by a designated mental health professional to commence detention proceedings.

     (7) Admission of children thirteen years or older admitted without parental consent must have concurrence of the professional person in charge of the facility and written review and documentation no less than every one hundred eighty days.

     (8) Notice must be provided to parents when a child is voluntarily admitted to inpatient treatment without parental consent within twenty-four hours of admission in accordance with the requirements of RCW 71.34.510.

     (9) Children who have been admitted on the basis of a designated mental health professional petition for detention must be evaluated by the facility providing seventy two hour evaluation and treatment to determine the child's condition and either admit or release the child. If the child is not approved for admission, the facility must make recommendations and referral for further care and treatment as necessary.

     (10) Examination and evaluation of a child approved for inpatient admission to include:

     (a) The needs to be served by placement in a chemical dependency facility;

     (b) Restricting the right to associate or communicate with parents; and

     (c) Advising the child of rights in accordance with chapter 71.34 RCW.

     (11) Petition for fourteen-day commitment in accordance with the requirements of RCW 71.34.730.

     (12) Commitment hearing requirements and release from further inpatient treatment which may be subject to reasonable conditions if appropriate in accordance with RCW 71.34.740.

     (13) Discharge and conditional release of a child in accordance with RCW 71.34.770, provided that the professional person in charge gives the court written notice of the release within three days of the release. If the child is on a one hundred eighty-day commitment, the children's long-term inpatient program administrator must also be notified.

     (14) Rights of children undergoing treatment and posting of such rights must be in accordance with RCW 71.34.355, 71.34.620, and 71.34.370.

     (15) Release of a child who is not accepted for admission or who is released by an inpatient evaluation and treatment facility in accordance with RCW 71.34.365.

     (16) Information concerning treatment of children and all information obtained through treatment under this chapter may be disclosed only in accordance with RCW 71.34.340.

     (17) Availability of court records and files in accordance with RCW 71.34.335.

     (18) Mental health services information must only be released in accordance with RCW 71.34.345 and other applicable state and federal statutes.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 71.24.035, 71.05.560, and chapters 71.24 and 71.05 RCW. 06-17-114, § 388-865-0575, filed 8/18/06, effective 9/18/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 71.05.560, 71.34.800, and chapters 71.05 and 71.34 RCW. 04-07-014, § 388-865-0575, filed 3/4/04, effective 4/4/04.]