(1) The department of social and health services shall review, in coordination with the department of health, the *nursing care quality assurance commission, adult family home providers, assisted living facility providers, in-home personal care providers, and long-term care consumers and advocates, training standards for administrators and resident caregiving staff. Any proposed enhancements shall be consistent with this section, shall take into account and not duplicate other training requirements applicable to assisted living facilities and staff, and shall be developed with the input of assisted living facility and resident representatives, health care professionals, and other vested interest groups. Training standards and the delivery system shall be relevant to the needs of residents served by the assisted living facility and recipients of long-term in-home personal care services and shall be sufficient to ensure that administrators and caregiving staff have the skills and knowledge necessary to provide high quality, appropriate care.

(2) The recommendations on training standards and the delivery system developed under subsection (1) of this section shall be based on a review and consideration of the following: Quality of care; availability of training; affordability, including the training costs incurred by the department of social and health services and private providers; portability of existing training requirements; competency testing; practical and clinical coursework; methods of delivery of training; standards for management and caregiving staff training; and necessary enhancements for special needs populations and resident rights training. Residents with special needs include, but are not limited to, residents with a diagnosis of mental illness, dementia, or developmental disability.

*Reviser’s note: The reference to “nursing care quality assurance commission” was changed to “board of nursing” by 2023 c 123.

Application—2012 c 10: See note following RCW 18.20.010.

Findings—1998 c 272: “The legislature finds that many residents of long-term care facilities and recipients of in-home personal care services are exceptionally vulnerable and their health and well-being are heavily dependent on their caregivers. The legislature further finds that the quality of staff in long-term care facilities is often the key to good care. The need for well-trained staff and well-managed facilities is growing as the state’s population ages and the acuity of the health care problems of residents increases. In order to better protect and care for residents, the legislature directs that the minimum training standards be reviewed for management and caregiving staff, including those serving residents with special needs, such as mental illness, dementia, or a developmental disability, that management and caregiving staff receive appropriate training, and that the training delivery system be improved.” [ 1998 c 272 § 1.]

Severability—1998 c 272: “If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.” [ 1998 c 272 § 25.]

Effective date—1998 c 272: “Except for section 5 of this act, this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [April 1, 1998].” [ 1998 c 272 § 26.]