Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1) “Alcoholism” means a disease, characterized by a dependency on alcoholic beverages, loss of control over the amount and circumstances of alcohol use, symptoms of tolerance, physiological or psychological withdrawal, or both, if use is reduced or discontinued, and impairment of health or disruption of social or economic functioning.

(2) “Approved treatment program” means a discrete program of chemical dependency treatment provided by a treatment program certified by the department of social and health services as meeting standards adopted under this chapter.

(3) “Assessment” means an interview with an individual to determine if he or she is chemically dependent and in need of referral to an approved treatment program.

(4) “Chemically dependent individual” means someone suffering from alcoholism or drug addiction, or dependence on alcohol or one or more other psychoactive chemicals.

(5) “Department” means the department of social and health services.

(6) “Domestic violence” is a categorization of offenses, as defined in RCW 10.99.020.

(7) “Domestic violence program” means a shelter or other program which provides services to victims of domestic violence.

(8) “Drug addiction” means a disease characterized by a dependency on psychoactive chemicals, loss of control over the amount and circumstances of use, symptoms of tolerance, physiological or psychological withdrawal, or both, if use is reduced or discontinued, and impairment of health or disruptions of social or economic functioning.

(9) “Pretreatment” means the period of time prior to an individual’s enrollment in alcohol or drug treatment.

(10) “Pretreatment services” means activities taking place prior to treatment that include identification of individuals using alcohol or drugs, education, assessment of their use, evaluation of need for treatment, referral to an approved treatment program, and advocacy on a client’s behalf with social service agencies or others to ensure and coordinate a client’s entry into treatment.

(11) “Primary prevention” means providing information about the effects of alcohol or drug use to individuals so they will avoid using these substances.

(12) “Secondary prevention” means identifying and obtaining an assessment on individuals using alcohol or other drugs for referral to treatment when indicated.

(13) “Secretary” means the secretary of the department of social and health services.

(14) “Treatment” means the broad range of emergency detoxification, residential, and outpatient services and care, including diagnostic evaluation, chemical dependency education and counseling, medical, psychiatric, psychological, and social service care, vocational rehabilitation, and career counseling, that may be extended to chemically dependent individuals and their families.

(15) “Treatment program” means an organization, institution, or corporation, public or private, engaged in the care, treatment, or rehabilitation of chemically dependent individuals.

Effective date—2020 c 29: See note following RCW 7.77.060.

Finding—1993 c 422: “The United States surgeon general warns that women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects. The legislature finds that these defects include fetal alcohol syndrome, a birth defect that causes permanent antisocial behavior in the sufferer, disrupts the functions of his or her family, and, at an alarmingly increasing rate, extracts a safety and fiscal toll on society.” [ 1993 c 422 § 1.]