Hospitals-Rules in Progress

Rule making is the process the Department of Health uses when proposing to create, change, or delete rules in order to protect public health. To learn more, see the department’s “What is Rule Making?” webpage.

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Current rules in progress

Acute Care and Psychiatric hospitals- Fees

The department has filed a CR-101 (PDF) proposing rulemaking to consider updates to rules regarding acute care and private psychiatric hospital fees to address funding needs. Updates may be necessary to adequately fund the hospital inspection, investigation, and licensing program work necessary to license and regulate hospitals to keep patients safe. 

RCW 43.70.250 requires that licensing fees must cover regulatory program expenses which necessitates each facility’s licensing and regulatory program(s) to be self-funding. Fee adjustments can only be made by updating rules. 

Save-the-date for upcoming rulemaking workshop opportunities.

Option 1: April 4th, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Zoom meeting registration link

Option 2: April 11th, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. Zoom meeting registration link

Meeting Materials

Acute Care hospitals – 23-hour crisis relief centers

The Department is considering amending the Acute Care Hospital regulations in chapter 246-320 WAC to implement Second Substitute Senate Bill 2SSB 5120 (PDF) relating to 23-hour crisis relief centers, a new type of facility that will provide mental health and substance use crisis response to adults.

CR-101(PDF) - Amending the Acute Care Hospital regulations in chapter 246-320 WAC to establish rules prohibiting hospitals licensed under 70.41 RCW from discharging or transferring a patient to a 23-hour crisis relief center unless the hospital has a formal relationship with the 23-hour crisis relief center.