Health Professions

The department recommends the applicant group incorporate evidence from studies or other sources, with citations, to ensure accurate analysis of the proposal. An attached annotated bibliography with citations or links to source material and that highlights your evidence may be an effective tool to focus attention to that evidence. However, it's not a requirement of the applicant report.

New Health Profession

The department is legally required to evaluate the applicant report according to the criteria in RCW 18.120.010 when making recommendations. This law says a health profession should be regulated only when:

• Unregulated practice can clearly harm or endanger the public health, safety or welfare. The potential for the harm must be easily recognizable and not remote or dependent on a tenuous argument;
• The public needs to, and can reasonably be expected to, benefit from an assurance of initial and continuing professional ability; and
• The public cannot be effectively protected by other means in a more cost-beneficial manner.

The applicant group must also explain the factors in RCW 18.120.030. Please use this Applicant Report Outline/Instructions Form (PDF).

Increased Scope of Practice

Chapter 18.120 RCW also applies to proposals to increase an existing profession's scope of practice. However, the statute doesn't contain specific criteria for these types of reviews. The department requests applicant groups focus their proposals on the criteria in RCW 18.120.010 by demonstrating that proposals:

• Protect the public from harm;
• Provide assurance of professional ability to perform the increased scope of practice (such as education and training); and
• Provide the most cost-beneficial option to protect the public.

The applicant group must also explain the factors in RCW 18.120.030 that are relevant to increases in scopes of practice.

Please use this Applicant Report Outline/Instructions Form (PDF).

• Ask the applicant group for clarifications to the applicant report as needed.
• Send notice to interested parties inviting them to submit written comments on the proposal
• Post the compiled written comments and any follow up from the applicant group on the web page and share with interested parties.
• Hold a public comment meeting to:
  • Collect additional information on the proposal.
  • Ask clarifying questions of the applicant group about their proposal.
  • Ask clarifying questions of members of the public providing comments.

The department drafts a report with recommendations based on information submitted in the applicant report, the proposed legislation, public comments, and independent research.

The draft report must be reviewed within the department and then is sent to the Office of Financial Management (OFM) for review. OFM provides fiscal and policy support to the governor, legislature, and state agencies, and must approve all legislative reports.

Once the final report is submitted to the legislature, the department posts it to our webpage and shares it with interested parties.

Please note, the department’s recommendations are advisory only. The legislature may take the report under advisement, introduce legislation, or do nothing.

• Written materials developed in the course of a sunrise review, including public comments, are subject to public inspection and copying under chapter 42.56 RCW – Public Records Act.

The final report must be reviewed within the department, and then sent to the Office of Financial Management (OFM) for review. OFM provides fiscal and policy support to the governor, legislature, and state agencies, and must approve all legislative reports. The conclusion of the department's process is the final report to the legislature, which is advisory only. The legislature may take the report under advisement, introduce legislation, or do nothing.

Once the final report has been submitted to the legislature, the department posts it to our webpage and shares it with interested parties.

Please note: Written materials developed in the course of a sunrise review, including public comments, are subject to public inspection and copying under Chapter 42.56 RCW – Public Records Act.

• Applicant Report Form – New health profession proposal (PDF)
• Applicant Report Form – Increase in scope of practice proposal (PDF)