(1)(a) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, by October 1, 2023, the department shall develop a program to facilitate placement of associates with clinical supervision services. The program must include a database of license holders with the required qualifications who are willing to serve as approved supervisors and agencies or facilities that offer supervision services through their facilities to associates seeking to satisfy supervised experience requirements under RCW 18.225.090.

(b) The department shall adopt, by rule, minimum qualifications for supervisors or facilities to be included in the database and minimum standards for adequate supervision of associates. The department may not include in the database any person who, or facility that, does not meet the minimum qualifications. The department shall periodically audit the list to remove persons who, or facilities that, no longer meet the minimum qualifications or fail to meet the minimum standards.

(2) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall establish a stipend program to defray the out-of-pocket expenses incurred by associates completing supervised experience requirements under RCW 18.225.090.

(a) Out-of-pocket expenses eligible for defrayment under this section include costs incurred in order to obtain supervised experience, such as fees or charges imposed by the individual or entity providing supervision, and any other expenses deemed appropriate by the department.

(b) Associates participating in the stipend program established in this section shall document their out-of-pocket expenses in a manner specified by the department.

(c) When adopting the stipend program, the department shall consider defraying out-of-pocket expenses associated with unpaid internships that are part of an applicant's educational program.

(d) The department shall establish the stipend program no later than July 1, 2024.

(e) The department may adopt any rules necessary to implement this section.

Effective date—2023 c 425 §§ 1-7, 13-20, and 22-26: See note following RCW 18.83.170.