The following definitions and those found in chapters 182-500, 182-538, and 182-538C WAC apply to this chapter. If conflict exists, this chapter takes precedence.

"Adult" means a person age 18 or older.

"Assessment" means the process of obtaining all pertinent bio-psychosocial information, as identified by the person, and family and collateral sources, for determining a diagnosis and to plan individualized services and supports.

"Behavioral health" means the prevention, treatment of, and recovery from substance use disorders, mental health disorders or problem and pathological gambling disorders.

"Behavioral health administrative service organization (BH-ASO)" - See WAC 182-538-050.

"Behavioral health agency" means an entity licensed by the department of health (DOH) to provide behavioral health services, including services for mental health disorders and substance use disorders.

"Certified behavioral health support specialist (BHSS)" means a person who delivers brief behavioral health services under the supervision of a provider outlined in WAC 246-821-410. To provide services as a BHSS, this person must have a bachelor's degree and have completed the BHSS educational program recognized by DOH.

"Certified peer counselor" - See chapter 182-115 WAC.

"Certified peer support specialist" or "CPSS" - See chapter 246-929 WAC.

"Certified peer support specialist trainee" or "CPSST" - See chapter 246-929 WAC.

"Child" means the same as in RCW 71.24.025. For clients age 20 and younger, see the early periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment (EPSDT) program described in chapter 182-534 WAC.

"Clinical record" means a paper or electronic file that is maintained by the provider and contains pertinent psychological, medical, and clinical information for each person served.

"Community support services" means the same as in RCW 71.24.025.

"Complaint" - See "grievance" in WAC 182-538-050.

"Consent" means agreement given by a person after the person is provided with a description of the nature, character, anticipated results of proposed treatments and the recognized serious possible risks, complications, and anticipated benefits, including alternatives and nontreatment. Informed consent must be provided in a terminology that the person can reasonably be expected to understand.

"Consultation" means the clinical review and development of recommendations regarding activities, or decisions of, clinical staff, contracted employees, volunteers, or students by people with appropriate knowledge and experience to make recommendations.

"Crisis" means an actual or perceived urgent or emergent situation that occurs when a person's stability or functioning is disrupted and there is an immediate need to resolve the situation to prevent a serious deterioration in the person's mental or physical health, or to prevent the need for referral to a significantly higher level of care.

"Cultural competence" or "culturally competent" means the ability to recognize and respond to health-related beliefs and cultural values, disease incidence and prevalence, and treatment efficacy. Examples of culturally competent care include striving to overcome cultural, language, and communications barriers, providing an environment in which people from diverse cultural backgrounds feel comfortable discussing their cultural health beliefs and practices in the context of negotiating treatment options, encouraging people to express their spiritual beliefs and cultural practices, and being familiar with and respectful of various traditional healing systems and beliefs and, where appropriate, integrating these approaches into treatment plans.

"Designated crisis responder (DCR)" means a mental health professional appointed by the county, or an entity appointed by the county, to perform the duties described in chapter 71.05 RCW.

"Disability" means a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of a person and the person:

(a) Has a record of such an impairment; or

(b) Is regarded as having such impairment.

"Ethnic minority" or "racial/ethnic groups" means, for the purposes of this chapter, any of the following general population groups:

(a) African American;

(b) An American Indian or Alaskan native, which includes:

(i) A person who is a member or considered to be a member in a federally recognized tribe;

(ii) A person determined eligible to be found Indian by the secretary of interior;

(iii) An Eskimo, Aleut, or other Alaskan native; and

(iv) An unenrolled Indian meaning a person considered Indian by a federally or nonfederally recognized Indian tribe or off-reservation Indian/Alaskan native community organization.

(c) Asian/Pacific Islander; or

(d) Hispanic.

"Housing services" means the active search and promotion of individual access to, and choice in, safe and affordable housing that is appropriate to the person's age, culture, and needs.

"Integrated managed care (IMC)" - See WAC 182-538-050.

"Less restrictive alternative (LRA)" - See WAC 182-538C-050.

"Mental health professional" means a person who meets the following:

(a) A psychiatrist, psychologist, psychological associate, physician assistant working with a supervising psychiatrist, psychiatric advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP), psychiatric nurse, or social worker as defined in chapters 71.05 and 71.34 RCW;

(b) A person who is licensed by DOH as a mental health counselor, mental health counselor associate, marriage and family therapist, or marriage and family therapist associate; or

(c) A person with a master's degree or further advanced degree in counseling or one of the social sciences from an accredited college or university who has at least two years of experience in direct treatment of people with mental illness or emotional disturbance, experience that was gained under the supervision of a mental health professional recognized by DOH or attested to by the licensed behavioral health agency.

"Mental health specialist" means:

(a) A "child mental health specialist" is defined as a mental health professional with the following education and experience:

(i) A minimum of 100 actual hours (not quarter or semester hours) of special training in child development and the treatment of children and youth with serious emotional disturbance and their families; and

(ii) The equivalent of one year of full-time experience in the treatment of seriously emotionally disturbed children and youth and their families under the supervision of a child mental health specialist.

(b) A "geriatric mental health specialist" is defined as a mental health professional who has the following education and experience:

(i) A minimum of 100 actual hours (not quarter or semester hours) of specialized training devoted to the mental health problems and treatment of people age 60 and older; and

(ii) The equivalent of one year of full-time experience in the treatment of people age 60 and older, under the supervision of a geriatric mental health specialist.

(c) An "ethnic minority mental health specialist" is defined as a mental health professional who has demonstrated cultural competence attained through major commitment, ongoing training, experience and/or specialization in serving ethnic minorities, including:

(i) Evidence of one year of service specializing in serving the ethnic minority group under the supervision of an ethnic minority mental health specialist; and

(ii) One of the following:

(A) Evidence of support from the ethnic minority community attesting to the person's commitment to that community; or

(B) A minimum of 100 actual hours (not quarter or semester hours) of specialized training devoted to ethnic minority issues and treatment of ethnic minorities.

(d) A "disability mental health specialist" is defined as a mental health professional with special expertise in working with an identified disability group. For purposes of this chapter only, "disabled" means a person with a disability other than a mental illness, including a developmental disability, serious physical handicap, or sensory impairment.

(i) If the consumer is deaf, the specialist must be a mental health professional with:

(A) Knowledge about the deaf culture and psychosocial problems faced by people who are deaf; and

(B) Ability to communicate fluently in the preferred language system of the consumer.

(ii) The specialist for people with developmental disabilities must be a mental health professional who:

(A) Has at least one year experience working with people with developmental disabilities; or

(B) Is a developmental disabilities professional as defined in RCW 71.05.020.

"Quality plan" means an overarching system or process, or both, whereby quality assurance and quality improvement activities are incorporated and infused into all aspects of a BH-ASO's or MCO's operations.

"Residential services" means a complete range of residences and supports authorized by resource management services and which may involve a facility, a distinct part thereof, or services which support community living, for people who are acutely mentally ill, adults who are chronically mentally ill, children who are severely emotionally disturbed, or adults who are seriously disturbed and determined by the behavioral health organization to be at risk of becoming acutely or chronically mentally ill.

"Resource management services" means the same as in RCW 71.24.025.

"Substance use disorder" means a cluster of cognitive, behavioral, and physiological symptoms indicating that a person continues using the substance despite significant substance-related problems. The diagnosis of a substance use disorder is based on a pathological pattern of behaviors related to the use of the substances.

"Substance use disorder professional" or "SUDP" - See WAC 182-500-0100.

"Substance use disorder professional trainee" or "SUDPT" - See WAC 246-811-010.

"Supervision" means the regular monitoring of the administrative, clinical, or clerical work performance of a staff member, trainee, student, volunteer, or employee on contract by a person with the authority to give direction and require change.

"Youth" means a person age 13 through age 17. For clients age 20 and younger, see the early periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment (EPSDT) program described in chapter 182-534 WAC.