(1) Mental health peer respite facilities provide voluntary, holistic, trauma-informed, short-term, noncrisis, peer support services, in a home-like environment, which focus on recovery and wellness. These services are limited to individuals who are:
(a) At least 18 years of age;
(b) Experiencing psychiatric distress but who are not detained or involuntarily committed under chapter
71.05 RCW; and
(c) Independently seeking respite services by their own choice.
(2) An agency certified to provide mental health peer respite services must meet the behavioral health support certification requirements in WAC
246-341-0700.
(3) An agency certified to provide mental health peer respite services must develop and implement policies and procedures that address how the agency will:
(a) Have an agreement with the local crisis system, including the closest agency providing evaluation and treatment services and designated crisis responders to ensure timely response to, and assessment of, individuals who need a higher level of care;
(b) Be staffed 24 hours per day, seven days a week by certified peer counselors;
(c) Be peer-run. This includes:
(i) Having a managing board, with a majority of members who are peers, that manages the day-to-day operations of the mental health peer respite center and reports to the agency's governing body; and
(ii) Supervision of services by a certified peer counselor who meets the qualifications of a mental health professional.
(d) Limit services to an individual to a maximum of seven nights in a 30-day period; and
(e) Develop and implement a guest agreement that establishes expectations for individuals receiving mental health peer respite services, including expectations for things such as: Cooking, cleaning, self-management of medications, and personal hygiene.
(4) An agency certified to provide mental health peer respite services must provide the services in a residence that meets local building and zoning codes and must develop and implement policies and procedures that address the following:
(a) Kitchen environment, including kitchen equipment that is in good working repair and follows general principles of safe food handling;
(b) Food storage, including how the agency will provide each individual with adequate storage for perishable and nonperishable food items;
(c) Laundry facilities, including how the agency will give residents access to laundry facilities and equipment that is clean and in good repair;
(d) Housekeeping, including cleaning, maintenance, and refuse disposal;
(e) Bedding and linens, including how the agency will provide each individual with clean, sanitary bedding and linens that are in good repair;
(f) Secure storage, including how each individual is provided with secure storage for personal belongings including medications;
(g) Furnishings, including how the agency will provide appropriate furniture for bedrooms and common spaces, as well as other furnishings appropriate to create a home-like setting; and
(h) Accessibility needs of individuals with disabilities as it relates to program operations and communications.
