The department of social and health services shall accomplish the following in consultation and collaboration with the Washington state institute for public policy, the evidence-based practice institute at the University of Washington, a university-based child welfare partnership and research entity, other national experts in the delivery of evidence-based services, and organizations representing Washington practitioners:

(1) By September 30, 2012, the Washington state institute for public policy, the University of Washington evidence-based practice institute, in consultation with the department shall publish descriptive definitions of evidence-based, research-based, and promising practices in the areas of child welfare, juvenile rehabilitation, and children's mental health services.

(a) In addition to descriptive definitions, the Washington state institute for public policy and the University of Washington evidence-based practice institute must prepare an inventory of evidence-based, research-based, and promising practices for prevention and intervention services that will be used for the purpose of completing the baseline assessment described in subsection (2) of this section. The inventory shall be periodically updated as more practices are identified.

(b) In identifying evidence-based and research-based services, the Washington state institute for public policy and the University of Washington evidence-based practice institute must:

(i) Consider any available systemic evidence-based assessment of a program's efficacy and cost-effectiveness; and

(ii) Attempt to identify assessments that use valid and reliable evidence.

(c) Using state, federal, or private funds, the department shall prioritize the assessment of promising practices identified in (a) of this subsection with the goal of increasing the number of such practices that meet the standards for evidence-based and research-based practices.

(2) By June 30, 2013, the department and the health care authority shall complete a baseline assessment of utilization of evidence-based and research-based practices in the areas of child welfare, juvenile rehabilitation, and children's mental health services. The assessment must include prevention and intervention services provided through medicaid fee-for-service and healthy options managed care contracts. The assessment shall include estimates of:

(a) The number of children receiving each service;

(b) For juvenile rehabilitation and child welfare services, the total amount of state and federal funds expended on the service;

(c) For children's mental health services, the number and percentage of encounters using these services that are provided to children served by behavioral health organizations and children receiving mental health services through medicaid fee-for-service or healthy options;

(d) The relative availability of the service in the various regions of the state; and

(e) To the extent possible, the unmet need for each service.

(3)(a) By December 30, 2013, the department and the health care authority shall report to the governor and to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the legislature on recommended strategies, timelines, and costs for increasing the use of evidence-based and research-based practices. The report must distinguish between a reallocation of existing funding to support the recommended strategies and new funding needed to increase the use of the practices.

(b) The department shall provide updated recommendations to the governor and the legislature by December 30, 2014, and by December 30, 2015.

(4)(a) The report required under subsection (3) of this section must include recommendations for the reallocation of resources for evidence-based and research-based practices and substantial increases above the baseline assessment of the use of evidence-based and research-based practices for the 2015-2017 and the 2017-2019 biennia. The recommendations for increases shall be consistent with subsection (2) of this section.

(b) If the department or health care authority anticipates that it will not meet its recommended levels for an upcoming biennium as set forth in its report, it must report to the legislature by November 1st of the year preceding the biennium. The report shall include:

(i) The identified impediments to meeting the recommended levels;

(ii) The current and anticipated performance level; and

(iii) Strategies that will be undertaken to improve performance.

(5) Recommendations made pursuant to subsections (3) and (4) of this section must include strategies to identify programs that are effective with ethnically diverse clients and to consult with tribal governments, experts within ethnically diverse communities, and community organizations that serve diverse communities.

Effective date—2014 c 225: See note following RCW 71.24.016.