HB 1721 adds a new section to RCW chapter 28B.20 to have the University of Washington establish certificate programs to educate behavioral health care professionals in evidence-based practices.
These programs would be established as follows:
(1) The UW School of Social Work, in collaboration with the UW Dept of Psychology, shall establish a certificate program in evidence-based dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) practices that have been shown to be effective in treating patients with mental health disorders and those at risk of suicide;
a. The program must be designed for graduate students pursuing a Master’s of Social Work.
(2) The UW Dept of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Division of Public Behavioral Health and Justice Policy shall establish a certificate program in evidence-based DBT practices as well;
a. The program must be designed for licensed behavioral health care professionals who wish to receive additional education in evidence-based DBT practices.
Additionally, RCW 28B.115.050 directs the State Department of Health to establish a planning committee to assist in developing criteria for the selection of participants. RCW 28B.115.070 is also amended to include the requirement to devote 50% of the loan repayment awards to credentialed health care professionals who are employed in a designated health professional shortage area and are providing behavioral health services.
RCW 28B.115.080 is amended to include that subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the Office of Student Financial Assistance must award conditional scholarships to participants enrolled in evidence-based DBT certificate programs. RCW 28B.115.120 is also amended to establish that participants who receive a conditional scholarship incur an obligation to repay the scholarship, unless they serve for 3 years at a public behavioral health site.
