H-2829.4
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2248
State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session
By House Human Services, Youth, & Early Learning (originally
sponsored by Representatives Bateman, Callan, Fey, Reed, Doglio,
Leavitt, and Davis)
READ FIRST TIME 01/29/24.
1 AN ACT Relating to providing support to individuals with
2 traumatic brain injuries; and amending RCW 74.31.020, 74.31.030, and
3 74.31.050.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
5 Sec. 1. RCW 74.31.020 and 2019 c 181 s 3 are each amended to
6 read as follows:
7 (1) The Washington traumatic brain injury strategic partnership
8 advisory council is established as an advisory council to the
9 governor, the legislature, and the secretary of the department of
10 social and health services.
11 (2) The council shall be composed of:
12 (a) The following members who shall be appointed by the governor:
13 (i) A representative from a Native American tribe located in
14 Washington state;
15 (ii) Two representatives from a nonprofit organization serving
16 individuals with traumatic brain injury;
17 (iii) An individual with expertise in working with children with
18 traumatic brain injuries;
19 (iv) A physician who has experience working with individuals with
20 traumatic brain injuries;
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 1 (v) A neuropsychologist who has experience working with persons
2 with traumatic brain injuries;
3 (vi) A social worker or clinical psychologist who has experience
4 in working with persons who have sustained traumatic brain injuries;
5 (vii) A rehabilitation specialist, such as a speech pathologist,
6 vocational rehabilitation counselor, occupational therapist, or
7 physical therapist who has experience working with persons with
8 traumatic brain injuries;
9 (viii) Two persons who are individuals with a traumatic brain
10 injury;
11 (ix) Two persons who are family members of individuals with
12 traumatic brain injuries; and
13 (x) Two members of the public who have experience with issues
14 related to the causes of traumatic brain injuries; and
15 (b) The following agency members:
16 (i) The secretary or the secretary's designee, and
17 representatives from the following: The division of behavioral health
18 and recovery services, the aging and disability services
19 administration, and the division of vocational rehabilitation;
20 (ii) The secretary of health or the secretary's designee;
21 (iii) The secretary of corrections or the secretary's designee;
22 (iv) The secretary of children, youth, and families or the
23 secretary's designee;
24 (v) A representative of the department of commerce with expertise
25 in housing;
26 (vi) A representative from the Washington state department of
27 veterans affairs;
28 (vii) A representative from the national guard; and
29 (viii) The executive director of the Washington protection and
30 advocacy system or the executive director's designee.
31 (3) Councilmembers shall not be compensated for serving on the
32 council, but may be reimbursed for all reasonable expenses related to
33 costs incurred in participating in meetings for the council.
34 (4) No member may serve more than two consecutive terms.
35 (5) The appointed members of the council shall, to the extent
36 possible, represent rural and urban areas of the state. The appointed
37 members of the council must also reflect, to the extent possible, the
38 racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity of the state, including
39 the different types of health insurance coverage that individuals may
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 1 have. Members of the council appointed under subsection (2)(a)(viii),
2 (ix), and (x) of this section may not be state employees.
3 (6) A chairperson shall be elected every two years by majority
4 vote from among the councilmembers. The chairperson shall act as the
5 presiding officer of the council.
6 (7) The duties of the council include:
7 (a) Collaborating with the department to develop and revise as
8 needed a comprehensive statewide plan to address the needs of
9 individuals with traumatic brain injuries;
10 (b) Providing recommendations to the department on criteria to be
11 used to select programs facilitating support groups for individuals
12 with traumatic brain injuries and their families under RCW 74.31.050;
13 (c) By January 15, 2013, and every two years thereafter,
14 developing a report in collaboration with the department and
15 submitting it to the legislature and the governor on the following:
16 (i) Identifying the activities of the council in the
17 implementation of the comprehensive statewide plan;
18 (ii) Recommendations for the revisions to the comprehensive
19 statewide plan;
20 (iii) A summary of expenditures from and deposits made into the
21 traumatic brain injury account established under RCW 74.31.060 during
22 the previous two years;
23 (iv) Recommendations for using the traumatic brain injury account
24 established under RCW 74.31.060 to form strategic partnerships and to
25 foster the development of services and supports for individuals
26 impacted by traumatic brain injuries; and
27 (((iv))) (v) Recommendations for a council staffing plan for
28 council support under RCW 74.31.030.
29 (8) The council may utilize the advice or services of a
30 nationally recognized expert, or other individuals as the council
31 deems appropriate, to assist the council in carrying out its duties
32 under this section.
33 (9) The department must provide public notice of each council
34 meeting in advance and post the meeting agenda and materials on its
35 website prior to the meeting. The department must also post meeting
36 minutes, information regarding council membership, and reports
37 developed by the council on its website.
38 (10) Council meetings must be open to the public.
39 (11) The council must provide an opportunity for public comment
40 at each council meeting.
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 1 Sec. 2. RCW 74.31.030 and 2011 c 143 s 3 are each amended to
2 read as follows:
3 (1) In response to council recommendations developed pursuant to
4 RCW 74.31.020, the department shall include in the comprehensive
5 statewide plan a staffing plan for providing adequate support for
6 council activities for positions funded by the traumatic brain injury
7 account established in RCW 74.31.060 and designate at least one staff
8 person who shall be responsible for the following:
9 (a) Coordinating policies, programs, and services for individuals
10 with traumatic brain injuries; and
11 (b) Providing staff support to the council created in RCW
12 74.31.020, including posting required information and materials on
13 the department website.
14 (2) The department shall provide data and information to the
15 council established under RCW 74.31.020 that is requested by the
16 council and is in the possession or control of the department.
17 (3) The department shall implement, within funds appropriated for
18 this specific purpose, the comprehensive statewide plan to address
19 the needs of individuals impacted by traumatic brain injuries,
20 including the use of public-private partnerships and a public
21 awareness campaign. The comprehensive plan should be created in
22 collaboration with the council and should consider the following:
23 (a) Building provider capacity and provider training;
24 (b) Improving the coordination of services;
25 (c) The feasibility of establishing agreements with private
26 sector agencies or tribal governments to develop services for
27 individuals with traumatic brain injuries; and
28 (d) Other areas the council deems appropriate.
29 (4) The department shall:
30 (a) Assure that information and referral services are provided to
31 individuals with traumatic brain injuries. The referral services may
32 be funded from the traumatic brain injury account established under
33 RCW 74.31.060;
34 (b) Encourage and facilitate the following:
35 (i) Collaboration among state agencies that provide services to
36 individuals with traumatic brain injuries;
37 (ii) Collaboration among organizations and entities that provide
38 services to individuals with traumatic brain injuries; and
39 (iii) Community participation in program implementation; and
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1 (c) Have the authority to accept, expend, or retain any gifts,
2 bequests, contributions, or grants from private persons or private
3 and public agencies to carry out the purpose of this chapter.
4 Sec. 3. RCW 74.31.050 and 2011 c 143 s 5 are each amended to
5 read as follows:
6 (1) The department shall provide funding from the traumatic brain
7 injury account established by RCW 74.31.060 to programs that
8 facilitate in-person or virtual support groups to individuals with
9 traumatic brain injuries and their families.
10 (2) The department shall ((use a request for proposal process to
11 select the programs to receive funding.)) provide funding from the
12 traumatic brain injury account created in RCW 74.31.060 to support at
13 least one in-person support group in each region of the state served
14 by an accountable community of health as defined in RCW 82.04.43395.
15 (3) The council shall provide recommendations to the department
16 on the criteria to be used in selecting the programs to receive
17 funding. The criteria must reflect the diversity of individuals with
18 traumatic brain injuries, including the range of cognitive and
19 financial barriers that individuals with traumatic brain injuries may
20 experience when accessing web-based services. Preference must be
21 given to programs that facilitate support groups led by individuals
22 with direct lived experience with traumatic brain injuries or
23 individuals certified as brain injury specialists.
24 (4) Each program that receives funding under this section must
25 ensure that the in-person or virtual support groups meet at least
26 quarterly and are free of charge.
27 (5) The department must approve at least one facilitation
28 training curriculum specific to brain injury to be used by the
29 programs that receive funding under this section.
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Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 74.31.020, 74.31.030, 74.31.050
Substitute Bill: 74.31.020, 74.31.030, 74.31.050