Title 18 — Title 18 BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS
113 chapters · 2,288 sections in this title.
RCW 18.51.005 Purpose.
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The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the development, establishment, and enforcement of standards for the maintenance and operation of nursing homes, which, in the light of advancing knowledge, will promote safe and adequate care and treatment of the individuals therein.…
RCW 18.51.007 Legislative intent.
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It is the intent of the legislature in enacting chapter 99, Laws of 1975 1st ex. sess. to establish (1) a system for the imposition of prompt and effective sanctions against nursing homes in violation of the laws and regulations of this state relating to patient care; (2) an insp…
RCW 18.51.009 Resident rights.
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RCW 70.129.007, 70.129.105, 70.129.150 through 70.129.170, and 70.129.190 apply to this chapter and persons regulated under this chapter.[ 2021 c 159 s 6; 1994 c 214 s 22.]Notes:Findings—2021 c 159: See note following RCW 18.20.520.Conflict with federal requirements—1994 c 214: S…
RCW 18.51.010 Definitions.
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(1) "Community-based care" means but is not limited to the following:(a) Home delivered nursing services;(b) Personal care;(c) Day care;(d) Nutritional services, both in-home and in a communal dining setting;(e) Habilitation care; and(f) Respite care.(2) "Department" means the st…
RCW 18.51.030 License required.
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After July 1, 1951 no person shall operate or maintain a nursing home in this state without a license under this chapter.[ 1951 c 117 s 4.]
RCW 18.51.040 Application for license.
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An application for license shall be made to the department upon forms provided by it and shall contain such information as the department reasonably requires, which may include affirmative evidence of ability to comply with the rules and regulations as are lawfully prescribed her…
RCW 18.51.050 License—Issuance, renewal—Fee—Display.
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(1)(a) Upon receipt of an application for a license, the department may issue a license if the applicant and the nursing home's facilities meet the requirements established under this chapter, except that the department shall issue a temporary license to a court-appointed receive…
RCW 18.51.054 Denial of license.
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The department may deny a license to any applicant if the department finds that the applicant or any partner, officer, director, managerial employee, or owner of five percent or more of the applicant:(1) Operated a nursing home without a license or under a revoked or suspended li…
RCW 18.51.060 Penalties—Grounds.
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(1) In any case in which the department finds that a licensee, or any partner, officer, director, owner of five percent or more of the assets of the nursing home, or managing employee failed or refused to comply with the requirements of this chapter or of chapter 74.42 RCW, or th…
RCW 18.51.062 Temporary managers—Department shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless.
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The department shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless any temporary manager appointed and acting under RCW 18.51.060(7) against claims made against the temporary manager for any actions by the temporary manager or its agents that do not amount to intentional torts or criminal…
RCW 18.51.065 Penalties—Hearing (as amended by 1989 c 175).
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((All orders of the department denying, suspending, or revoking the license or assessing a monetary penalty shall become final twenty days after the same has been served upon the applicant or licensee unless a hearing is requested. All hearings hereunder and judicial review of su…
RCW 18.51.067 License suspension—Noncompliance with support order—Reissuance.
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The department shall immediately suspend the license of a person who has been certified pursuant to RCW 74.20A.320 by the department of social and health services, division of [child] support, as a person who is not in compliance with a child support order or a *residential or vi…
RCW 18.51.070 Rules.
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The department, after consultation with the board of health, shall adopt, amend, and promulgate such rules, regulations, and standards with respect to all nursing homes to be licensed hereunder as may be designed to further the accomplishment of the purposes of this chapter in pr…
RCW 18.51.091 Inspection of nursing homes and community-based services—Notice of violations—Approval of alterations or new facilities.
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(1) The department shall inspect each nursing home periodically in accordance with federal standards under 42 C.F.R. Part 488, Subpart E. The inspection shall be made without providing advance notice of it. Every inspection may include an inspection of every part of the premises …
RCW 18.51.095 Resident contact information—Department requirements and duties.
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(1) The department shall require each nursing home to:(a) Create and regularly maintain a current resident roster containing the name and room number of each resident and provide a written copy immediately upon an in-person request from any long-term care ombuds;(b) Create and re…
RCW 18.51.140 Fire protection—Duties of chief of the Washington state patrol.
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Standards for fire protection and the enforcement thereof, with respect to all nursing homes to be licensed hereunder, shall be the responsibility of the chief of the Washington state patrol, through the director of fire protection, who shall adopt such recognized standards as ma…
RCW 18.51.145 Building inspections—Authority of chief of the Washington state patrol.
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Inspections of nursing homes by local authorities shall be consistent with the requirements of chapter 19.27 RCW, the state building code. Findings of a serious nature shall be coordinated with the department and the chief of the Washington state patrol, through the director of f…
RCW 18.51.150 Operating without license—Penalty.
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Any person operating or maintaining any nursing home without a license under this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and each day of a continuing violation after conviction shall be considered a separate offense.[ 1951 c 117 s 16.]
RCW 18.51.160 Operating without license—Injunction.
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Notwithstanding the existence or use of any other remedy, the department, may, in the manner provided by law, upon the advice of the attorney general who shall represent the department in the proceedings, maintain an action in the name of the state for an injunction or other proc…
RCW 18.51.170 Application of chapter to homes or institutions operated by certain religious organizations.
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Nothing in this chapter or the rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto shall be construed as authorizing the supervision, regulation, or control of the remedial care or treatment of residents or patients in any nursing home or institution conducted for those who rely upon …
RCW 18.51.180 Outpatient services—Authorized—Defined.
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A nursing home may, pursuant to rules and regulations adopted by the department of social and health services, offer outpatient services to persons who are not otherwise patients at such nursing home. Any certified nursing home offering outpatient services may receive payments fr…
RCW 18.51.185 Outpatient services—Cost studies—Vendor rates.
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The department of social and health services shall assist the nursing home industry in researching the costs of outpatient services allowed under RCW 18.51.180. Such cost studies shall be utilized by the department in the determination of reasonable vendor rates for nursing homes…
RCW 18.51.190 Complaint of violation—Request for inspection—Notice—Confidentiality.
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Any person may request an inspection of any nursing home subject to licensing under this chapter in accordance with the provisions of this chapter by giving notice to the department of an alleged violation of applicable requirements of state law. The complainant shall be encourag…
RCW 18.51.200 Preliminary review of complaint—On-site investigation.
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Upon receipt of a complaint, the department shall make a preliminary review of the complaint. Unless the department determines that the complaint is willfully intended to harass a licensee or is without any reasonable basis, or unless the department has sufficient information tha…
RCW 18.51.210 Authority to enter and inspect nursing home—Advance notice—Defense.
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(1) Any duly authorized officer, employee, or agent of the department may enter and inspect any nursing home, including, but not limited to, interviewing residents and reviewing records, at any time to enforce any provision of this chapter. Inspections conducted pursuant to compl…
RCW 18.51.220 Retaliation or discrimination against complainant prohibited, penalty—Presumption.
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(1) No licensee shall discriminate or retaliate in any manner against a patient or employee in its nursing home on the basis or for the reason that such patient or employee or any other person has initiated or participated in any proceeding specified in this chapter. A licensee w…
RCW 18.51.230 Periodic general inspection—Emergency rules.
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(1) The department shall, in addition to any inspections conducted pursuant to complaints filed pursuant to RCW 18.51.190, conduct a periodic general inspection of each nursing home in the state without providing advance notice of such inspection. Such inspections must conform to…
RCW 18.51.240 Alterations or additions—Preliminary inspection and approval.
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The department may prescribe by regulations that any licensee or applicant desiring to make specific types of alterations or additions to its facilities or to construct new facilities shall, before commencing such alteration, addition or new construction, submit its plans and spe…
RCW 18.51.250 Nursing homes without violations—Public agencies notified—Priority.
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On or before February 1st of each year, the department shall notify all public agencies which refer patients to nursing homes of all of the nursing homes in the area found upon inspection within the previous twelve-month period to be without violations. Public agencies shall give…
RCW 18.51.260 Posting citations for violation of RCW 18.51.060.
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(1) Each citation for a violation specified in RCW 18.51.060 which is issued pursuant to this section, or a copy or copies thereof, shall be prominently posted, as prescribed in regulations issued by the director, until the violation is corrected to the satisfaction of the depart…
RCW 18.51.270 Annual report of citations—Publication—Contents.
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The department shall annually publish a report listing all licensees by name and address, indicating (1) the number of citations and the nature of each citation issued to each licensee during the previous twelve-month period and the status of any action taken pursuant to each cit…
RCW 18.51.280 Chapter cumulative.
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The remedies provided by this chapter are cumulative, and shall not be construed as restricting any remedy, provisional or otherwise, provided by law for the benefit of any party, and no judgment under this chapter shall preclude any party from obtaining additional relief based u…
RCW 18.51.290 Writings as public records.
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Any writing received, owned, used, or retained by the department in connection with the provisions of this chapter is a public record and, as such, is open to public inspection. Copies of such records provided for public inspection shall comply with RCW 42.56.070(1). The names of…
RCW 18.51.300 Retention and preservation of records of patients.
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Unless specified otherwise by the department, a nursing home shall retain and preserve all records which relate directly to the care and treatment of a patient for a period of no less than eight years following the most recent discharge of the patient; except the records of minor…
RCW 18.51.310 Comprehensive plan for utilization review—Licensing standards—Regulations.
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(1) The department shall establish, in compliance with federal and state law, a comprehensive plan for utilization review as necessary to safeguard against unnecessary utilization of care and services and to assure quality care and services provided to nursing facility residents.…
RCW 18.51.320 Contact with animals—Rules.
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(1) A nursing home licensee shall give each patient a reasonable opportunity to have regular contact with animals. The licensee may permit appropriate animals to live in the facilities and may permit appropriate animals to visit if the animals are properly supervised.(2) The depa…
RCW 18.51.350 Conflict with federal requirements.
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If any part of this chapter is found to conflict with federal requirements which are a prescribed condition to the allocation of federal funds to the state, the conflicting part of this chapter is hereby declared to be inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict, and such fi…
RCW 18.51.400 Receivership—Legislative findings.
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The legislature finds that the closure of a nursing home can have devastating effects on residents and, under certain circumstances, courts should consider placing nursing homes in receivership. As receivership has long existed as a remedy to preserve assets subject to litigation…
RCW 18.51.410 Receivership—Petition to establish—Grounds.
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A petition to establish a receivership shall allege that one or more of the following conditions exist and that the current operator has demonstrated an inability or unwillingness to take actions necessary to immediately correct the conditions alleged:(1) The facility is operatin…
RCW 18.51.420 Receivership—Defenses to petition.
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It shall be a defense to the petition to establish a receivership that the conditions alleged do not in fact exist. It shall not be a defense to the petition to allege that the respondent did not possess knowledge of the alleged condition or could not have been reasonably expecte…
RCW 18.51.430 Receivership—Persons qualified to act as receiver.
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A petition for receivership shall include the name of the candidate for receiver. The department shall maintain a list of qualified persons to act as receivers, however, no person may be considered to be qualified to be a receiver who:(1) Is the owner, licensee, or administrator …
RCW 18.51.440 Receivership—Judicial hearing.
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Upon receipt of a petition for receivership, the court shall hear the matter within fourteen days. Temporary relief may be obtained under chapter 7.40 RCW and other applicable laws. In all actions arising under RCW 18.51.410 through 18.51.530, the posting of a certified copy of t…
RCW 18.51.450 Receivership—Appointment of receiver.
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Upon agreement of the candidate for receiver to the terms of the receivership and any special instructions of the court, the court may appoint that person as receiver of the nursing home if the court determines it is likely that a permanent operator will be found or conditions wi…
RCW 18.51.460 Receivership—Termination—Conditions.
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(1) The receivership shall terminate:(a) When all deficiencies have been eliminated and the court determines that the facility has the management capability to ensure continued compliance with all requirements; or(b) When all residents have been transferred and the facility close…
RCW 18.51.470 Receivership—Accounting of acts and expenditures by receiver.
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The receiver shall render to the court an accounting of acts performed and expenditures made during the receivership. Nothing in this section relieves a court-appointed receiver from the responsibility of making all reports and certifications to the department required by law and…
RCW 18.51.480 Receivership—Compensation, liability—Revision of medicaid reimbursement rate.
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If a receiver is appointed, the court shall set reasonable compensation for the receiver to be paid from operating revenues of the nursing home. The receiver shall be liable in his or her personal capacity only for negligent acts, intentional acts, or a breach of a fiduciary duty…
RCW 18.51.490 Receivership—Powers of receiver.
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Upon appointment of a receiver, the current or former licensee or operator and managing agent, if any, shall be divested of possession and control of the nursing home in favor of the receiver who shall have full responsibility and authority to continue operation of the home and t…
RCW 18.51.500 Receivership—Financial assistance—Use of revenues and proceeds of facility.
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Upon order of the court, the department shall provide emergency or transitional financial assistance to a receiver not to exceed thirty thousand dollars. The receiver shall file with the court an accounting for any money expended. Any emergency or transitional expenditure made by…
RCW 18.51.510 Receivership—State medical assistance.
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If the nursing home is providing care to recipients of state medical assistance, the receiver shall become the medicaid contractor for the duration of the receivership period and shall assume all reporting and other responsibilities required by applicable laws and regulations. Th…
RCW 18.51.520 Receivership—Foreclosures and seizures not allowed.
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No seizure, foreclosure, or interference with nursing home revenues, supplies, real property, improvements, or equipment may be allowed for the duration of the receivership without prior court approval.[ 1987 c 476 s 21.]