Opioid use disorder treatment — Care of individuals and their newborns — Authority recommendations required.
RCW 71.24.593
in effect(1) Recognizing that treatment strategies and modalities for the treatment of individuals with opioid use disorder and their newborns continue to evolve, and that improved health outcomes are seen when birth parents and their infants are allowed to room together, the authority must provide recommendations to the office of financial management by October 1, 2019, to better support the care of individuals who have recently delivered and their newborns. (2) These recommendations must support: (a) Successful transition from the early postpartum and newborn period for the birth parent and infant to the next level of care; (b) Reducing the risk of parental infant separation; and (c) Increasing the chance of uninterrupted recovery of the parent and foster the development of positive parenting practices. (3) The authority's recommendations must include: (a) How these interventions could be supported in hospitals, birthing centers, or other appropriate sites of care and descriptions as to current barriers in providing these interventions; (b) Estimates of the costs needed to support this enhanced set of services; and (c) Mechanisms for funding the services.
(1) Recognizing that treatment strategies and modalities for the treatment of individuals with opioid use disorder and their newborns continue to evolve, and that improved health outcomes are seen when birth parents and their infants are allowed to room together, the authority must provide recommendations to the office of financial management by October 1, 2019, to better support the care of individuals who have recently delivered and their newborns.
(2) These recommendations must support:
(a) Successful transition from the early postpartum and newborn period for the birth parent and infant to the next level of care;
(b) Reducing the risk of parental infant separation; and
(c) Increasing the chance of uninterrupted recovery of the parent and foster the development of positive parenting practices.
(3) The authority's recommendations must include:
(a) How these interventions could be supported in hospitals, birthing centers, or other appropriate sites of care and descriptions as to current barriers in providing these interventions;
(b) Estimates of the costs needed to support this enhanced set of services; and
(c) Mechanisms for funding the services.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=71.24&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026