Washington § 74.15.255 - Secure or semi-secure crisis residential centers and HOPE centers — Collaboration — Colocation — Requirement for licensing.

(1)(a) Within available funds appropriated for this purpose, the department shall contract for a continuum of short-term stabilization services pursuant to RCW 13.32A.030 and * 74.15.220. The department shall collaborate with service providers in a manner that allows secure and semi-secure crisis residential centers and HOPE centers to be located in a geographically representative manner and to facilitate the coordination of services provided for youth by such programs. To achieve efficiencies and increase utilization, the department shall allow the colocation of these centers in the same building or structure, except that a youth may not be placed in a secure facility or the secure portion of a colocated facility except as specifically authorized by chapter 13.32A RCW. The department shall allow the colocation of these centers only if the entity operating the facility agrees to designate a particular number of beds to each type of center that is located within the building or structure. The beds so designated must be used only to serve the eligible youth in the program or center for which they are designated.

(b) The department shall adopt rules to allow the licensing of colocated facilities that include any combination of secure or semi-secure crisis residential centers as defined in RCW 13.32A.030, or HOPE centers as defined in RCW 74.15.020. Such rules may provide for flexible payment structures, center specific licensing waivers, or other appropriate methods to increase utilization and provide flexibility, while continuing to meet the statutory goals of the programs. The rules shall provide that a condition of being licensed as a colocated facility is that the contracting entity must designate a particular number of beds in the colocated facility to each type of center that is located within the building or structure. The beds so designated must be used only to serve the eligible youth in the program or center for which they are designated.

(2) The department shall require that to be licensed or continue to be licensed as a secure or semi-secure crisis residential center or HOPE center that the center has on staff, or otherwise has access to, a person who has been trained to work with the needs of sexually exploited children. For purposes of this subsection, "sexually exploited child" means that person as defined in **RCW 13.32A.030(17).

Reviser's note: *(1) RCW 74.15.220 was recodified as RCW 43.185C.315 pursuant to 2015 c 69 s 30.

**(2) RCW 13.32A.030 was alphabetized pursuant to RCW 1.08.015(2)(k), changing subsection (17) to subsection (18). RCW 13.32A.030 was subsequently amended by 2025 c 165 s 1, changing subsection (18) to subsection (19).