Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

Welcome to the DSHS rule-making home page. This site provides information about Washington State rules (also known as WAC or regulations) administered by DSHS. We are committed to developing and adopting rules that are necessary, fair, understandable, and consistent. RPAU serves as the centralized source of information for all DSHS rules for the public and DSHS staff. We are the official DSHS liaison with the Office of the Code Reviser and the Joint Administrative Rules Review Committee - JARRC.

The Administrative Procedure Act - APA is the state law that outlines the standards DSHS must follow to adopt a rule. The Regulatory Fairness Act requires DSHS to analyze the impact of its rules on small businesses.

The rule-making agenda outlines the rules DSHS currently has in progress.

RPAU offers the following services to inform the public about current DSHS rule making:

Interpretive and policy statements are used by agencies to advise the public of their current opinions, approaches, and likely courses of action. When DSHS issues an interpretive or policy statement, the statement is submitted to the Office of the Code Reviser for publication in the Washington State Register describing the subject matter of the interpretive or policy statement. The statement also contains the name of the person at DSHS you may contact to receive a copy of the interpretive or policy statement. Contact the Rules Consultant, to receive information regarding DSHS Interpretive or Policy Statements.

Effective July 28, 2019, the following rule changes apply:

For the Domestic Violence Perpetrator Treatment Programs

DSHS requests the Office of the Code Reviser recodify the following sections from Title 110 WAC to Title 388 WAC, filed as WSR 19-15-044.

Effective July 1, 2019, the following rule changes apply:

For the former Juvenile Rehabilitation

Effective July 1, 2019, Juvenile Rehabilitation is moving from Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF), see HB 1661. This change transfers the authority for rules related to juvenile rehabilitation from DSHS and to DCYF. DCYF requests that the Code Reviser recodify WAC chapters 388-700, 388-710, 388-720, 388-730, 388-740, 388-745, and 388-750 WAC into chapters 110-700, 110-710, 110-720, 110-730, 110-740, 110-745, and 110-750 WAC, filed as WSR 19-14-079.

Effective July 1, 2018, the following rule changes apply:

For the former Children's Administration

Chapters 388-06A, 388-15, 388-25, 388-27, 388-32, 388-39A, 388-60A, 388-70, 388-145, 388-147, 388-148, 388-165, 388-180 and 388-200 WAC all transition to the new Department of Children, Youth, and Families under Title 110 WAC, and filed as WSR 18-14-078.

For Behavioral Health Integration

Chapters 388-865 and 388-877 WAC are repealed under WSR 18-14-034. The rule content transitioned to the Department of Health (DOH) and the Health Care Authority (HCA). DOH adopted emergency rules under WSR 18-14-018 and HCA adopted emergency rules under WSR 18-14-027.  On July 3, 2018, Chapter 388-877B is repealed. The content of the chapter will be rewritten under the Health Care Authority and the Department of Health.

Health Care Authority rules are linked here https://www.hca.wa.gov/about-hca/rulemaking

Information on Department of Health rules are linked here https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/facilities-z/behavioral-health-agencies-bha

Additional links you might find helpful:

Joint Legislative Audit Review Committee - JLARC
Code of Federal Regulations - CFRs
Chapter 43.05 RCW (Technical Assistance Programs)

Questions regarding RPAU, e-mail, call, or write:

DSHS Rules Coordinator
(360) 664-6097
FAX (360) 664-6185

DSHS Rules and Policies Assistance Unit
PO Box 45850
Olympia, WA 98504-5850