Senate committee hears bill to let behavioral health counselors share patient information for care coordination

The Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee on March 14 heard House Bill 1287, which would permit certain behavioral health providers to disclose patient information for care coordination consistent with state and federal privacy protections.

Committee staff told members the bill would allow a patient’s written acknowledgment and information obtained in the course of providing professional services to be disclosed under the state Uniform Healthcare Information Act. Greg Attenaccio, committee staff, briefed the panel on the bill’s text and the current statutory framework for behavioral health acknowledgments.

Representative Alicia Ruehl, the bill’s prime sponsor, said the measure is intended to help providers work together during behavioral health crises. "This is a very helpful bill at just the right time," Representative Ruehl said, adding that "in some moments when we're working with behavioral health crises, it's minutes that matter."

Sean O’Neil, legislative relations manager at the Health Care Authority (HCA), testified in support as an agency request bill. He said the proposal removes a restriction that currently prevents counselors, marriage and family therapists, and social workers from sharing client information with other providers treating the same patient and that disclosures would remain protected under HIPAA, federal SUD and mental health statutes, and the state's Uniform Healthcare Information Act (cited in the hearing as RCW 7,002).

Wendy Sisk, CEO of Peninsula Behavioral Health and a licensed mental health counselor, said requiring written consent has been a significant barrier to care coordination for people with serious and persistent mental illness and that the bill does not compel disclosure but removes a statutory prohibition. "The bill would solve that by allowing behavioral health providers to more easily share information for the purposes of care coordination," Sisk said.

Committee staff recorded public sign-in counts for the bill: 26 pro, 5 con, and 1 other. No committee vote occurred at the hearing; the bill was temporarily set aside for later consideration and to allow registered witnesses who were not yet present to testify.

The bill’s proponents emphasized that the change is permissive—providers would be allowed, not required, to share information—and that federal and state privacy protections would continue to apply. The committee scheduled the bill for further consideration as part of the day’s agenda.

The hearing record shows staff briefings, sponsor remarks, and multiple supporters from state agencies and community behavioral health providers; no floor amendment or committee vote on the bill was recorded during the public hearing.