ACTION ALERT: YOUR PARTICIPATION IS REQUESTED!
The original email has been included below, regarding the RAP BACK Stakeholders Meeting. Your participation is requested.
While active participation is always best, you may also email us with your feedback to contact@waproca.org.
Your voice and feedback are essential to proposed legislative topics such as this.
Thank you,
Tim
President - WAPROCA
FROM:: WA STATE DEPT OF HEALTH::
Dear Stakeholders:
PLEASE NOTE: Change in location!! Due to audio/visual problems, we moved Monday’s Rap Back feedback forum to a different building and room on the Department of Health Campus. The meeting will be in the Town Center 2 Building in room 145. Driving directions are below. Since space is more limited in the new room, we encourage you to consider attending via webinar. If you haven’t already, please register for the webinar at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6001531763908179202
The Department of Health (department), Division of Health Systems Quality Assurance (HSQA) is considering legislation to implement the Rap Back program in Washington State for all health care practitioners.
Rap Back is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) program that would allow the Washington State Patrol (WSP) to maintain fingerprints on all health care practitioner licensees and to notify the department when a licensee has a change in their criminal history. Currently, the department obtains fingerprint-based background checks only on those applicants who apply from out of state. The fingerprints are destroyed once the FBI produces a report.
HSQA is partnering with the Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission on legislation to amend laws to allow the WSP and the department to participate in Rap Back and to expand electronic fingerprint-based background checks to all applicants either at initial licensure or at renewal. WSP would maintain the fingerprints and notify the department when new criminal activity occurs. Given the highly mobile nature of our society, Rap Back will help us to protect the citizens of Washington from unsafe health care practitioners.
We want your input on this important initiative. We are hosting an open forum so that you can learn more about Rap Back and so that we can answer your questions and gather your input. Please join us:
Monday, July 25, 2016
3:30 pm to 5:00 pm
Department of Health
Town Center 2, Room 145
111 Israel Road SE
Tumwater, WA 98501
Driving Directions: http://www.doh.wa.gov/AboutUs/OfficeHoursandLocations/TumwaterTownCenter
Kathy Schmitt
Deputy Director
Office of Health Professions and Facilities
Washington State Department of Health
111 Israel Road SE, Tumwater, WA 98501
PO Box 47852 Olympia, WA 98504-7852
(360) 236-2985
Kathy.schmitt@doh.wa.gov
Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington