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SUBJECTS › HEALTH › Emergency Preparedness Planning for Pandemic Influenza › Washington State Preparation and Response to Pandemic Influenza
Updated 09/09

Washington State Preparation and Response to Pandemic Influenza

Contents

Washington State Government Planning for  Pandemic Influenza

Washington State Preparation and Response to Pandemic Influenza (Ch 63 Laws of 2006 (ESSB 6366))

Summary of Bill  The secretary of the department of health shall establish requirements and performance standards, consistent with any requirements or standards established by the United States department of health and human services, regarding the development  and implementation of local pandemic flu preparedness and response plans. To the extent state or federal funds are provided for this purpose, by November 1, 2006, each local health jurisdiction shall develop a pandemic flu preparedness and response plan.   The plan must be consistent with the requirements and performance standards established by the Secretary.  Local health jurisdictions must be in compliance with the performance measures by July 1 2007.  The Department must develop a process for distributing funds to local health jurisdictions for developing preparedness and response plans by July 1, 2006. The process must include a formula for distributing funds that ensures a minimum funding amount for all local health jurisdictions. The preparedness and response plans must include an explanation of expenditures needed to implement them. (Adapted from Substitute House Bill Report)

Washington State Laws Delineating Health Authority

  • Washington Assistant Attorney General Memorandum Re: Public Health Emergencies - Current Legal Authority (Adobe Acrobat Document 252 KB), to Mary Selecky, Secretary and Nancy Ellison, Deputy Secretary, Department of Health, from Joyce A. Roper, Sr. Assistant Attorney General Agriculture & Health Division, 4010, January 31, 2002
  • Washington Attorney General Informal Opinion ( 294 KB) re city responsibility for paying employees, if health official orders them away from the work place, to Senator Bob McCaslin, from Jean M. Wilkinson, Senior Counsel, August 2, 2006
  • Local Government Public Health Service Administration - MRSC

    Statutes

    • Chapter 43.20 RCW - establishes the State Board of Health; see, in particular:
      • RCW 43.20.050(2)(d), (e) - authorizes the state Board of Health to adopt rules for the imposition and use of isolation and quarantine isolation and quarantine and for the prevention and control of infectious diseases.
    • Chapter 43.70 RCW - establishes the state Department of Health; see, in particular:
      • RCW 43.70.200 - State Secretary of Health is authorized to take legal action to enforce the public health laws and rules and regulations of the state board of health or local rules and regulations within the jurisdiction served by the local health department..
    • Chapter 70.05 RCW - local health departments, boards, and officers; see, in particular:
      • RCW 70.05.060(4) - requires local health departments and boards to provide for the control and prevention of any dangerous, contagious or infectious disease within their jurisdiction;
      • RCW 70.05.070(3) - authorizes the local health officer to control and prevent the spread of any dangerous, contagious, or infectious diseases that may occur within his or her jurisdiction;
      • RCW 70.05.090 - requires physicians to report to the local health officer any dangerous contagious or infectious disease, or with any diseases required by the State Board of Health to be reported
      • RCW 70.05.110 - requires local health officials to report contagious or infectious diseases to the State Board of Health.
    • Chapter 70.46 RCW - formation of health districts
    • RCW 38.52.070 - authorizes and directs each political subdivision to establish a local organization for emergency management and to establish local comprehensive emergency management plans, and identifies the powers of political subdivisions in the event of an emergency or disaster.

    Regulations

    • Chapter 246-100 WAC - Board of Health regulations on communicable and certain other diseases; see, in particular:
      • WAC 246-100-036 - provides that local health officers must when necessary, conduct investigations and institute disease control and contamination control measures;
      • WAC 246-100-040 - procedures for isolation or quarantine; (See also Isolation and Quarantine Forms and Resources - Washington State Department of Health)
      • WAC 246-100-045 - conditions and principles for isolation or quarantine;
      • WAC 246-100-070 - provides that an order issued by a local health officer constitutes the duly-authorized application of lawful rules adopted by the State Board of Health and must be enforced by all police officers, sheriffs, and all other officers and employees of any political subdivisions within the jurisdiction of the health department.