Wash. Admin. Code § 388-113-0050 - What is a character, competence, and suitability determination?

(1) A character, competence, and suitability determination is a review process that the department, or an authorized entity uses to decide whether an applicant has the character, competence, and suitability to have unsupervised access to minors or vulnerable adults.

(2) The department or authorized entity may also conduct a character, competence, and suitability determination for the purpose of deciding whether or not an applicant has the character, competence, and suitability to work with a particular department client when the applicant is or intends to be an individual provider.

(3) The department or an authorized entity may consider any information that may be relevant to an applicant's character, competence, and suitability, to maintain and promote the health and safety of the client including but not limited to:

(a) The ability of the applicant to appropriately meet the care needs of persons who would be under his or her care;

(b) A history of behaviors that may put persons who would be under the applicant's care at risk; or

(c) The vulnerability of persons who would be under the applicant's care.

(4) Additional factors that may be considered in a character, competence, and suitability determination include, but are not limited to, whether the applicant has had any of the following:

(a) Findings made or actions taken, including settlements or stipulations, by the department, the department of health, or other federal or state agencies;

(b) Sanctions imposed or corrective or remedial actions taken by federal, state, county, or municipal officials;

(c) A license, certification, or contract that is denied, suspended, revoked, or terminated, including a license or certification relinquished in lieu of discipline;

(d) Injunctions against operating a facility for the care of minors or vulnerable adults;

(e) Issuance of a final restraining order or order of protection, either active or expired;

(f) Convictions, or pending charges, for crimes not automatically disqualifying under WAC 388-113-0020, including:

(i) The amount of time that has passed since any of the applicant's convictions, pending charges;

(ii) The seriousness of any convictions or pending charges; and

(iii) The number and types of convictions or pending charges in the applicant's background;

(g) History of failure to comply with the department's billing requirements;

(h) Evidence the applicant has obtained or attempted to obtain a license, certification, department contract, or payment by fraudulent means or misrepresentation; or

(i) Evidence the applicant refused to permit authorized department representatives to interview clients, to have access to client records, or to have access to any care setting.

A character, competence, and suitability determination is only appropriate where the applicant has not been automatically disqualified.

Notes

Wash. Admin. Code § 388-113-0050

Adopted by WSR 21-18-081, Filed 8/30/2021, effective 10/1/2021