Quality Review Team
Policies and Guidelines
Team Establishment and Maintenance | Team Composition | Team Training | Team Duties | Confidentiality | Team Authority and Opportunity | Assurances to the Team | Team Independence | Dispute Resolution | Team Deliberation and Decision-Making
POLICY 1.1, ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE
To fulfill the requirements of WAC 275-57-150, or its successor, the King County Regional Support Network (KCRSN) shall establish and maintain a Quality Review Team (QRT).
POLICY 1.2, RECRUITMENT
The KCRSN shall recruit candidates with specific, necessary and appropriate qualifications for the QRT through an open and competitive process which is advertised and conducted publicly.
POLICY 1.3, NON-ELIGIBILITY
QRT membership cannot be filled by providers, other RSN staff or governing board members.
POLICY 1.4, APPLICATION
The KCRSN shall provide an appropriate, comprehensive application to all interested parties who register their desire to apply to serve on the QRT.
POLICY 1.5, HIRING OF QRT MEMBERS
The KCRSN shall approve and appoint for hire applicants to the QRT subsequent to the three procedures of review, interview, and recommendation.
POLICY 1.6, REVIEW, INTERVIEW, AND RECOMMENDATION
A committee of the KCRSN shall review all applications for membership on the QRT. A currently employed member of the QRT shall serve on this committee. At its discretion, the committee shall interview eligible and qualified applicants for membership on the QRT. At its discretion, the committee shall recommend selected candidates to the KCRSN for approval and hire.
POLICY 1.7, NOTIFICATION AND ACCEPTANCE
The KCRSN shall notify approved candidates of their selection to the QRT and shall secure their acceptance.
POLICY 1.9, RESIGNATION OR APPROVAL
At his/her own discretion, a member of the QRT may resign from employment by submitting a formal letter of resignation to the KCRSN. At its discretion and for good and just cause, the KCRSN may remove a member from the QRT by completing a formal removal procedure.
POLICY 1.10, MEMBERSHIP VACANCIES
When QRT membership vacancies occur by removal or resignation, the same recruitment process as above shall be used by the KCRSN to fill vacant team positions.
POLICY 2.1, MEMBERSHIP COMPENSATION
The members of the QRT are on probation for their first six months. They are compensated according to the current King County salary schedule.
POLICY 2.2, TEAM SIZE
The KC Quality Review Team is currently composed of three members.
POLICY 2.3, TEAM DIVERSITY
In the appointment of members to the QRT, the KCRSN shall be responsive to the demographic diversity of the RSN.
POLICY 2.4, CONSUMER REPRESENTATION
The KCRSN shall ensure that the membership of the QRT shall be sympathetic to the needs of publicly-funded mental health consumers.
POLICY 2.5, ETHNIC REPRESENTATION
The KCRSN shall acknowledge the value and goal of the appointment of members to the QRT who are responsive to the demographic character of the RSN (WAC 275-57-150).
POLICY 2.6, ADVOCACY REPRESENTATION
The KCRSN shall acknowledge the value and goal of the hiring of members to the QRT who are representatives of client and family advocacy organizations within the constituency of the RSN.
POLICY 3.1, INITIAL TRAINING
The KCRSN shall assure members of the QRT attend the initial, uniform, state-wide QRT training provided by the Mental Health Division (MHD), as made available, within three (3) months of hire.
POLICY 3.2, QUARTERLY TRAINING
The KCRSN shall encourage at least one member of the QRT to attend all subsequent, quarterly, state-wide QRT training provided by the MHD.
POLICY 3.3, ADVANCED NOTICE OF TRAINING
The attendance of members of the QRT shall be dependent and contingent upon four (4) weeks advance notice by the MHD or the designated contractor of the availability of initial and quarterly training.
POLICY 4.1, GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION OF TRAINING
Generally, the QRT shall perform its duties in a manner informed by , and consistent with, the state-wide training provided by the MHD.
POLICY 4.2, COLLECTION OF INFORMATION
It shall be the duty of the QRT to collect comprehensive information, through all appropriate avenues, to assess the performance of the KCRSN and its providers. Significant performance indicators shall be: (1) accessibility of services, (2) appropriateness of services to consumer rights, needs and welfare, (3) consumer involvement in service plans, (4) consumer satisfaction with services, (5) cultural competency of services, (6) quality improvement of services, (7) location and resolution of problems regarding services, and (8) responsiveness of the KCRSN and providers to the QRT.
POLICY 4.3, ASSESSMENT OF CONSUMER WELFARE
It shall be the duty of the QRT to assess systemic concerns regarding consumer welfare: physical safety (food, health, housing, clothing); emotional safety (honest respectful services, freedom from coercion, retaliation and intimidation) ; and service recipient satisfaction. Where possible, and with service recipient consent or in the case of children, their legal representative, family advocates can be a source of data for this assessment.
POLICY 4.4, ASSESSMENT OF CONSUMER SERVICE
It shall be the duty of the QRT, through visitation and evaluation of treatment providers, to assess systemic concerns regarding consumer service: quality of care; degree to which services are consumer-focused and consumer-directed; and the extent of development of alternatives to hospitalization, coordination between systems, and the range of treatment options.
POLICY 4.5, INVOLVEMENT OF UNDER SERVED CONSUMERS
It shall be the duty of the QRT to ensure its consistent involvement and collaboration with representatives of groups of under-served consumers in developing recommendations which affect such groups.
POLICY 4.6, MEMBERSHIP ON COMMITTEES
Each member of the QRT shall have the opportunity to serve on committees as requested by the KCRSN.
POLICY 4.7, COOPERATIVE PROBLEM RESOLUTION
It shall be the duty of the QRT to closely work with consumers, the KCRSN and its providers, the KCRSN Ombuds staff, and the MHD in the resolution of identified problems regarding service access, delivery, and improvement.
POLICY 4.8, WRITTEN NOTIFICATIONS
It shall be the duty of the QRT to submit written notification to the KCRSN regarding what it deems to be any reasonable and necessary changes to service access, delivery and improvement . If the KCRSN fails to respond to such written notification within thirty (30) days, or in the event that the KCRSN fails to implement a previously and mutually agreed upon plan of action and time frame, the QRT may submit written notification to the MHD to request its review of the failure of the KCRSN.
POLICY 4.9, MAINTENANCE AND SECURITY OF RECORDS
It shall be the duty of the QRT to maintain all written records of its findings, notifications, actions and reports for a period of at least five (5) years, and in a manner and location which ensures the security of such records.
POLICY 4.10, WRITTEN QUARTERLY REPORTS
It shall be the duty of the QRT to submit written quarterly reports of its activity to the KCRSN and its provider network, the King County Ombuds Service, local consumer and family advocacy groups, the King County Mental Health Board and Quality Council, and the MHD.
POLICY 4.11, CONFIDENTIALITY
It shall be the duty of the QRT to protect the confidentiality of all information relating to consumers and former consumers and, further, to ensure such information will not be shared or released except as provided by statute or rule. Members of the QRT shall sign an oath of confidentiality.
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POLICY 5.1, AUTHORITY TO EVALUATE RSN RELATIONSHIPS
The QRT shall have the authority to evaluate the relationships and cross-systems activities of the KCRSN but only with the consent of the other party. QRT interest includes, but is not limited to schools, hospitals, jails, and shelters.
POLICY 5.2, AUTHORITY TO MONITOR HOSPITALS TO RESOLVE SYSTEMIC CONCERNS
The QRT shall have the authority to enter and monitor any state or community psychiatric hospital or ward contracting with the KCRSN to address and resolve systemic concerns. Appropriate advance notice of any visit shall be issued to the hospital or ward by the QRT.
POLICY 5.3, AUTHORITY TO MONITOR PLANS OF QUALITY MANAGEMENT
The QRT shall have authority to monitor the implementation of the quality management plans of the KCRSN and its service providers.
POLICY 5.4, OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN CONTRACTING ACTIVITY
The QRT shall have the opportunity to participate in the contracting activities of the KCRSN.
POLICY 5.5, OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE MHD
The QRT shall have the opportunity to meet alone with the staff of the KCRSN or the MHD, as needed, and at the request of either party. This opportunity includes, but is not limited to, meeting during the annual Integrated Review of the KCRSN by the MHD.
POLICY 6.1, ASSURANCE OF GOOD FAITH
The KCRSN shall assure the QRT that its findings and reports will be received and considered in good faith by the KCRSN and all of its contracted providers.
POLICY 6.2, ASSURANCE OF INDEPENDENCE AND PROVISION
The KCRSN shall assure the functional independence of the QRT, and the provision of all resources and supports needed to perform QRT duties. QRT must make its own decisions regarding work plan, scheduling of visits with providers, conducting QRT meetings, and content of reports.
POLICY 6.3, ASSURANCE OF FREEDOM FROM RETALIATION
The KCRSN shall assure the QRT may perform its duties free from retaliation, and shall demonstrate effective mechanisms for intervention on behalf of the QRT if retaliation concerns arise.
POLICY 6.4, ASSURANCE OF COMPLIANCE WITH CONFIDENTIALITY
The KCRSN shall assure that the QRT is trained in the subject of confidentiality, that the members of the QRT sign oaths of confidentiality, and that the members of the QRT are in compliance with the requirements of confidentiality.
POLICY 6.5, ASSURANCE OF PARTNERSHIP WITH OMBUDS
The KCRSN shall assure the QRT meets with the King County Ombuds service, formally and/or informally, on a regular basis as determined by the two parties. The KCRSN shall act as a resource or facilitator to these meetings upon request.
POLICY 6.6, ASSURANCE OF DRAFT DISTRIBUTION
The KCRSN shall assure the QRT may draft articles for distribution by the MHD.
POLICY 7.1, TEAM INDEPENDENCE
The QRT shall perform its specifically defined duties as an entirely independent entity, free from arbitrary or detrimental influences from any and all sources.
POLICY 7.2, TEAM PROTECTION
The KCRSN shall endeavor to ensure that the QRT may fairly and independently perform its duties without threat, intimidation, or any other influence which might compromise or diminish that performance.
POLICY 7.3, TEAM ACCESS
In the performance of its duties, the KCRSN shall endeavor to ensure that the QRT has necessary and immediate access to mental health consumers and their families, and to the RSN and its providers and service sites.
POLICY 7.4, RESPONSIVENESS TO THE TEAM
In the performance of its duties, the KCRSN shall endeavor to ensure that the QRT receives a timely response to inquiries of, communications to, and requests of, the KCRSN and its providers and service sites.
POLICY 8.1, MEDIATION
A good faith effort should be made to resolve issues between the KCRSN and the QRT at the lowest possible level using mediation.
POLICY 8.2, WRITTEN REQUEST FOR DISPUTE RESOLUTION
If issues cannot be resolved between the two parties using mediation, either party may submit a written request to the other party to use the dispute resolution process. The protocol is the same for the QRT as for other KCRSN employees.
POLICY 9.1, TEAM DELIBERATION
In the monthly performance of its duties, the QRT shall actively deliberate regarding the performance of its duties.
POLICY 9.2, TEAM DECISION-MAKING BY CONSENSUS OR MAJORITY VOTE
In the monthly performance of its duties, the QRT shall make all of its decisions, and take all of its actions, upon the complete consensus, or by majority vote, of its members.
POLICY 9.3, MINUTES OF TEAM DELIBERATION AND DECISION-MAKING
In the monthly performance of its duties, the QRT shall keep written minutes of its deliberation and decision-making. Such minutes shall be made available to all QRT members.
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