Acute Care Hospitals

Hands holding

Background

Many acute care hospital patients who are referred to the Department’s Home and Community Services (HCS) division are new to long-term care services and will require a functional and/or financial eligibility determination. Ensuring timely transitions to services is essential in reducing the number of days patients spend in acute care settings when they no longer meet medical necessity. Aging and Long-Term Support Administration must coordinate transitions with border acute hospitals and more than 50 acute care hospitals statewide. Successful transition planning involves strong collaboration and partnership with regional staff, hospitals, managed care organizations, providers, and communities, to provide appropriate services and community options that honor patient choice and reduce medical costs while increasing individual wellbeing, and quality of life. 

Refer to Chapter 9a.docx (live.com) of the long-term care manual for details of HCS policies and procedures on acute care hospital assessments.

A smaller group of individuals referred to HCS for long-term care services deal with multi-faceted barriers such as extensive criminal history, complex behavior challenges, medical complexity, bariatric, lack of decision maker, and/or not meeting Medicaid financial eligibility making the transition more complicated and time intensive. To reduce some of the pressure on an already strained healthcare system, DSHS in partnership with acute care hospitals implemented a Guardianship pilot project which targeted a smaller number of individuals for assistance with identifying Certified Public Guardians/Conservators. 

Given the successful outcomes of the pilot project, DSHS has transitioned the pilot project to a program.  The program will be a state-funded program called the HCS Guardianship and Conservatorship Assistance Program (GCAP).  GCAP becomes effective September 1, 2024.  Information pertaining to GCAP may be found in Chapter 388-106-2100 WAC. 


Acute Care Hospital Referral Resources

Disclaimer

Regional contacts will be periodically updated as Guardianship Case Managers are identified.

Guardianship and Conservatorship Assistance Program (GCAP) Information and Forms

GCAP Contractor Resources

GCAP Regional Contacts

contact 1Program Manager
Sarah Tremblay
Email
contact region 1Region 1
Melanie Thomason
Email
contact region 2Region 2
Marissa Heeley
Email
contact region 3Region 3
Susan Asp
Email

GCAP Contractor Contacts

contact GuardianshipProgram Manager
Sarah Tremblay
Email

contact Guardianship
Meet the Team

contact GuardianshipRegion 1
Amy Depaolo
Email
contact GuardianshipRegion 2
Angelique Johnson
Email
contact GuardianshipRegion 2
Kendra Kruse
Email
contact GuardianshipRegion 3
Cathleen Hansen
Email

 

Training Resources

  1. Acute Care Hospital Staff Training: Guardianship pilot training and referrals—This training is designed to outline the purpose, eligibility criteria, and referral process for the Guardianship pilot. Also clarifies roles for both acute care hospital staff and HCS staff in coordinating transitions to Long-term care services. 
  2. Audio recording of the Acute Care Hospital Staff Training: Guardianship pilot training & referrals (YouTube video)
  3. Q & A of the Acute Care Hospital Staff Training: Guardianship pilot training & Referrals.
  4. Acute Care Hospital Staff 101 Training (YouTube Video): It clarifies roles for both hospital staff and HCS staff, assists hospital staff in establishing Medicaid eligibility and describes process for development of a plan of care.
  5. Consent, Capacity and Guardianship Frequently Asked Questions