Rules for notification of partners at risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
(1) A local health officer or authorized representative shall:
(a) Within three working days of receipt of a report of a previously unreported case of HIV infection, attempt to contact or obtain information from the principal health care provider to:
(i) Seek input on the best means of conducting a case investigation including partner notification; and
(ii) If appropriate, request that the provider contact the person living with HIV as required in subsection (2) of this section.
(b) Contact the person diagnosed with HIV to:
(i) Discuss the need to notify sex or injection equipment-sharing partners, including spouses, that they may have been exposed to HIV and that they should seek HIV testing; and
(ii) Offer assistance with partner notification as appropriate.
(c) Unless the health officer or designated representative determines partner notification is not needed or the person living with HIV refuses assistance with partner notification, assist with notifying partners in accordance with the "Recommendations for Partner Services Programs for HIV Infection, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and Chlamydial Infection" as published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, October 2008.
(2) If the local health officer or designated representative informs the principal health care provider that they intend to conduct a partner notification case investigation, the principal health care provider shall attempt to inform the person living with HIV that the local health officer or authorized representative will contact the person living with HIV for the purpose of providing assistance with the notification of partners.
(3) A health care provider may not disclose the identity of a person living with HIV or the identity of sex or injection equipment-sharing partners, including spouses, at risk of HIV infection, except as authorized in RCW
70.02.220 or in this section.
(4) Local health officers and authorized representatives shall use identifying information, according to this section, on persons living with HIV only to:
(a) Contact the person living with HIV to refer, as appropriate, to medical care, or to contact sex or injection equipment-sharing partners, including spouses; or
(b) Carry out an investigation of behavior that endangers the public health or of behaviors presenting an imminent danger to the public health pursuant to RCW
70.24.022 or
70.24.024.
(5) A health care provider may consult with the local health officer or an authorized representative about a person living with HIV and the need for notification of persons identified as sex or injection equipment-sharing partners at any time.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
43.20.050 and
70.24.130. WSR 22-06-061, § 246-100-072, filed 2/25/22, effective 3/28/22. Statutory Authority: RCW
70.24.130. WSR 10-01-082, § 246-100-072, filed 12/15/09, effective 1/15/10. Statutory Authority: RCW
70.24.130 and
70.24.380. WSR 05-11-110, § 246-100-072, filed 5/18/05, effective 6/18/05. Statutory Authority: RCW
70.24.125 and
70.24.130. WSR 99-17-077, § 246-100-072, filed 8/13/99, effective 9/1/99. Statutory Authority: RCW
70.24.022, [70.24].340 and Public Law 104-146. WSR 97-15-099, § 246-100-072, filed 7/21/97, effective 7/21/97. Statutory Authority: RCW
43.20.050 and
70.24.130. WSR 92-02-019 (Order 225B), § 246-100-072, filed 12/23/91, effective 1/23/92. Statutory Authority: RCW
43.20.050. WSR 91-02-051 (Order 124B), recodified as § 246-100-072, filed 12/27/90, effective 1/31/91. Statutory Authority: Chapter
70.24 RCW. WSR 89-02-008 (Order 324), § 248-100-072, filed 12/27/88.]
