(1) Each treatment program certified for any level of treatment must meet face-to-face with the participant and adhere to the following standards regarding group treatment:

(a) Participants must attend group sessions on a weekly basis;

(b) The group sessions must be single gender;

(c) Participants must be given the choice to attend the group they feel most comfortable in when gender identity is a factor;

(d) The group size is limited to a maximum of 12 participants, and a minimum of two participants;

(e) On a short-term basis the program may accept a participant into their domestic violence intervention treatment program even if the program lacks sufficient participants to constitute a group;

(f) Group sessions with four to 12 participants in attendance must be at least 90 minutes in length;

(g) Group sessions with three or fewer participants in attendance must be at least 60 minutes in length;

(h) Group sessions must be closed to all persons other than participants, group facilitators, and others specifically invited by the group facilitators including, but are not limited to:

(i) Professionals in related fields;

(ii) A research scholar or state of Washington evaluator;

(iii) Advocates from victim service agencies;

(iv) Persons offering interpretation services for the deaf or hearing impaired or language translation or interpretation;

(v) Interns, trainees, or others who bring specific information applicable to the group; and

(i) Any person attending the group as specified under this section must sign a confidentiality agreement of which the program must keep a record.

(2) Groups facilitated by way of live HIPAA compliant video conferencing must comply with the following standards:

(a) The group facilitator must remind all participants of confidentiality standards before each group begins and when any new group member joins thereafter.

(i) Confidentiality standards must include the group participant's physical location, which must not allow for any other person to hear or see the group, and the prohibition of the use of any recording devices.

(ii) The participant must be visible from the torso up while attending group.

(iii) The participant must not use a virtual background or screen, which distorts their background, and makes it more difficult for the facilitator to check for confidentiality requirements.

(b) The group facilitator must disconnect any group participant who violates the confidentiality standards immediately upon discovery and meet one-on-one with that group participant regarding confidentiality standards before they are permitted to attend group again.

(i) The domestic violence intervention treatment program must have a policy regarding online confidentiality, and the consequences for violating that confidentiality, when the program uses live video conferencing for group or individual sessions.

(ii) If a group participant violates confidentiality standards then it is up to the policy and discretion of the domestic violence intervention treatment program whether the group member can resume treatment via video conferencing or not.

PDFWAC 388-60B-0315

Group treatment—What standards must programs follow regarding the provision of group treatment?