When, in the judgment of the department of social and health services, the welfare of any person committed to or confined in any state juvenile correctional institution or facility necessitates that such a person be transferred or moved for observation, diagnosis or treatment to any state institution or facility for the care of juveniles with behavioral health disorders the secretary of the department of social and health services, or his or her designee, is authorized to order and effect such move or transfer: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That the secretary of the department of social and health services shall adopt and implement procedures to assure that persons so transferred shall, while detained or confined in such institution or facility for the care of juveniles with behavioral health disorders, be provided with substantially similar opportunities for parole or early release evaluation and determination as persons detained or confined in state juvenile correctional institutions or facilities: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That the secretary of the department of social and health services shall notify the original committing court of such transfer.

Findings—Intent—Effective date—2018 c 201: See notes following RCW 41.05.018.