Washington

Facilities in Washington

Residential facilities providing religious, behavioral, and mental health treatment to children exist in all 50 states. Some of these facilities are known to be part of the Troubled Teen Industry, while others have not yet been verified. Any facility where children live and receive care requires additional oversight. This directory helps communities monitor local programs and advocate for accountability.

Reporting abuse in Washington

Washington is unusually clear about what its health complaint system will and will not take on: unprofessional conduct, a provider unable to practise safely, and unlicensed practice, but not scheduling, personality conflicts or billing. It also has an independent Office of the Family and Children's Ombuds, which exists to look at how the state itself handled a child's case.

Time limits in Washington: a general guide

This was correct as far as we could tell when we checked it on 28 September 2026. Laws on time limits change often, sometimes every legislative session, so some of what follows may have been updated since. It is a starting point, not legal advice: please check with a lawyer before relying on any date here. A time limit on a lawsuit or a criminal charge is also not a time limit on telling someone, and most of the places listed below will still take a report.

Time limits for abuse of a child often run from the survivor's 18th birthday, or from when they came to understand what happened, rather than from the day the program closed. Many states have lengthened them, removed them for child sexual abuse, or reopened claims that had already expired. A criminal charge, a lawsuit and a licence complaint each have their own time limit, so one having passed does not necessarily mean the others have.

Lawsuits

Physical abuse or injury: Two years for assault, battery and false imprisonment. Three years for negligence and other personal injury. RCW 4.16.100(1) (two years); RCW 4.16.080(2) (three years)
If it happened before you turned 18: The clock does not run while the injured person is under 18. For someone injured as a child, the two or three years start at 18. Washington's special childhood abuse law covers sexual abuse only, not physical abuse. RCW 4.16.190
If the program was run by or for the government: Before suing the state, file a claim form with the Office of Risk Management. For a county, city or other local government, file the claim with its designated agent. Either way the claim must be filed within the normal deadline, and you must wait 60 days before suing. The deadline is paused during those 60 days. RCW 4.92.100, 4.92.110 (state); RCW 4.96.020 (local governments)
Child sexual abuse: The civil SOL for CSA, trafficking, and some CSAM claims is age 21 with a 3-year discovery rule against all defendants. CHILD USA's summary

Criminal charges

Physical child abuse: Three years from the offense for felony assault of a child and other non-sexual child abuse felonies. Homicide by abuse can be charged at any time. Washington does not pause the criminal clock until 18 for non-sexual physical abuse. RCW 9A.04.080(1)(j); RCW 9A.04.080(1)(a)(ii) (homicide by abuse, no limit)
Assault: Three years from the offense for felony assault (first, second and third degree). Gross misdemeanor assault: two years. Simple misdemeanor: one year. RCW 9A.04.080(1)(j)-(l)
Child sexual abuse: CSA: There is no criminal SOL for many CSA crimes. The SOL is age 30 for other felonies and age 20 for misdemeanors. Trafficking: The SOL for trafficking is 10 years from the offense, while the SOL for commercial sex abuse is age 30. CSAM: There is no SOL for some CSAM crimes. Other CSAM offenses have an SOL of 3 years from the offense. CHILD USA's summary

The injury, assault and physical abuse lines are our reading of the statutes linked, as they stood on 28 September 2026. The child sexual abuse lines are CHILD USA's summary as it stood on 28 September 2026; their page may be more current than ours. In them SOL means statute of limitations, CSA child sexual abuse, and CSAM child sexual abuse material. Exceptions, court rulings and the details of what happened can all change which time limit applies, and some of these may be longer or shorter for you than they look here. CHILD USA's statute of limitations tracker, updated as each state changes its law. A lawyer can tell you which time limit applies to you, and many offer a free first consultation.

The therapist's licensing board

Holds the individual clinician's licence and can suspend or revoke it.

Washington State Department of Health, Health Systems Quality Assurance

Multiple professions

Licenses and disciplines mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, social workers and psychologists, and investigates three kinds of complaint: unprofessional conduct, a provider whose mental or physical condition means they cannot practise with reasonable skill and safety, and practice without a valid Washington credential.

It says plainly it may not be able to help with complaints unrelated to patient safety - scheduling problems, personality conflicts, disputes over bills or insurance.

Use this whenA licensed mental health professional in Washington, or somebody practising without a credential. Physicians go to the Washington Medical Commission instead.

HowUse the Department's complaint forms. The complaint process page explains what happens to it afterwards.

360-236-4700 Health Systems Quality Assurance customer service.
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The agency that licenses the program

Inspects the facility itself and can cite, fine, suspend or close it.

Washington State Department of Health, facility complaints

Takes and investigates complaints about the health care facilities the Department licenses, through a process separate from the one for individual providers.

Use this whenA DOH-licensed facility, including behavioral health agencies.

HowUse the facility complaint process and the Department's complaint forms.

Law enforcement and legal channels

Child protection, the Attorney General, and the criminal side.

Washington child abuse and neglect hotline (End Harm)

The statewide 24-hour line, which connects you to the local office that will take the report. It also takes concerns about a licensed facility, and about unlicensed care.

Use this whenA child at a Washington program, and any concern about how a licensed facility is treating children.

HowCall. A DCYF licensor starts acting on a referral within five working days, and a complaint is usually inspected and resolved within 45 days.

For a complaint about DCYF itself rather than about a program, Constituent Relations takes those on 1-800-723-4831.

1-866-363-4276 1-866-END-HARM. 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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Oversight and advocacy

Bodies with a right to investigate, and advocates who can act for you.

Washington Office of the Family and Children's Ombuds

An independent office that reviews how the state's child protection and child welfare system handled a case, and publishes where it finds fault.

It examines the state's conduct rather than licensing or prosecuting a program.

Use this whenA family or young person whose report to a Washington agency went nowhere.

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Disability Rights Washington

Washington's Protection and Advocacy agency, with federal authority to investigate abuse and neglect of people with disabilities in facilities, a right of access to them, and free legal advocacy.

Use this whenA Washington program where the young person has a disability or a mental health diagnosis.

HowContact the intake line.

1-800-562-2702 Main line 206-324-1521.
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National reporting channels, and the same list for other states