HomeMy WebLinkAbout19-06 - Res. Establishing Policy for Burial of Indigent PersonsIH STABIL
SDLU I N N
19-06
S}TY K1V l 1 OF A PCDUCC \ F T
PERSONS
B UMA
D 1 Gll T 1T
VVHEAS, RCW 36 39.030 states "...the board of courty commissioners of
any county sia_ _ provide for the disposition of the remains of any indigent person
including a recipient of pubic assistance who dies within le county and whose body is
tine' aimed by relatives or church organization."
FEE AS, the Mason County Coroner has assumed the responsibility for the
disposition o'Cie remains of :ndigent persons who die in Vason County;
I J THEREFORE, j NADIR , the Mason County Board of County Commissioners does
hereby approve a Policy for the Burial of 'Indigent Persons, Attachment A which is
hereby incorporated as part of this resolution.
AI'LFR VE
ATTEST:
dth day
v
`V-arch9 2OO6
ASON COUN
O -Z) OF COUNTY COMA/
a Ring Erickson,
#J
ISS
Chairperson
ChY \AenterNe
amain, Commissioner
ONFRS
Tim Sheldon, Commissioner
R'-b.-cca S. Rogers, Clerk '• f the Board
QVBP ASTO FORM:
r
Vie
ae1 Cift, Chief Deputy P
-osecutor
PO
purpose:
a. the purpose
1ICY FOR BURIAL OF IN
�d intent of his po
GiV\T P
SONS
icy is to comply with RCW 36.39.030 in
providing fog the dispose lion of the remains of any indigent person including a
recipient of public assistance who dies within the county and whose body is
unctaimcd; and to comply with RCW /3.08.070, by designating a proper authority
to be responsible, at the expense of the county, for the bLria_ or cremation of any
deceased indigent veteran or deceased famLy member of an indigent veteran.
b. It shalt be the responsibility of be Mason County Coroner to develop and
administer a program to accomplish the purpose and intent of the policy.
Section . Definitions. The foe owing definition shall app
y in the interpretation and
enforcement of the policy.
a. "Department" means the Mason County Coroner.
b. "}isposition" means the minimum services necessary to 1ega1;y bury or cremate
human remains.
c. "Indigent" means the decedent was on public assistance at the time of death, or
the decedent's estate is valued at less than S2,500.00.
ego "Unclaimed" means there is no _pelative who can be located within the state and
who is liable for the disposition costs pursuant to RCW 68.50.160, nor is there
any other person or entity, excepting funeral homes and/or cemeteries, or the
Coroner's office who maces any claim to the remains, or who exerts or attempts
to exert any influence of the disposition of the remains.
Section 2. Payment Authorized
a. The Department is authorized to reimburse a licensed funeral home and/or
cemetery/crematory for the minimum services set by the 'Department when such
funeral home and/or cemetery/crematory has made a proper showing, according
to rules devised by the Department that:
1. it has, or will lawfully bury or cremate an indigent decedent, and
2. it received the remains as an Entrusted Funeral Home, or decedent was an
indigent veteran or deceased family member of an indigent veteran, and
3. it made diligent efforts to locate rc_atives who may choose or are required
to provide for the disposition, pursuant to 68.50.160, and
4. the decedent was at the time of death located in Mason County, and
5. the decedent was indigent and tale body unclaimed; PROVIDE; D, that each
suct-i reimbursement shalt be conditional upon a promise by the funeral
home and/or cemetery/crematory to reimburse the County dollar or do1_ar
from any fLmds may subsegLently acquire Rona any other source n or the
disposition services performed by it.
n ttaclh
ent A,
5°
oft
0
0 the Department sl provide reimbursement for disposition at the uniform rates
establisFied by tie Department; PRDV: D IH D that reimbursement for cremation
shall be provio.cd only upon proper showing that legal auborization has been
obtained. he Coroner or fie Coroner's designee may authorize cremation of
indigent remains
Section 3. Administration
ao I'e Department shah develop rifles and procedures for the implementation of this
poicy. The rules and procedures s` tall at a minim= ii c_ side:
process for obtaining cremation aut1 orization froia the coroner's office
when there is no other person authorized to do so;
20 procedures for tracing and recovering from decedent's estates after
reimbursement has been made, if and when it is cost effective for the
county to do so;
3. guidelines for the showing required in Section 2, including due diligence
in locating persons required or willing to provide for disposition;
4e procedures for verifying decedent's indigence; and a] other rules and
procedures which may be necessary and prudent to effectively implement
this policy.
5. establishment of uniform rates for services.
A
��_ i i� a anent A,
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