State Issues Formal Warning to Northwest Evaluation Center Over Domestic Violence Program
The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services has delivered a formal written notice and a “founded” classification to the Northwest Evaluation Center and its lead clinician, Dr. William Singer, after concluding an investigation into the center’s Domestic Violence Intervention Treatment program.
The review, finalized on November 6, 2025, identified gaps in how the program fulfilled state-mandated requirements under Washington Administrative Code 388-60B, particularly concerning the conduct and documentation of behavioral evaluations for individuals involved in court proceedings.
A key concern involved an evaluation prepared for a family law matter in King County Superior Court. According to DSHS, NWEC concluded that the participant did not require Domestic Violence Intervention Treatment at that stage, assigning the participant a “Level 0” rating—indicating the intervention was not yet suitable.
Though NWEC staff could explain to state reviewers their decision to prioritize general mental health services over specialized domestic violence programming, this reasoning was absent from the official written report. State reviewers labeled the written explanation “insufficient,” noting it fell short of the benchmark set in WAC 388-60B-0400 (19).
Omission of Victim Perspectives
Victim advocates expressed alarm at the department’s findings concerning how abuse allegations were handled. The DSHS letter pointed out that the assessment focused primarily on the participant’s own account of the relationship, while giving limited attention to the victim’s testimony, which had been documented in court filings.
Investigators observed that the evaluation downplayed the need for treatment partly due to the lack of formal criminal charges. Specifically, the report noted, “There are no police reports in regards to rape in the home while she lived in the house.”
SHS responded directly to this approach, stating, “The treatment recommendation may not be diminished by the absence of legal charges... As stated in the WAC standards above, the absence of legal charges cannot diminish the recommended treatment.”
Remediation Plan Underway
In a letter signed by Amie Roberts, LMHC, who oversees DSHS’s Domestic Violence Intervention Treatment Program, officials underscored that the investigation aimed to assess whether program practices posed increased risks to victims.
As part of the response, NWEC must submit a Corrective Action Plan. A specific deadline has been set for December 6, 2025, for the center to revise the subject assessment to align with state standards. Once updated, the revised report must be forwarded to the referring entity.
Although NWEC received guidance and support during the investigation, the “Founded” designation remains in place. The center has also been informed of its option to request a formal administrative hearing to contest the findings.