Chapter 3.18
PAYMENT FOR DISPOSAL OF
INDIGENT REMAINS

Sections:

3.18.010    Definitions.

3.18.020    Administration.

3.18.030    Special fund created.

3.18.040    Notification.

3.18.050    Provision of services.

3.18.060    Certification.

3.18.070    Recoupment.

3.18.080    Reporting unclaimed remains.

3.18.090    Disposition of remains.

3.18.100    Exceptions to disposal by cremation.

3.18.110    Provisions for services for exemptions to cremation.

3.18.120    Gifting.

3.18.010 Definitions.

The following definitions are applicable to this chapter:

“Cremation” means the reduction of the body of a deceased person to cremated remains as defined in RCW Chapter 68.04.

“Coroner” shall mean the duly elected or appointed Adams County coroner.

“Funeral establishment” means an establishment licensed under the provisions of RCW Chapter 18.39 or a cemetery or crematory with a permit or endorsement issued under RCW Chapter 68.05.

“Indigent” means the deceased had no resources from which disposal of the remains can be paid.

“Unclaimed by relatives or church organizations” means none of the following exist:

A.    The decedent’s surviving spouse;

B.    The decedent’s surviving adult children;

C.    The decedent’s surviving parents;

D.    The decedent’s surviving siblings;

E.    A church organization claiming the decedent’s remains.

“Unclaimed human remains” shall mean the body or any bodily parts of a deceased human for whom there are no known relatives or other responsible person who will accept the responsibility of disposing of the remains. (Ord. O-2-94 § 1, 1994)

3.18.020 Administration.

A.    The board of county commissioners shall review and, after appropriate inquiry, grant or deny applications for the reimbursement of the cost of disposition of the remains of any indigent person who dies within the county and whose body is unclaimed by relatives or church organizations. Applications shall be made in the form specified and provided by the board of county commissioners. The person making the application shall certify that the application is for the payment of the cost of the disposition of a person who:

1.    Died within the county;

2.    Is indigent;

3.    Whose body is unclaimed by relatives or church organizations as defined in this chapter; and

4.    That the information is true under penalty of perjury.

B.    All applications for reimbursement shall be accompanied by the original or a certified copy of a death certificate.

C.    In determining whether a decedent for whom application is made is indigent, the following shall be considered by the board:

1.    The decedent’s estate and resources, including, but not limited to: real estate, personal property, cash, bank accounts, contents of safety deposit boxes, nursing home trust funds, veteran’s death benefits, workman’s compensation, social security death benefits, railroad retirement death benefits, life insurance, or burial insurance.

2.    The assets of the surviving spouse, surviving adult children, surviving parents and the surviving siblings. (Ord. O-2-94 § 2, 1994)

3.18.030 Special fund created.

A special account, to be known as the Adams County indigent remains account, is created for the purpose of paying all or part of the cost of cremation of the remains of any indigent person who dies within the county and whose body is unclaimed by relatives or church organizations. (Ord. O-2-94 § 3, 1994)

3.18.040 Notification.

The county coroner shall attempt to notify the spouse, children or parents of the decedent or any other known relatives or friends, or religious organizations that may desire to claim the remains and provide for disposition. (Ord. O-2-94 § 4, 1994)

3.18.050 Provision of services.

The county shall pay only for the actual cost of direct cremation without services or ceremony performed by a funeral establishment for each application approved by the board of county commissioners. (Ord. O-2-94 § 5, 1994)

3.18.060 Certification.

Each funeral establishment making application for payment pursuant to this chapter shall make a good faith effort to determine the names and location of any next of kin of the deceased. The applicant shall certify that the foregoing attempt has been made, and such certification shall be included in the application for payment for disposal of remains under this chapter. (Ord. O-2-94 § 6, 1994)

3.18.070 Recoupment.

It is the intent of this chapter to provide for disposal of remains at county expense only in those cases where there are no available funds belonging to the deceased, the deceased’s estate, or held in trust for the deceased by any person or entity. In the event such resources are discovered after the county has paid for disposal of the remains, the prosecuting attorney is authorized to pursue recoupment of expenses in cases where such effort appears to be cost effective. (Ord. O-2-94 § 7, 1994)

3.18.080 Reporting unclaimed remains.

Any person in possession of unclaimed human remains, and any person who is aware of human remains under circumstances suggesting that no one has assumed responsibility for them, shall notify the prosecuting attorney/coroner. If the person reporting has custody of the remains, that person shall complete an application form requesting the prosecuting attorney/coroner to take possession of the remains. Application forms shall be made available by the board of commissioners. (Ord. O-2-94 § 8, 1994)

3.18.090 Disposition of remains.

The coroner may make the ashes of the deceased available to relatives or friends of the deceased who wish to conduct a memorial service for the deceased or to dispose of the ashes. If ashes remain unclaimed for a period of one year, the coroner may dispose of those ashes in an appropriate manner. (Ord. O-2-94 § 9, 1994)

3.18.100 Exceptions to disposal by cremation.

Exceptions to disposal by cremation shall be authorized by the prosecuting attorney where the prosecuting attorney determines that interment of the remains is necessary due to circumstances surrounding the death. The remains shall be interred at a location authorized by the prosecuting attorney and may be subsequently released pursuant to applicable law. The exceptions which apply are:

A.    Homicide or suspicious circumstances involving the death;

B.    Unidentified bodies;

C.    Individuals where a cause of death cannot be determined. (Ord. O-2-94 § 10A, 1994)

3.18.110 Provisions for services for exemptions to cremation.

The county shall pay only for the actual cost of direct burial without services or ceremony performed by a funeral establishment for each application approved by the board of county commissioners. (Ord. O-2-94 § 10B, 1994)

3.18.120 Gifting.

Adams County shall have authority to accept donations, gifts, bequests, legacies, trust funds, and such other funds as may be designated to the Adams County indigent remains account by persons or church organizations desiring to make provision for those less fortunate than themselves. (Ord. O-2-94 § 11, 1994)