2023 Advocacy Days

Advocacy Days, part of The Arc’s Advocacy Partnership Project, are held during each legislative session to involve individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD), their families and their service providers in the legislative process, giving them opportunities to make their voices heard by their legislators and to have an impact on policy and budget legislation that affects the services and supports available to them. To make the meetings more accessible to people all around the state, we have moved to a virtual platform on Zoom.

For the list of topics and to register for Advocacy Days, please go to the Arc of WA website.  

https://arcwa.org/advocacy-days/

2023 WSPC Legislative Priorities

 

Washington State

Parent and Family Coalitions

 

2023 Legislative Priorities

 

 

 

Families across the state are struggling to be able to support their loved ones with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) both in and out of the family home. There is inequity of services and supports across the state, including but not limited to, housing, providers, waivers, and opportunities to engage in the community. Properly funding these services is key to improving the lives of individuals with I/DD and reducing the financial burden on both families and the state.

 

 

Housing (affordable, accessible, with needed supports), especially for aging families

People with I/DD and their families are struggling to access affordable, accessible, and sustainable housing in their communities with the appropriate level of support. Due to this, 72% of Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) clients are receiving support from a parent or relative and are living in the family home.

·        Supports should follow a person, no matter where they choose to live

·        State-Operated Living Alternatives (SOLA) in every county and Enhanced Behavior SOLAs in every region

·        Core waivers available to support a person fully in the family home

·        Increase affordable housing options for those with low/no income and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

·        I/DD Specialty Adult Family Homes

·        Safety supervision as a paid support across settings

 

Provider Shortage - systems-wide, waiver services, personal care, mental/behavioral health

Without an adequate workforce, people with I/DD cannot access the supports they depend on to live the life of their choosing in their communities. As a result, many people are experiencing social and physical isolation and are at risk for abuse, neglect, mental health crises, and sub-standard care.

·        Living wage for all direct support providers who work with individuals with I/DD

·       Specialized training and incentives for providers to support individuals with behavioral support needs

·        Extend parent provider contracts and 12-hour training requirements to other family members (siblings, grandparents, etc.) who want to become Individual Providers for personal care and respite.

·        Allow parents of individuals under the age of 18 to be paid care providers for their children.

 

Caseload Forecasting

Over 12,880 (10/2021, Arc of WA) individuals who have been determined to meet eligibility criteria for DDA are currently not receiving any services. DDA services should be an entitlement for eligible individuals.

Require formal, permanent caseload forecasting for services forindividuals with I/DD

·       Fund services for ALL eligible DDA clients to end the No Paid Services Caseload

·        Fund the November 2022 courtesy caseload forecast

·        Prioritize Core waivers for aging families

 

Expanded Day Programs, Activities, Recreation, and Respite

Statewide, there is a lack of opportunities for people to engage in the community. Parameters around day programs are an obstacle to families, as are restrictions to contracting, reporting, and reimbursement.

·        Remove barriers to provider contracts (hours, settings rules, rates, subsidies)

·        Add new recreation/activity service to waivers (distinct from respite hours)

·        Waiver services must be available in all counties

·        Waiver services need to include Day Health, which is not paid for by the state plan

·        Allow Overnight Planned Respite to occur in their own residence

           

 

 

 

 

 

2023 Legislative Session

 

Parent Coalition Legislative Corner

The 2023 Legislative session is starting to gear up and The Arc of Washington has just released their 2023 Public Policy Agenda.

Check it out here:

https://arcwa.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2022/09/TheArc2023-Public-Policy-Agenda.pdf 

and while you are there, make sure to sign up for their Action Alerts to keep up on what is happening in Olympia.

Check out the advocacy page here:

https://arcwa.org/advocacy/  

Sine Die - Legislative Session 2022 is done

 .....and that's a wrap. 

Lots of good bills were passed this session. Many good bills were also killed. We'll try again next year for those.

For a list of the bills that passed the legislature this session, go to https://arcwa.org/content/uploads/sites/35/2022/03/Bills-of-Interest-3-10-22.pdf 

For the 2022 final legislative operating budget, go to https://arcwa.org/content/uploads/sites/35/2022/03/2022-Operating-GSHF.pdf   

Legislative Notebook 2022

 

 Advocate Notebook: Developmental Disabilities Policy and Budget

 

Each year, The Arc of Washington State compiles a comprehensive notebook with information to support the budget and policy asks for services provided by the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA)

You can find the notebook here https://arcwa.org/2022-legislative-notebook/

2022 WSPC Legislative Priorities

DDA Caseload forecasting to ensure those that need services receive them.

 

Increase Aggregate Dollars in the DDA waiver services to cover the multiple services that continue to be offered.

·     Fund 20—30 hours a week of community involvement for every individual. Include a combination of employment, Adult Day Health, Community Inclusion, Recreational Programs, volunteer opportunities, Active Day Programs, groups of interest (clubs and organizations) and other services. Employment and Community Inclusion should be offered simultaneously, not one instead of the other. Individuals with I/DD have the right to a full and meaningful life in the settings they choose.

·    Fully fund the DDA no-paid-services queue so that all DDA-eligible individuals receive the services they need whenever they are needed.

 ·   DDA should add supervision/safety support into the assessment to be fully funded.

·        Fund affordable, appropriate, accessible community housing for people with I/DD and pair housing with substantial services and support hours that are person-centered. Initiate CORE waiver eligibility for every DDA individual age 18+ who wants or needs to transition out of the family home.  

 ·      DDA waiver services need to be accessible in every county. To do this we must increase capacity and funding at all levels; local, county, and state - Housing, Employment, Vendors, Care-providers, Transportation and more.

 The Washington State Parent and Family Coalitions represent thousands of families.

We strive to identify the needs of people with intellectual/developmental disabilities and their families and work toward solutions to meet those needs.

2021 End of Session Summary

 The Arc of WA has put together a summary of this year's legislative session.

Check out the bills that passed, the capitol budget and operating budget, on their website.

https://arcwa.org/billtracker/