2017 ARC Legislative Notebook

DDA data and agency position papers for this year's legislative session.

http://arcwa.org/index.php/takeaction/washingtonstate/issue_papers/2017_legislative_notebook/

2017 Legislative Advocacy Days

Statewide Disabilities Legislative Reception and Briefing - February 1, 2017

The 36th Disabilities Legislative Reception is designed to bring legislators and their constituents from all over Washington together to share their perspectives on issues important to individuals with disabilities.
A summary of the issues relevant to people with developmental disabilities will be provided in the afternoon from 2-4pm at The United Churches. Go have dinner and then join us at 5:30pm back in the Columbia Room on the first floor of the Legislative Building for the Disabilities Legislative Reception.


Advocacy Day Briefing 2-4pm United Churches, 110 Eleventh Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98501
Legislative Reception 5:30-7:30pm Columbia Room, Legislative Building, Capitol Campus, Olympia

Advocacy Days

Advocacy Day is a great way to learn about the legislative process. Each Advocacy Day begins with an hour briefing at 10am. The briefing includes special speakers, tips for a successful day and current information on bills and budget issues. Participants are offered several ways in which to advocate during the afternoon. You can meet with your legislators and attend hearings or floor sessions. Be sure to make your appointments to meet with legislators well in advance of your trip to Olympia. Meeting places will be listed on the ARC of WA website at http://arcwa.org/index.php/takeaction/washingtonstate/advocacy_day

Advocacy Days Schedule 

Feb 1 - Legislative Reception and Briefing, Employment Rally
Feb 8 - Disability Protections
Feb 15 - Supported Living Rally
Feb 22 - Multi-Cultural
Mar 1 - Meet Your Legislators!
Mar 8 - How McCleary Affects You
Mar 15 - Family Services
Mar 22 - Budget Overview
Mar 29 - Self-Advocates 
Apr 5 - Take Note!

Hot Tips Brochure - for information on Advocacy Days and More.....
http://arcwa.org/index.php/library/2017_hot_tips/

2017 Statewide Legislative Priorities

WA State Parent Coalitions for Developmental Disabilities

The Developmental Disabilities Administration  (DDA) is a SYSTEM IN CRISIS. We need to meet the assessed needs of individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD), and their families, by maximizing tax payer dollars.

Services are not services if you can't access them!

-Lack of service providers creates unmet need. the state should be accountable for recruiting, retaining and reviewing qualified providers of all state and federal funded services for individuals who have I/DD.

-The legislature needs to adequately fund Supported Living Services. With a 50% to 70% turnover rate in staff, individuals with I/DD are living in a state of crisis, being traumatized, and put at risk of homelessness and institutionalization.

-Support adequate funding and policies for the Early Intervention system to identify and serve all eligible children.

-Fund an automatic increase in the DDA budget supporting employment services for students transitioning from high school, providing them the opportunity to be contributing citizens and tax payers.

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Our state Legislature "recognizes the state's obligation to provide aid to persons with developmental disabilities through a uniform, coordinated system of services to enable them to achieve a greater measure of independence and fulfillment and to enjoy all rights and privileges under the Constitution and laws of the United States and the State of Washington."

RCW 71A.10.015

Issues contributing to DDA system crisis:

-Washington State is 41st in the Nation for fiscal effort in funding services for DD.

-Individuals are waiting for a requested community residential placement out of  Residential Habilitation Centers (RHC).

-Lack of capacity in Supported Living and Adult Family Homes as community residential options for individuals with I/DD.

-Eligible individuals are waiting for paid services from DDA (No Paid Services Caseload). Currently 11,000 individuals are waiting.

-There are no DDA Case Resource Managers (CRM) for the No Paid Services Caseload.

-DDA CRM have client rations far higher than those in other states. CRM do not have manageable caseloads to ensure proper coordination of their client's assessed services.

 

The Parent Coalitions represent thousands of families in Washington State. 

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

2016 Legislative Session results

It was a great session! Check out the links below for the results.

Bills that passed
http://arcwa.org/resources/Bills_of_Interest_4-5-16.pdf

2016 Budget
http://arcwa.org/resources/2016_budget_comparison_G_H_S2_F.pdf

2016 Legislative Notebook
http://arcwa.org/index.php/takeaction/washingtonstate/issue_papers/2016_legislative_notebook/

Feb 15, 2016 Legislative Update

The 2016 Legislative session is half over and bills are starting to be passed from one house of congress to the other. The current list of bills that concern people with ID/DD is on the ARC of WA Resource Library page (the link is near the bottom of the resource page). http://arcwa.org/library

Today's main concern is Bill SB 5243
http://app.leg.wa.gov/DLR/billsummary/default.aspx?Bill=5243&year=2015

SB 5243 seeks to reverse a 2011 decision by the Legislature. The decision was to downsize and eventually close the Yakima Valley School (Institution) in Selah by stopping additional placements. The intent was to eventually close this institution and provide more services in the community. SB 5243 would reopen the institution to new admissions and increase respite beds in this institution instead of providing respite in local communities, where families want it.

If this is important to you, please email https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/memberEmail/13/0 Senator Judy Warnock to vote NO on SB 5243 today. Tell her that you don't want to have to send your son/daughter to an institution/nursing home in Selah to get the respite you need.

 

Statewide Parent Coalition 2016 Legislative Priorities

Washington Statewide Parent Coalition 
2016 Legislative Priorities
                          

           Priorities

• Workforce Shortage:

Individual providers and other professional; there are not enough workforce willing to be individual providers.  Parents and individuals cannot find or retain providers, particularly part-time respite providers who are faced with unreasonable, time-consuming training requirements. This leads to crisis and emergency room use. The recent Department of Labor ruling on eliminating overtime will exacerbate the workforce problem.  Recruitment and incentives to increase the provider workforce is needed, to prevent more people from going into crisis. 

Efficiencies

• 0-3 Administrative Hold-Back for School Districts:

School districts throughout the state receive state money for 0-3 early intervention services. Districts decides how much they will take for administrative cost, ranging from 10%-50%.  High admin hold-backs deprive children of the early intervention services they need to succeed in school.  Department of Early Learning estimates that 29% of children who receive early intervention services do not need Special Education in school.  Saving the state and school districts $6.8 million per year on going.

• Residential Provider Wages / Minimum Wage increases:

In spite of a wage increase in 2015, DDA residential providers are going out of business and unable to take new clients because of the already low wages and minimum wage increases ahead for King Co.  Lack of residential supports creates crisis and risk of homelessness. When DDA cannot place people in community residential, more emergency placements in DDA institutions occur at a much higher rate and cost.  Currently WA institutions are facing federal audits and stop placement orders.

• Consistent Statewide Positive Behavioral Supports

Schoolwide training in social emotional learning, positive behavior supports and trauma informed practices are needed for everyone that works with children in schools.  Establishing a positive school climate sets a strong foundation and proactively addresses challenges around behavior, reduces removal from the classroom, isolation, restraints, and improves students’ readiness to learn.

	These priorities are supported by Parent Coalitions of the following Counties Grant, Adams, Lincoln, Benton, Franklin, Pierce, Snohomish, Kittitas, Clark, Kitsap, King,

 

The Parent Coalitions represent thousands of families in Washington State. We strive to identify the needs of people with intellectual/developmental disabilities and their families and work toward solutions to meet those needs.

Advocacy Days 2016

January 11th - First day of legislative session

January 20th - Legislative Briefing/Reception

A folder of one-page information sheets on pertinent issues for the 2016 legislative session, along with charts and data from the Developmental Disabilities Administration, will be reviewed. (Held at The United Churches 2:00 – 4:00 pm) The annual Legislative Reception will be held in the Columbia Room from 5:30 - 7:30 pm.

January 27th - Community Residential Services (Rally)

Self- adv0cates, supported living providers as well as family members and others join to let legislators know how important living in the community is and ask them to ensure that providers of these supports are paid a fair living wage. We will meet at The United Churches at 10 am, then head over to the capitol for a rally. (More details to come)

February 3rd - Budget Overview 

Creating a supplemental budget is the one thing legislators are required to do during this legislative session. Learn what services and supports are proposed for cuts or increases and what you can do to help. (Held at The United Churches)

February 10th - Promoting Independence

Self-advocates will lead the way on issues for the 2016 session that help them live in their community as independently as possible.  (Held at The United Churches)

February 17th - Building Up Families

Our state has created a new Individual and Family Services Waiver (IFS) to provide respite and other services to 4,000 additional families in our state. Learn about this new waiver and how to access it. The Community First Choice (CFC) program has now replaced Medicaid Personal Care. Parent to Parent, local chapters of The Arc and Parent Coalitions will share what this means to you. We encourage parents to come to this meeting and bring your children with you. Make your needs known to legislators and help them to understand the reality of family situations and why supports and services need their funding. We can help you prepare, contact us for assistance. (Held at the General Administration Building)

February 24th - Civil Rights

We have the right to demand the end to unnecessary toxic chemicals invading our homes, our environment, almost every aspect of our lives. Harmful flame retardants are in furniture and children's products, but don't prevent or slow down fires. They do, however, cause harm to our children, our pets, our firefighters and ourselves. In addition, we will look at pending legislation on other civil rights issues such as isolation of people with disabilities, guardianship and more. (Held at the General Administration Building)

March 2nd - Employment for All (Rally)

Everyone has the right to live, work and play in their local community. Having a job means that individuals with developmental disabilities can be productive citizens, contributing to our economy by paying taxes while providing valued services. Join self-advocates, families and employment service providers from Community Employment Alliance (CEA) as we ensure that supports are available to all those who need them. (Held in the Columbia Room with a rally afterwards, more details to come)