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.