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/
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:
.....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
Advocate Notebook: Developmental Disabilities Policy and Budget
You can find the notebook here https://arcwa.org/2022-legislative-notebook/
DDA Caseload forecasting to ensure those that need services receive them.
· 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.
We strive to identify the needs of people with intellectual/developmental disabilities and their families and work toward solutions to meet those needs.
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.
The Arc of WA puts together the Legislative Notebook with DDA
information and stakeholder legislative issue pages. This is a great snapshot of DDA
services across the state and what is needed from the legislature to
improve services to persons with I/DD.
Click on the link below to find the legislative notebook link. - Happy reading :-)
https://arcwa.org/2021notebook/
The Statewide Parent Coalitions Legislative Priority
Retain all current DDA clients and maintain their services.
DDA’s 2021-2023 budget proposal eliminates services for 8,100 current DDA clients. Some have depended on these services for over 30 years. These cuts will annihilate the already significantly underfunded systems for these most vulnerable individuals and put them at risk for isolation, loss of skills, unemployment, crisis hospitalizations, homelessness, incarceration, and institutionalization. These DDA funding cuts violate the basic responsibilities of government to protect its citizens.
Statewide Parent Coalitions continue to recognize these serious
concerns for future funding and support:
Fund DDA services for 14,000 eligible individuals on DDA’s no-paid services list.
Increase the number of individual and community direct-service providers across the state - lack of providers equals lack of service.
Provide a living wage for all DD service providers.
Develop and provide appropriate, sustainable community housing options for individuals with developmental disabilities to meet their needs and that respect personal choice.
