HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2983

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                       Appropriations

Title:  An act relating to residential living arrangements for adults with severe developmental disabilities.

Brief Description:  Providing residential living arrangements for adults with severe developmental disabilities.

Sponsors:  Representatives Robertson, L. Thomas, Pennington, Costa, Mitchell, Regala, Cooke and McCune.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Appropriations:  2/9/98 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 30 members:  Representatives Huff, Chairman; Alexander, Vice Chairman; Clements, Vice Chairman; Wensman, Vice Chairman; H. Sommers, Ranking Minority Member; Doumit, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Gombosky, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Benson; Carlson; Chopp; Cody; Cooke; Crouse; Grant; Keiser; Kenney; Kessler; Lambert; Linville; Lisk; Mastin; McMorris; Parlette; Poulsen; Regala; D. Schmidt; Sehlin; Sheahan; Talcott and Tokuda.

Staff:  Deborah Frazier (786-7152).

Background:  Through the Developmental Disabilities Division (DDD), the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) provides or contracts for the provision of community based residential arrangements, day and employment programs, skills training, therapies, etc., for individuals with developmental disabilities.  Contracts for these services are entered into with for profit, not-for-profit and non-profit entities.  In most communities, there are waiting lists for these services.

A group of parents of developmentally disabled individuals has proposed the creation of a private non-profit organization called Friendship House, for which they would serve as the governing board, to provide services for their children. They have secured partial funding ($150,000) for their two year proposal from non-state sources.  They are seeking funding from the state for the remainder of the proposed budget ($220,000). DSHS currently has the authority to enter into contracts of this nature, but the DDD does not have funding available for the proposal.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The substitute bill declares legislative intent that the department encourage the development of residential living arrangements through contracts with private nonprofit organizations.  The original bill provided an appropriation for a specific residential arrangement.  Annual state costs are estimated to be approximately $110,000 GF-S.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The substitute bill replaces the text of the original bill, and it declares legislative intent that the department encourage the development of residential living arrangements through contracts with private nonprofit organizations.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: This is a cost effective alternative to placement of these individuals in the institutions, especially in the long term as their parents age.

Testimony Against:  The bill does not provide any new authority.  It is not clearly specific to these individuals and this situation.  It could result in others demanding the same treatment, which is intended for just these individuals.

Testified: Patti Harris, parent (pro); Sue Whitehouse, parent (pro); and Joyce Duran, Developmental Disabilities, Department of Social and Health Services (con).