BILL REQ. #:  H-4598.2 



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HOUSE BILL 3078
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State of Washington60th Legislature2008 Regular Session

By Representatives O'Brien, Dickerson, Darneille, Haler, Roach, Wallace, Walsh, Roberts, Springer, Williams, Green, Simpson, Conway, and Ormsby

Read first time 01/22/08.   Referred to Committee on Human Services.



     AN ACT Relating to lifelong learning services for individuals diagnosed with severe to profound intellectual developmental disabilities; adding a new chapter to Title 71A RCW; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that a developmental disability is a natural part of human experience and the presence of a developmental disability in the life of a person does not diminish or alter a person's rights or opportunity to participate fully in the life of the community. The legislature recognizes that with the advancement and widespread availability of medical, educational, and social services, people with significant, multiple developmental disabilities are living longer and that investing in them at every stage of life helps maintain their skills and abilities and provides them the opportunity to have a meaningful daily life. Providing continued learning opportunities for individuals with severe and profound intellectual developmental disabilities supports both the individual and helps to maintain the well-being of the family.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The purpose of this chapter is to:
     (1) Create lifelong learning services administered by the department of social and health services which include a balanced array of social and supportive services that promote individual choice, dignity, and the highest practicable level of independence. These lifelong learning services shall be:
     (a) Based on the specific needs of the person with a developmental disability;
     (b) State-administered; and
     (c) Available throughout the state;
     (2) Ensure that individual needs will be determined by uniform comprehensive assessment;
     (3) Ensure that services are provided in the most inclusive situation consistent with individual needs;
     (4) Ensure that lifelong learning service options be developed and made available that enable individuals to continue to live in their homes or other community residential support programs or in the care of their families;
     (5) Ensure that lifelong learning services are coordinated in a way that minimizes administrative cost, eliminates unnecessarily complex organization, minimizes program and service duplication, and maximizes the use of financial resources in directly meeting the needs of persons;
     (6) Support higher educational institutions in Washington state to assist in the provision of lifelong learning services; and
     (7) Be responsive and appropriate to individual need and also cost-effective for the state.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   The services provided under this chapter are not intended to replace employment supports or the pathway to employment but are additional supports and training a person with a developmental disability is assessed to need in order to live an independent and meaningful life.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   Under the lifelong services program, individuals, to the maximum extent possible, must be given a choice of services and authority to exercise control over the resources available to them. The department of social and health services, to the maximum extent feasible, will seek a federal medicaid match for funds appropriated for lifelong learning services.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   To be eligible for lifelong learning services, individuals must be at least twenty-one years old and diagnosed with a severe to profound intellectual developmental disability. Authorized services will be based on the individual's assessed need. The services may be provided alone or with employment or other day service options.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   Based on the funds appropriated by the legislature, the following services may be provided under the lifelong services program:
     (1) Independent living skills training;
     (2) Community participation;
     (3) Social skills training;
     (4) Self-advocacy training;
     (5) Recreation;
     (6) Continuing education classes;
     (7) Personal assistance; and
     (8) Transportation.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   The sum of three million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 2009, from the general fund to the department of social and health services for the purposes of creating the lifelong services described in this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8   Sections 1 through 6 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 71A RCW.

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