| Passed by the Senate March 3, 2012 YEAS 49 BRAD OWEN ________________________________________ President of the Senate Passed by the House February 29, 2012 YEAS 98 FRANK CHOPP ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives | I, Thomas Hoemann, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6384 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth. THOMAS HOEMANN ________________________________________ Secretary | |
| Approved March 19, 2012, 1:44 p.m. CHRISTINE GREGOIRE ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | March 19, 2012 Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2012 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/03/12.
AN ACT Relating to ensuring that persons with developmental disabilities be given the opportunity to transition to a community access program after enrollment in an employment program; and adding a new section to chapter 71A.12 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 71A.12
RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Clients age twenty-one and older who are receiving
employment
services must be offered the choice to transition to a community access
program after nine months of enrollment in an employment program, and
the option to transition from a community access program to an
employment program at any time. Enrollment in an employment program
begins at the time the client is authorized to receive employment.
(2) Prior approval by the department shall not be required to
effectuate the client's choice to transition from an employment program
to community access services after verifying nine months of
participation in employment-related services.
(3) The department shall inform clients and their legal
representatives of all available options for employment and dayservices,
including the opportunity to request an exception from
enrollment in an employment program. Information provided to the
client and the client's legal representative must include the types of
activities each service option provides, and the amount, scope, and
duration of service for which the client would be eligible under each
service option. An individual client may be authorized for only one
service option, either employment services or community access
services. Clients may not participate in more than one of these
services at any given time.
(4) The department shall work with counties and stakeholders to
strengthen and expand the existing community access program, including
the consideration of options that allow for alternative service
settings outside of the client's residence. The program should
emphasize support for the clients so that they are able to participate
in activities that integrate them into their community and support
independent living and skills.
(5) The department shall develop rules to allow for an exception
to
the requirement that a client participate in an employment program for
nine months prior to transitioning to a community access program.