FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 6329

FULL VETO

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Creating the parent to parent program for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Human Services, Mental Health & Housing (originally sponsored by Senators O'Ban, Conway, Becker, Fain, Cleveland, Dammeier, Keiser, Darneille, Rolfes, Hobbs, Litzow, Angel, McAuliffe, Habib and Jayapal).

Senate Committee on Health Care

Senate Committee on Human Services, Mental Health & Housing

House Committee on Early Learning & Human Services

House Committee on Appropriations

Background: The Parent to Parent program includes supporting both individuals with developmental disabilities and special health care needs. “Special health care needs" means disabilities or handicapping conditions, chronic illnesses or conditions, health related educational or behavioral problems, or the risk of developing such disabilities, conditions, illnesses or problems. The Parent to Parent Program connects parents of children with certain disabilities and special needs with other volunteer parents who also have children with similar disabilities or special needs. The volunteer parents provide peer and emotional support. The program also offers educational trainings and workshops for parents.

There are Parent to Parent programs in 31 counties including Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Douglas, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Whitman, and Yakima.

Parent to Parent USA is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote access and quality in parent to parent support for all families who have children or adolescents with a special health need, mental health issue, or disability. In Washington, many of the Parent to Parent programs are hosted by The Arc of Washington State.

Summary: Goals for the Parent to Parent Program for individuals are established and include:

• providing early outreach, support and education to parents of children with special needs;

• matching a trained volunteer support parent with a new parent who has a child with similar needs; and

• providing parents with tools and resources to be successful.

Activities of the Parent to Parent Program may include:

• outreach and support to newly identified parents of children with special needs;

• educational trainings for parents to support their children;

• ongoing peer support from a trained volunteer support parent; and

• regular communication with other local programs.

If funds are provided, the Parent to Parent Program will be funded through the Developmental Disability Administration and administered by a Washington State lead organization that has extensive experience supporting and training support parents for individuals with developmental disabilities. Each local program must be administered by a host organization through a contract with the lead organization. The lead organization shall provide ongoing training to the host organizations and statewide program oversight.

Votes on Final Passage: