AN ACT Relating to creating the parent to parent program for individuals with developmental disabilities; adding new sections to chapter 71A.14 RCW; and creating new sections.

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

The parent to parent program currently exists in thirty-one counties: 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. It is the legislature's goal to continue, support, and enhance the programs in these counties and expand these programs statewide by 2021.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 71A.14 RCW to read as follows:

The goals of the parent to parent program are to:

(1) Provide early outreach, support, and education to parents who have a child with special health care needs;

(2) Match a trained volunteer support parent with a new parent who has a child with similar needs to the child of the support parent; and

(3) Provide parents with tools and resources to be successful as they learn to understand the support and advocacy needs of their children.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 71A.14 RCW to read as follows:

Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for this specific purpose, activities of the parent to parent program may include:

(1) Outreach and support to newly identified parents of children with special health care needs;

(2) Trainings that educate parents in ways to support their child and navigate the complex health, educational, and social systems;

(3) Ongoing peer support from a trained volunteer support parent; and

(4) Regular communication with other local programs to ensure consistent practices.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 71A.14 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for this specific purpose, the parent to parent program must be funded through the department and centrally administered through a pass-through to a Washington state lead organization that has extensive experience supporting and training support parents.

(2) Through the contract with the lead organization, each local program must be locally administered by an organization that shall serve as the host organization.

(3) Parents shall serve as advisors to the host organizations.

(4) A parent or grandparent of a child with developmental disabilities or special health care needs shall provide program coordination and local program information.

(5) The lead organization shall provide ongoing training to the host organizations and statewide program oversight and maintain statewide program information.

(6) For the purpose of this act, "special health care needs" means disabilities, chronic illnesses or conditions, health related educational or behavioral problems, or the risk of developing such disabilities, conditions, illnesses or problems.

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