WSR 15-20-015

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Filed September 24, 2015, 1:18 p.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: The department intends to make updates to rules in Title 388 WAC related to funding for respite beds.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 74.08.090.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The 2015-2017 biennium budgets provided funding to develop eight community respite beds for adults with developmental disabilities for the provision of short-term community-based planned respite services across the state as an alternative to using respite services in an institutional setting. Additionally, the budget funded eight enhanced respite beds across the state for children for the purpose of providing family and caregivers a break and an opportunity for behavioral stabilization for children providing the opportunity for children to remain in his or her family home. These provisions may be found on pages 63 and 64 of ESSB 6052.S.L.

Process for Developing New Rule: DSHS welcomes the public to take part in developing the rules. Anyone interested should contact the staff person identified below. At a later date, DSHS will file a proposal with the office of the code reviser with a notice of proposed rule making. A copy of the proposal will be sent to everyone on the mailing list and to anyone who requests a copy.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Alan McMullen, Developmental Disabilities Administration, P.O. Box 45310, Olympia, WA 98504-5310, phone (360) 725-3524, fax (360) 407-0955, TTY 1-800-833-6388, e-mail alan.mcmullen@dshs.wa.gov.

September 23, 2015

Katherine I. Vasquez

Rules Coordinator