HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1913

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                       Human Services

                       Appropriations

Title:  An act relating to supports for people with developmental disabilities.

Brief Description:  Providing supports for people with developmental disabilities.

Sponsors:  Representatives Locke, Morris, Leonard, Brough, Kremen, Jones, Karahalios, Flemming, Lemmon and J. Kohl.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Human Services, March 3, 1993, DP;

Appropriations, March 6, 1993, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 7 members:  Representatives Riley, Vice Chair; Talcott, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Brown; Karahalios; Patterson; Thibaudeau; and Wolfe.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 3 members:  Representatives Cooke, Ranking Minority Member; Lisk; and Padden.

Staff:  David Knutson (786-7146).

Background:  The Department of Social and Health Services provides services to people with developmental disabilities through institutional and community-based programs.  State employees provide all institutional services offered in the residential habilitation centers.  State employees also operate a statewide system of regional and local offices which provide community-based care for people with developmental disabilities.  Local offices determine eligibility for services and coordinate and plan residential family support services.  The state contracts with counties to provide early childhood development, employment and training and community integration services for people with developmental disabilities.

Summary of Bill:  State employees will continue to provide institutional services to people with developmental disabilities in residential habilitation centers.  Local support networks, made up of counties or groups of counties, are created to provide support to people with developmental disabilities in their areas.  All functions and services performed by state employees at the regional and local level will be transferred to the local support networks if a county or group notifies the secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services of their intent to establish a local support network.  Local support networks will hire state staff who are currently providing services to people with developmental disabilities.

Fiscal Note:  Requested February 13, 1993.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Transferring state employees and services to local service networks will provide the developmentally disabled and their parents with a greater ability to influence the delivery of services at the local level.

Testimony Against:  This legislation will not result in any additional services being provided to people with developmental disabilities.  It simply transfers state employees, responsibilities and services to local governments.

Witnesses:  (Pro): Stuart Torgerson, Snohomish County Human Services; Scott Johnson, Clark County Community Services; Nancy Meltzer, The Arc-King County; Mary Carole Riley, Life Skills Center; Margaret Lee Thompson, King County Parent Coalition; Carol Bosworth, King County Developmentally Disabled Board; Janet Adams, State Wide Coalition of County Developmentally Disabled Board; Sue Elliott, Department of Social and Health Services; and Mary Jo Wilcox, Washington Assembly for Citizens with Disabilities. (Con): Anne Eddy, Action for Residential Habilitation Centers; and Ruth Furman, South Sound Options Unlimited.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 25 members:  Representatives Locke, Chair; Valle, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Minority Member; Carlson, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appelwick; Ballasiotes; Basich; Cooke; Dellwo; Dorn; Dunshee; G. Fisher; Jacobsen; Lemmon; Linville; Peery; Rust; Sehlin; Sheahan; Sommers; Stevens; Talcott; Wang; Wineberry; and Wolfe.

Staff:  John Woolley (786-7154).

Summary of Recommendation of Committee on Appropriations Compared to Recommendation of Committee on Human Services:  No new changes were recommended.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The counties support the bill.  The provisions of the bill are included in the legislative priorities package of the Association of Washington Counties.  By having decisions made locally, inequities in the current developmental disabilities system can be addressed, and more people will receive services.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Jean Wessman, Association of Washington Counties (pro); and Margaret Lee Thompson (pro).