FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5768

                          C 287 L 97

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Creating supported employment programs.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by Senators Horn, Thibaudeau, Winsley, Anderson, Oke, McDonald, Wood, Fairley, Wojahn and Heavey).

Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor

House Committee on Government Administration

Background:  A joint report by the Department of Personnel and the Department of Social and Health Services indicates there are limited employment opportunities for persons with developmental disabilities.  Supported employment is designed for persons with disabilities who need individualized and sometimes long-term supports, such as job coaches and restructuring of work, to maintain employment.  Historically, the private sector has provided more opportunities for supported employment than the public sector.

  Some have expressed concern about the lack of a state-supported employment program.

Summary:  The Department of Social and Health Services, Department of Personnel, and the Office of Financial Management must work together to identify appropriate state agencies that have positions and funding conducive to implementing supported employment positions.  Agencies may only participate in the program if they can do so within their existing budgets.  Agencies= annual updates must include recommendations for expanding the program to persons with mental or other disabilities.  The participating state agencies must designate a supported employment coordinator, and submit an annual update to the Department of Social and Health Services, Department of Personnel, and the Office of Financial Management of the supported employment program.  The three coordinating departments must consult with supported employment provider associations and other interested parties.  The Department of Personnel must make available, upon request of the Legislature, an annual report that evaluates the overall progress of state-supported employment programs.

The creation of supported employment positions do not count against an agency's full-time equivalent employee positions.

AState agency@ and Adevelopmental disability@ are defined.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 49 0

House     98 0 (House amended)

Senate    45 0 (Senate concurred)

Effective:  July 27, 1997