BILL REQ. #: H-4598.2
| State of Washington | 60th Legislature | 2008 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/22/08. Referred to Committee on Human Services.
AN ACT Relating to lifelong learning services for individuals diagnosed with severe to profound intellectual developmental disabilities; adding a new chapter to Title 71A RCW; and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature finds that a developmental
disability is a natural part of human experience and the presence of a
developmental disability in the life of a person does not diminish or
alter a person's rights or opportunity to participate fully in the life
of the community. The legislature recognizes that with the advancement
and widespread availability of medical, educational, and social
services, people with significant, multiple developmental disabilities
are living longer and that investing in them at every stage of life
helps maintain their skills and abilities and provides them the
opportunity to have a meaningful daily life. Providing continued
learning opportunities for individuals with severe and profound
intellectual developmental disabilities supports both the individual
and helps to maintain the well-being of the family.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 The purpose of this chapter is to:
(1) Create lifelong learning services administered by the
department of social and health services which include a balanced array
of social and supportive services that promote individual choice,
dignity, and the highest practicable level of independence. These
lifelong learning services shall be:
(a) Based on the specific needs of the person with a developmental
disability;
(b) State-administered; and
(c) Available throughout the state;
(2) Ensure that individual needs will be determined by uniform
comprehensive assessment;
(3) Ensure that services are provided in the most inclusive
situation consistent with individual needs;
(4) Ensure that lifelong learning service options be developed and
made available that enable individuals to continue to live in their
homes or other community residential support programs or in the care of
their families;
(5) Ensure that lifelong learning services are coordinated in a way
that minimizes administrative cost, eliminates unnecessarily complex
organization, minimizes program and service duplication, and maximizes
the use of financial resources in directly meeting the needs of
persons;
(6) Support higher educational institutions in Washington state to
assist in the provision of lifelong learning services; and
(7) Be responsive and appropriate to individual need and also cost-effective for the state.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 The services provided under this chapter are
not intended to replace employment supports or the pathway to
employment but are additional supports and training a person with a
developmental disability is assessed to need in order to live an
independent and meaningful life.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 Under the lifelong services program,
individuals, to the maximum extent possible, must be given a choice of
services and authority to exercise control over the resources available
to them. The department of social and health services, to the maximum
extent feasible, will seek a federal medicaid match for funds
appropriated for lifelong learning services.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 To be eligible for lifelong learning
services, individuals must be at least twenty-one years old and
diagnosed with a severe to profound intellectual developmental
disability. Authorized services will be based on the individual's
assessed need. The services may be provided alone or with employment
or other day service options.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 Based on the funds appropriated by the
legislature, the following services may be provided under the lifelong
services program:
(1) Independent living skills training;
(2) Community participation;
(3) Social skills training;
(4) Self-advocacy training;
(5) Recreation;
(6) Continuing education classes;
(7) Personal assistance; and
(8) Transportation.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7 The sum of three million dollars, or as much
thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending
June 30, 2009, from the general fund to the department of social and
health services for the purposes of creating the lifelong services
described in this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8 Sections 1 through 6 of this act constitute
a new chapter in Title