FINAL BILL REPORT

HB 2394

C 92 L 16

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Creating the parent to parent program for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Sponsors: Representatives Walsh, Senn, Kagi, Moscoso, Kilduff, Kochmar, Dent, Holy, Sawyer, Jinkins, Tharinger, Magendanz, Fey, Tarleton, Zeiger, Sells, McBride, Bergquist, Pollet, Santos, S. Hunt and Goodman.

House Committee on Early Learning & Human Services

House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Human Services, Mental Health & Housing

Background:

The Parent to Parent Program.

The Parent to Parent Program connects parents of children with certain disabilities and special needs with other volunteer parents who also have children with similar disabilities or special needs. The volunteer parents provide peer and emotional support. The program also offers educational trainings and workshops for parents.

There are Parent to Parent programs in 31 counties including 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.

Parent to Parent USA is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote access and quality in parent to parent support for all families who have children or adolescents with a special health need, mental health issue, or disability. In Washington, many of the Parent to Parent programs are hosted by The Arc of Washington State.

Summary:

Goals for the Parent to Parent Program for individuals are established and include:

• providing early outreach, support and education to parents of children with special health care needs;

• matching a trained volunteer support parent with a new parent who has a child with similar health care needs; and

• providing parents with tools and resources to be successful.

Activities of the Parent to Parent Program may include:

• outreach and support to newly identified parents of children with special needs;

• educational trainings for parents to support their children;

• ongoing peer support from a trained volunteer support parent; and

• regular communication with other local programs.

If funds are provided, the Parent to Parent Program must be funded through the Developmental Disability Administration to a Washington State lead organization that has extensive experience supporting and training support parents. Through a contract with the lead organization, each local program must be administered by a host organization. The lead organization must provide ongoing training to the host organizations and statewide program oversight.

Special health care needs are defined to include disabilities, chronic illnesses, health-related educational or behavioral problems, or the risk of those disabilities, illnesses, or problems.

Votes on Final Passage: