SENATE BILL REPORT
SHB 1980
As of February 17, 2022
Title: An act relating to removing the prohibition on providing employment services and community access services concurrently.
Brief Description: Removing the prohibition on providing employment services and community access services concurrently.
Sponsors: House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Taylor, Caldier, Davis, Frame, Leavitt, Lekanoff, Ryu, Santos, Simmons, Ramel, Robertson, Bronoske, Paul, Peterson, Fitzgibbon, Goodman, Wicks, Johnson, J., Valdez, Bateman, Macri and Chopp).
Brief History: Passed House: 2/14/22, 97-0.
Committee Activity: Human Services, Reentry & Rehabilitation: 2/17/22.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Allows Developmental Disabilities Administration clients to participate in employment and community access services concurrently.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, REENTRY & REHABILITATION
Staff: LeighBeth Merrick (786-7445)
Background:

Developmental Disabilities Administration. The Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) is a subdivision of the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and administers a broad range of programs that provide habilitative services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in Washington State.  Habilitative services provide individual's with the necessary life skills to raise the individual's level of physical, mental, social, and vocational functioning.  They include education, training for employment, and therapy.  DDA provides habilitative services through the Residential Habilitative Centers (RHCs) or through the community in residential services or employment and day programs.

 

Employment and day programs include individual supported employment, group supported employment and community access services.  Individual supported employment assists clients with finding jobs in integrated community work places that pay at least minimum wage.  Group supported employment is where no more than eight DDA clients work in a supervised integrated setting.  Community access is a non-work service intended to support clients in making connections to people and activities in the community.  DDA clients are prohibited from participating in employment and community access services concurrently and must participate in employment services for nine months before they are allowed to access Community Access services.

 

Community Access is also known as Community Inclusion.
Summary of Bill:

The prohibition on DDA clients participating in Employment services and Community Access services concurrently is removed.
Appropriation: The bill contains a null and void clause requiring specific funding be provided in an omnibus appropriation act.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

PRO:  This is an important bill for the developmental disabilities (DD) community.  The prohibition on client's participating in services concurrently was put into place during the 2008 recession as a way to cut costs.  It is critical that funding be restored.  The DD community has not recovered from this and are still behind.  This bill gives everyone the opportunity to live full and meaningful lives so that they can not only have jobs but can participate in their community.  Employment doesn't provide all of the support individuals need to thrive.  Individuals with IDD want to have fun and spend time with friends in their community.  Over the years, community access services have dwindled, leading many individuals with IDD isolated.  It is important DDA clients have access to the community to support their needs when they are not working.  Most DDA clients live at home with their family which means family members are responsible for providing these community integration services.  To do this, many families are faced with having to stop working or hire expensive in-home care.  Some families choose to have their loved one live in supported living which is much more costly for the state but allows the individual with IDD to receive all of the support they need.  Individuals with IDD need an array of services and allowing them to access community services while having a job can support social skill and other job development skills.
Persons Testifying: PRO: Representative Jamila Taylor, Prime Sponsor; Linda Hyatt; Kelley Nesbitt; Elizabeth Gordon, Governor's Committee on Disability Issues and Employment; Jo Simms.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: No one.