Letter to legislators from 48 organizations: Close RHCs

/in /by Cathy

The Arc of Washington State is proud to stand alongside 48 members of the Community Advocacy Coalition for Developmental Disabilities and urge legislators to support the consolidation of state-run institutions for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, also known as Residential Habilitation Centers (RHCs).

Earlier this month, we sent this joint letter to legislators and urged them to pass SB 5393/HB 1472 and further consolidate state-run institutions, give residents the choice to transition safely into community settings as they are able, and create opportunities for investing in the community services that people with disabilities are asking for. As stated in the letter,

“It is critical that adequate services are provided in community settings. Those of us with the most complex needs can and are supported successfully in the community. All relevant research supports the fact that community settings result in improved quality of life in areas such as: integration, social participation, employment, choice-making and self-determination, quality and duration of services, contact with friends and relatives, and other indicators of quality of life.”

As community advocate and leader Shawn Latham said in his guest editorial in The News Tribune this week:

“For those of us at risk of being institutionalized, the closure of these facilities represents Washington’s ongoing commitment to moving away from segregated living and our willingness to invest in care that centers the humanity of people with disabilities.”

We urge the legislature to stand fast with their commitment.

Click here to open the PDF of the letter in a new tab.

CAC_consolidate IDD institutions_0407 2025

Disability Rights: From History to Action

/in , /by Sarah

Disability Rights: From History to Action

I love history—especially learning how movements begin, how ordinary people make extraordinary differences, and how the threads of their work are still woven into our lives today.

Recently, I watched several powerful documentaries about the civil rights movement for people with disabilities. One that stood out was “Change Not Charity,” the incredible story of how, 35 years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) came to be.

Watch the full documentary

Jennifer’s Climb

One of the most defining moments featured is the Capitol Crawl—when activists with disabilities, including 8-year-old Jennifer Keelan, left their wheelchairs and physically crawled up the 83 steps to the U.S. Capitol. That moment captured the urgency and power of the movement and helped push the ADA across the finish line.

Closer to home, I watched “Together We Were Stronger,”  a film that reminded me of Washington State’s own legacy in disability rights. A small group of passionate families and advocates here fought to make education a civil right for all children—regardless of ability. Their efforts helped lay the foundation for what would become the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), ensuring that every child has access to a free and appropriate public education.

What struck me most was this: change didn’t start with politicians. It started with people—individuals and families—telling their stories, organizing, and showing up to demand better.

If you have the time, I encourage you to watch these films. Be inspired by the advocates who came before us—and consider how we can continue their work today.

 Where Are We Now?

Despite decades of progress, many hard-won rights remain under threat—from proposed cuts to Medicaid and the Administration for Community Living, to efforts to dismantle the Department of Education, which protects the civil rights of students with disabilities under IDEA.

State Advocacy in Action

Here in Washington State, disability advocates are still fighting—and winning—important policy changes. During this legislative session, several impactful bills have passed thanks to community organizing and public testimony:

  • SB 5501 – Concerning Employer Requirements for Driving.
    Read the bill summary
    Removes the requirement to have a driver’s license for jobs that don’t involve driving—opening doors to employment for many qualified people who had previously been shut out.
  • SB 5680 – The Right to Repair Mobility Equipment
    Read the bill summary
    Gives individuals the right to repair their own wheelchairs or use independent repair shops, reducing dangerous wait times caused by backlogged dealers.

When the bill was at risk of stalling, dozens of wheelchair users showed up in person at the Executive Committee hearing—and it passed!

Amazing Advocates at the 5680 Executive Session!

Closing Institutions: A Civil Rights Issue

The Arc of Washington supports HB 1472, the bill to close Rainier and Yakima Valley Residential Habilitation Centers (RHCs).

Read the bill summary

This is about more than just policy or fiscal savings—it’s a civil rights issue.

The Arc believes that people with disabilities have the same rights as everyone else: to live, work, and participate fully in their communities. Institutional settings often restrict freedom, isolate people from society, and limit their choices. In contrast, community living empowers individuals with disabilities to make decisions about their lives, build relationships, and thrive.

Federal laws like the ADA and the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision affirm that unnecessary institutionalization is a form of discrimination. People deserve access to services in the most integrated, least restrictive setting appropriate.

This week, self-advocates Mike Raymond and Shawn Latham were featured in a thoroughly reported article about HB 1472 written by Laurel Demkovich at Cascade PBS. Arzu Forough of Washington Autism Alliance and our own Executive Director Stacy Dym were also interviewed.

Here’s a brief excerpt from the introduction:

“Mike Raymond doesn’t remember a lot about his time at Rainier School, a habilitation center for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

But he still thinks about moving heavy bricks all day, serving on a fire line, and being tied to his bed. Raymond, now 78, spent 14 years at the school. He moved out at age 20, when his sister invited him to live with her.

Since then, he’s gotten married, had a child and become a staunch advocate for closing the facility where he spent all those years.

“We’ve been fighting for a long time,” said Raymond. “Shut them down.”

Read the full article here:  WA lawmakers propose closing schools for people with disabilities.

Image from Cascade PBS

Be Part of the Movement

Individuals with disabilities have faced a long struggle to obtain civil rights. Whether it’s IDEA, Section 504, the ADA, or closing institutions, the movement has always been led by strong activists who spoke up, showed up, and made change happen. And that struggle continues today.

The truth is, these inspiring advocates weren’t superheroes—they were ordinary people who wanted to make a difference and took action. By taking small actions, we ALL can make a difference.

With that in mind, will you join us today as a free Member of the Arc? By signing up, you are joining the ranks of a powerful grassroots movement that is family-focused and person-centered.

You’re saying, “Count me in. I’m an advocate for disability rights.’

BECOME A MEMBER

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead

-Cathy Murahashi

Exciting possibilities to come from DSHS restructuring

/in /by Stacy Dym

The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) recently announced a series of changes to its organizational structure effective May 1st. Their statements are included in full at the bottom of this blog.

As advocates for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, we are excited for the possibilities that will emerge from the creation of a new state agency called The Home and Community Living Administration (HCLA), integrating home and community-based services within the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) and the Aging and Long-Term Support Administration (ALTSA).

While there is still much to learn and understand about this restructuring, Washington state must move toward a future that focuses on the design of care around each individual’s needs within their home and community. Changing government systems to encourage innovative thinking, better responsiveness, and less reliance on institutional care and state-run facilities is a first step.

We are hopeful that this integration will allow for a more holistic approach to long-term care and better-focused efforts on strengthening home and community-based services. We know that habilitation services are crucial for individuals with developmental disabilities to achieve their full potential and participate fully in society.

Additionally, we are optimistic that the creation of the Behavioral Health and Habilitation Administration (BHHA) – as a result of merging the Behavioral Health Administration with the Residential Habilitation Centers – will encourage the use of these facilities primarily for crisis response and stabilization in addition to specialized evaluation and intervention rather than long-term residential placements over decades of a person’s life.

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve our very best efforts to ensure they are fully included and supported in their lives in the community and free from isolation and institutional care. We stand ready to support our community of people with developmental disabilities, their families, and disability rights advocates during this hopeful transition. As stated in the announcement below, anyone with questions or input should reach out to DSHS directly at reimagine@dshs.wa.gov.

In community,

Stacy Dym

Executive Director
The Arc of Washington State

“While there is still much to learn and understand about this restructuring, Washington state must move toward a future that focuses on the design of care around each individual’s needs within their home and community. Changing government systems to encourage innovative thinking, better responsiveness, and less reliance on institutional care and state-run facilities is a first step.”

– Stacy Dym, Executive Director, The Arc of Washington State

From: DSHS RE Secretary Messages
Sent: Thursday, April 3, 2025 1:15 PM
Subject: Reimagining DSHS – Stakeholder Message

 

April 3, 2025

Dear DSHS Community Partners and Stakeholders:

I am writing to let you know about our efforts to Reimagine DSHS and best serve the people of Washington state: where we are and where we’d like to go. I would also like to invite you to help us get there. Our paramount goal remains improving access to services by identifying and removing barriers while adapting quickly to public policy shifts and ongoing fiscal uncertainty.

We have started to organize our agency in a way that makes it easier for clients and staff to get what they need, beginning with some shifts in the Office of the Secretary. Most of these are internal and will have little to no impact on our relationships.

Where we want to go

Our efforts to Reimagine DSHS must lead us to improved outcomes, make the best use of limited and rapidly changing resources, break down silos and promote self-direction and person-centered care. Now is the time to begin this work.

Beginning May 1, DSHS will create the Behavioral Health and Habilitation Administration for all DSHS clients who receive residential habilitation and behavioral health services in state-operated facilities where they reside 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This change merges the Behavioral Health Administration with the State Operated Living Alternatives and the Residential Habilitation Centers.

We also will create the Home and Community Living Administration that serves all clients who receive home and community-based services through the state’s contracted network of providers. This brings together the community side of the Developmental Disabilities Administration with the Aging and Long-Term Support Administration.

As part of the efforts to streamline business processes, smaller parts within DSHS, like the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, will draw upon infrastructure and resources that exist in larger organizations within the department, like the Economic Services Administration.

Within this new structure, we will continue to focus on the people we serve and maintain our commitment to partnering with them, their families and our community partners.

What happens next

As of May 1, you can expect a few things outside of what was outlined above: The basic organizational structure and leadership of some areas of DSHS may be different. Some leaders and managers may have different supervisors, and you may have different points of contact, depending on which parts of DSHS you work with. Everything else will stay largely the same.

Over the next year, we’ll begin more in-depth work to Reimagine DSHS and we will seek your input in a variety of ways. We are also going to engage with tribal governments and staff as well as the people we serve, all of whom will be central to this work because of their lived experiences.

Even though this effort is happening while our state and federal funding are at the top of all our minds, it is not a budget-cutting exercise. We are working to realign and restructure DSHS in a way that measurably improves people’s experiences with our department, and we are striving to be less bureaucratic, and more welcoming of all Washingtonians, as Gov. Ferguson has challenged us to be.

Thank you again for your continued partnership and collaboration. If you have questions and input, please send them to reimagine@dshs.wa.gov. I look forward to hearing from you and sharing more with you again soon.

Fondly,

Cheryl

CHERYL STRANGE / Acting Secretary

Office of the Secretary

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services

 

From: DSHS RE Secretary Messages
Sent: Friday, April 11, 2025

 

April 11, 2025

Dear DSHS Partner and Stakeholder:

As a follow up to the Reimagine DSHS update last week, I wanted let you know who will lead the two restructured administrations, effective May 1.

Kevin Bovenkamp, currently BHA assistant secretary, will lead the Behavioral Health and Habilitation Administration that will serve DSHS clients who receive care in our state operated services and 24/7 facilities. As I noted in my April 3 update, this administration now brings together BHA with the SOLAs and the RHCs.

Bea Rector, currently ALTSA assistant secretary, will head up the Home and Community Living Administration that will serve clients who receive home and community-based services through our network of providers. This administration merges the community side of DDA with ALTSA and includes Adult Protective and Residential Care Services.

Tonik Joseph, currently DDA assistant secretary, will be assuming the role of special assistant in the Home and Community Living Administration and report to Bea. Her work will focus on the continuity of programs, services and initiatives across the two new administrations.

I want to reinforce that the May 1, reorganization is the beginning of a larger effort to enable us to support clients with multiple service needs in a more dynamic way. At this point, we are setting the framework for the future of DSHS and the real work lies ahead with opportunities for stakeholder and client engagement to reduce bureaucracy, silos and put more emphasis on supporting clients. We look forward to engaging with you, obtaining your input and perspectives on how to improve access to services as this process unfolds. Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Fondly,

Cheryl

CHERYL STRANGE / Acting Secretary

Office of the Secretary

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services

 

Legislative Update: Wait! Just When We Thought We Were Coming to the End!

/in , /by Sarah

Legislative Update: Wait! Just When We Thought We Were Coming to the End!

On March 24th, both the House and Senate released their budgets, and we thought we were on the downhill slope of the legislative session. Then, on the afternoon of April 1st, Governor Ferguson held a press conference stating that he would not sign off on either the House or Senate budgets, citing concerns about sustainability and reliance on tax increases.

What Does This Mean?

Typically, by this stage in session, a small group of legislative leaders move behind closed doors to negotiate a final budget agreement to present to both chambers and the Governor. Now, the House and Senate must go back and adjust their budgets before moving on to the next step of negotiating with the opposite chamber to align with what the Governor will approve. If they don’t reach an agreement, the Governor may call a special session and extend the final deadline for legislators beyond April 27, the scheduled last day of this session.

For us, that means that now is not the time to ease up. Your advocacy is needed to ensure that services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are protected in the final budget! We need you to continue reaching out to your legislators about the importance of services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

Your Voice Has Been Heard—But We Must Keep Pushing!

Both the House and Senate initially protected critical services, including:

  • Maintaining eligibility for Developmental Disabilities (DD) services, ensuring continued access for those in need.
  • Preserving Personal Care hours, maintaining essential support for individuals requiring daily assistance.
  • Keeping Waiver services intact, avoiding reductions in crucial community-based supports.
  • Sustaining provider rates, preventing a decrease that could negatively impact the workforce vital to our community.

These services could now face renewed scrutiny, and we need your advocacy to safeguard them!  Tell your legislators to “Protect Essential Services”.

Small but Meaningful Investments

Despite significant budget constraints, the House and Senate acknowledged the importance of ensuring individuals with I/DD have meaningful activities. Both budgets include a “Day Habilitation” line item that provides:

  • A modest increase in rates for community respite, community engagement, and specialized habilitation (now called “Life Skills”).
  • A slight increase in monthly respite hours (by 1 or 2 hours), which, while small, is a step in the right direction.

If these services are important to you, now is the time to urge legislators to protect this funding in the final budget. If you don’t know who your legislators are, Then, give them a call and tell them which services matter most to you.

The Closure of Rainier RHC

Both the House and Senate budgets include the closure of Rainier Residential Habilitation Center (RHC). The House version also proposes closing Yakima Valley School, while keeping:

  • Overnight planned respite beds
  • Crisis stabilization beds

A big thank you to those who signed in to support SB 5393 and HB 1472! While this is a significant step forward, negotiations are still ongoing. The Arc has an info sheet as well as a resource sheet available for you to share with legislators to ensure informed decision-making.

Concerns Over Residential Services Funding

One area of concern is the lack of parity in Residential Services (Supported Living) funding. The House budget includes a 3% increase in Medicaid provider rates, while the Senate budget provides no increase at all. At a time when we need to strengthen community services, this is a serious oversight. We encourage you to reach out to your Senators and urge them to match the House’s funding level for Supported Living Medicaid provider rates

A Bright Spot: Housing Investments for the I/DD Community

We are excited to see $55 million in the Senate budget and $50 million in the House budget dedicated to developmental disabilities (DD) housing. These investments continue the momentum toward addressing the identified need for 37,000 housing units for individuals with I/DD.

It’s important to note that the Capital Budget is separate from the General Fund, meaning these housing investments are not subject to budget cuts.

The Final Push: Keep Advocating!

While we had hoped to be closer to the finish line, the Governor’s stance means we must keep up the advocacy momentum. Now is the time to make your concerns and support known to your legislators.

Stay informed by following our bill tracker and budget side by side.

At the Federal Level, Medicaid continues to be at risk.  Please continue to reach out to your Congressional Delegation and them “No Cuts to Medicaid”.

Watch our Action Alert Center for updates.

View our Medicaid Resource Page for tools you can use.

Thank you for your continued advocacy. Let’s keep pushing forward!

Save the Dates: 

Legislative Session Wrap Up Webinar

Wednesday, May 7th at 7:00 PM

Come hear how the session ended!

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ifkWptZ6RwKCCU93x1aXuA

 

Federal Advocacy Updates Webinar

Wednesday, May 21st at 7:00 PM

Learn what is happening at the Federal Level and how you can help!

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/K316ahZRRFaqBhqzV2BLEg

 

We hope you can join us!

– Cathy Murahashi