From the Developmental Disabilities Administration:   Our Accessible and Affordable Housing team worked closely with the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Housing Trust Fund, legislators, housing developers and advocates to expand affordable housing opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The HTF is a competitive loan and grant program through the Washington Department of […]

Imagine a world where beauty is seen within instead of on the outside; where we focus on individual skills, personal strengths, and we praise unique qualities and abilities. As human beings, in every part of the world, we are different yet beautiful in a multitude of ways.   Fifteen percent of the world’s population live […]

Some parents with kids in crisis in Washington are making a heart wrenching decision. They’re sending their children to out-of-state therapeutic boarding schools. And taxpayers are picking up the tab. While these are outlier cases, they highlight ongoing gaps in in-state services — gaps that were laid bare during the COVID pandemic. Before the COVID […]

NWNews | By Austin Jenkins Published March 29, 2022 For more than five months, Matthew, a nonverbal teenager with autism, lived in a hospital room at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett. He spent Thanksgiving and Christmas there. He celebrated his 14th birthday there. He also gained over 60 pounds there, according to his mother, raising concerns […]

NWNews | By Austin Jenkins Published December 15, 2021 at 6:05 PM PST LISTEN • 4:44 at https://www.nwnewsnetwork.org/2021-12-15/hes-13-years-old-autistic-and-stuck-in-the-hospital-for-the-holidays-hes-not-the-only-one It’s a growing problem in Washington: kids with developmental disabilities and complex behaviors who are stuck in the hospital with no reason for being there. Usually, they end up in the hospital after a crisis or an incident. But […]

A Message From Debbie Roberts, Assistant Secretary Developmental Disabilities Administration October 18, 2021   Greetings All, I am pleased to announce that Governor Inslee has named Jilma Meneses as the secretary of DSHS, effective January 3, 2022. Jilma has served nearly 30 years in public service, most recently as the chief executive officer for Catholic […]

How Individual Providers (IP) are employed and paid is changing. Consumer Direct Care Network Washington (CDWA) was selected by DSHS to be the Consumer Directed Employer (CDE). CDWA will be the new employer of IPs. All IPs must changeover to CDWA in 2021 and 2022 if they wish to continue being an IP. To learn […]

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington state’s economy is projected to have nearly $1 billion more than previously assumed through mid-2023. Updated numbers by the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council released Friday show that projected revenue collections for the 2021-2023 budget cycle are $927 million above what had been originally forecasted in June. And projections for […]

The Rehabilitation Services Administration recently released a summary of the utilization of vocational rehabilitation dollars in the Fiscal Year 2021: $299 Million was returned from states $122 Million was reallocated $178 Million to go into the Disability Innovation Fund* We know this past year has been challenging, and many states were unable to draw down their […]

The Community Employment Alliance (CEA) would like to invite you to Celebrate the 76th Celebration of National Disabilities Awareness Month. Please help us amplify the message  by joining us for two thoughtful panels. Save the Date!   10/5/2021- Self Advocate Panel/Proclamation (2:00 pm-3:00) This panel will share their stories on employment and the need for […]