Advocacy NEWS
Problem: After 12 years of no rate review or adjustment, Employment and Community Inclusion providers are unable to sustain vital services with 66.7% acknowledging they are at maximum capacity. A rate increase has been recommended by DSHS, and without it, people with disabilities will lose their jobs and community supports.
Legislators passed two bills in 2022 (SB5790, HB1980) to expand service access through statewide School To Work and concurrent services. Without a rate adjustment providers will not be able to implement these goals. The primary challenge is that the rate cap has not been increased in 11 years, and agencies cannot maintain staff and sustain increased cost of doing business.
People with developmental disabilities and their families are seeing the negative impacts of insufficient staffing and are deeply concerned.
Request: Support the DSHS Developmental Disability Administration (DDA) findings in the legislative directed cost study. The study results indicate the need for: Provider rates updated to current market as requested in the DSHS decision package
Federal Match: with every dollar Washington state invests in supported employment & community
inclusion, there is a 50% federal match.
Jobs Transform Lives!
Washington ranks #1 in the country with employment outcomes for people with developmental disabilities. Let’s not lower our standards.
Services for individuals with disabilities produces:
• $67.6M in client job earnings in 2019
• Increased quality of life for clients
• Reduced reliance on public supports for clients
If I couldn’t access my technology or have a great career coach, I could not have found this position. -Alex M
For more information:
Advocacy Info: What You Need To Know
Trillium’s employment services are at no cost to businesses and individuals because legislators understand the value of people with disabilities working. Businesses and advocates have made the case for funding Supported Employment, but we need to keep sharing outcomes and success stories so everyone has this opportunity.
We count on you to share your supported employment experience.
Every February we visit our legislators in Olympia (virtually for the past couple of years) as part of Employment Advocacy Day and in the summers we tour legislators to businesses in their community who benefit from an integrated workforce.
Let us know if you want to share your story about how supported employment services have changed your life or business.
Below is a link for you to look up your legislators–they always like to hear from their constituents. Contact your Employment Consultant if you want to be a part of advocacy.
Look up your legislators (its easy, just enter your home or business address)