SSB 6387 -
By Committee on Early Learning & Human Services
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 (1) In conjunction with recent findings
from the Washington state auditor's office, the legislature finds that
there are thousands of state citizens who have been determined eligible
for services through the department of social and health services'
developmental disability administration. For those who have asked for
help but are waiting for services, families may experience financial or
emotional hardships. The legislature intends to clarify and make
transparent the process for accessing publicly funded services for
individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. The
legislature intends to significantly reduce the number of eligible
individuals who are waiting for services by funding additional slots
and by implementing new programs that better utilize federal funding
partnerships.
(2) In addition to the need to serve more individuals with
developmental disabilities, the legislature finds that there is an
increasing need for long-term care services. By 2030, nearly twenty
percent or one out of five people in our state will be age sixty-five
or older and our state is not prepared for the growing demand for long-term services and supports. Washington must plan for the future long-term services and support needs of its residents by utilizing
alternative long-term care financing options.
Sec. 2 RCW 71A.10.020 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 30 s 3 are each
amended to read as follows:
As used in this title, the following terms have the meanings
indicated unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Assessment" means an evaluation is provided by the department
to determine:
(a) If the individual meets functional and financial criteria for
medicaid services; and
(b) The individual's support needs for service determination.
(2) "Community residential support services," or "community support
services," and "in-home services" means one or more of the services
listed in RCW 71A.12.040.
(((2))) (3) "Crisis stabilization services" means services provided
to persons with developmental disabilities who are experiencing
behaviors that jeopardize the safety and stability of their current
living situation. Crisis stabilization services include:
(a) Temporary intensive services and supports, typically not to
exceed sixty days, to prevent psychiatric hospitalization,
institutional placement, or other out-of-home placement; and
(b) Services designed to stabilize the person and strengthen their
current living situation so the person may continue to safely reside in
the community during and beyond the crisis period.
(((3))) (4) "Department" means the department of social and health
services.
(((4))) (5) "Developmental disability" means a disability
attributable to intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy,
autism, or another neurological or other condition of an individual
found by the secretary to be closely related to an intellectual
disability or to require treatment similar to that required for
individuals with intellectual disabilities, which disability originates
before the individual attains age eighteen, which has continued or can
be expected to continue indefinitely, and which constitutes a
substantial limitation to the individual. By January 1, 1989, the
department shall promulgate rules which define neurological or other
conditions in a way that is not limited to intelligence quotient scores
as the sole determinant of these conditions, and notify the legislature
of this action.
(((5))) (6) "Eligible person" means a person who has been found by
the secretary under RCW 71A.16.040 to be eligible for services.
(((6))) (7) "Habilitative services" means those services provided
by program personnel to assist persons in acquiring and maintaining
life skills and to raise their levels of physical, mental, social, and
vocational functioning. Habilitative services include education,
training for employment, and therapy.
(((7))) (8) "Legal representative" means a parent of a person who
is under eighteen years of age, a person's legal guardian, a person's
limited guardian when the subject matter is within the scope of the
limited guardianship, a person's attorney-at-law, a person's
attorney-in-fact, or any other person who is authorized by law to act
for another person.
(((8))) (9) "Notice" or "notification" of an action of the
secretary means notice in compliance with RCW 71A.10.060.
(((9))) (10) "Residential habilitation center" means a state-operated facility for persons with developmental disabilities governed
by chapter 71A.20 RCW.
(((10))) (11) "Respite services" means relief for families and
other caregivers of people with disabilities, typically not to exceed
ninety days, to include both in-home and out-of-home respite care on an
hourly and daily basis, including twenty-four hour care for several
consecutive days. Respite care workers provide supervision,
companionship, and personal care services temporarily replacing those
provided by the primary caregiver of the person with disabilities.
Respite care may include other services needed by the client, including
medical care which must be provided by a licensed health care
practitioner.
(((11))) (12) "Secretary" means the secretary of social and health
services or the secretary's designee.
(((12))) (13) "Service" or "services" means services provided by
state or local government to carry out this title.
(((13))) (14) "State-operated living alternative" means programs
for community residential services which may include assistance with
activities of daily living, behavioral, habilitative, interpersonal,
protective, medical, nursing, and mobility supports to individuals who
have been assessed by the department as meeting state and federal
requirements for eligibility in home and community-based waiver
programs for individuals with developmental disabilities. State-operated living alternatives are operated and staffed with state
employees.
(((14))) (15) "Supported living" means community residential
services and housing which may include assistance with activities of
daily living, behavioral, habilitative, interpersonal, protective,
medical, nursing, and mobility supports provided to individuals with
disabilities who have been assessed by the department as meeting state
and federal requirements for eligibility in home and community-based
waiver programs for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Supported living services are provided under contracts with private
agencies or with individuals who are not state employees.
(((15))) (16) "Vacancy" means an opening at a residential
habilitation center, which when filled, would not require the center to
exceed its biennially budgeted capacity.
(17) "Service request list" means a list of eligible persons who
have received an assessment for service determination and their
assessment shows that they meet the eligibility requirements for the
requested service but were denied access due to funding limits.
Sec. 3 RCW 71A.16.050 and 1988 c 176 s 405 are each amended to
read as follows:
The determination made under this chapter is only as to whether a
person is eligible for services. After the secretary has determined
under this chapter that a person is eligible for services, the
individual may request an assessment for eligibility for medicaid
programs and specific services administered by the developmental
disabilities administration. The secretary shall make a determination
as to what services are appropriate for the person. The secretary shall
prioritize services to medicaid eligible clients. Services may be made
available to nonmedicaid eligible clients based on available funding.
Services available through the state medicaid plan must be provided to
those individuals who meet the eligibility criteria. The department
shall establish and maintain a service request list database for
individuals who are found to be eligible and have an assessed and unmet
need for programs and services offered under a home and community-based
services waiver, but the provision of a specific service would exceed
the biennially budgeted capacity.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 The department of social and health services
shall develop and implement a medicaid program to replace the
individual and family services program for medicaid-eligible clients
during the 2015-2017 biennium, as soon as May 1, 2015, and no later
than May 30, 2016. The new medicaid program must offer services that
closely resemble the services offered in fiscal year 2014 through the
individual and family services program. The department shall expand
the client caseload as soon as the new medicaid program is implemented.
By June 30, 2017, the department shall increase the number of clients
served in the new medicaid program by at least four thousand additional
individuals from the numbers served in the 2014 individual and family
support program. The department is authorized in fiscal year 2015 to
use general fund--state dollars previously provided for the individual
and family services program to cover the costs of increasing the number
of clients served in the new medicaid program. To the extent possible,
the department shall use general fund--state savings from section 6 of
this act to offset costs for the increased client caseloads in fiscal
years 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 The department of social and health services
shall expand the home and community-based services basic plus waiver
client caseload beginning June 30, 2015. By June 30, 2017, the
department of social and health services shall increase the number
served on the home and community-based services basic plus waiver
program by at least one thousand additional individuals from the
numbers served in fiscal year 2014. The department is authorized in
fiscal year 2015 to use general fund--state dollars previously provided
for the individual and family services program to cover the costs of
increasing the number of clients served in the basic plus waiver
program. To the extent possible, the department shall use general
fund--state savings from section 6 of this act to offset costs for the
increased client caseloads in fiscal years 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 (1) The department of social and health
services shall refinance medicaid personal care services under the
community first choice option. Beginning July 1, 2014, the department
shall seek stakeholder input on program and system design prior to the
submission of a proposal to the center for medicaid and medicare
services. The community first choice option shall be designed in such
a way to meet the federal minimum maintenance of effort requirements
and all service requirements as specified in federal rule.
(2) In the first full year of implementation, the per capita cost
of all services offered in the community first choice benefit design,
including required and optional services, shall not exceed a three
percent increase over the per capita cost of the services provided to
this population prior to the community first choice option refinance.
The three percent limit on new expenditures shall not apply to cost
increases that are not the result of implementing the community first
choice option, including but not limited to caseload growth, case mix
changes, inflation, vendor rate changes, expenditures necessary to meet
state and federal law requirements, and adjustments made pursuant to
collective bargaining, and adjustments made in the biennial budget.
(3) The community first choice option must be fully implemented
during the 2015-2017 biennium, as soon as July 1, 2015, and no later
than June 30, 2016. In fiscal year 2015, the department shall use
general fund--state savings from section 4 of this act to cover the
fiscal year 2015 general fund--state costs of this section. For the
2015-2017 biennium and the 2017-2019 biennium, the department shall use
general fund--state savings from the refinance in this section to
offset costs related to sections 4 and 5 of this act. Any remaining
general fund--state savings from section 4 of this act shall be
reserved for potential investments in home and community-based services
for individuals with developmental disabilities. Any remaining savings
from the refinance of medicaid personal care services under the
community first choice option shall be reserved for potential
investments in home and community-based services for individuals with
developmental disabilities or individuals with long-term care needs,
including investments recommended by the joint legislative executive
committee on aging and disability and other work groups, councils, or
committees convened by the department."
Correct the title.
EFFECT: The substitute makes the following changes to the
underlying bill:
Adds intent language describing the growing demand for long-term
care services.
Specifies that the new Medicaid program that replaces the
Individual and Family Services program must serve at least four
thousand additional clients.
Specifies that the home and community-based services basic plus
waiver caseload must increase by at least one thousand additional
clients.
Specifies that any remaining savings from the implementation of a
Medicaid program replacing the Individual and Family Services program
must be reserved for potential investment in home and community-based
services for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Specifies that any remaining savings from the refinance of Medicaid
personal care services through the Community First Choice Option shall
be reserved for potential investments in home and community-based
services for individuals with developmental disabilities or individuals
with long-term care needs.
Specifies that the three percent limit on new expenditures applies
only during the first full year of the Community First Choice Option
implementation and does not apply to cost increases that are not the
result of implementing the Community First Choice Option and does not
apply beyond the initial benefit design.
Changes the implementation date of the Community First Choice
Option from August 30, 2015, to as soon as July 1, 2015, and no later
than June 30, 2016.
Changes the implementation date of the Medicaid program replacing
the Individual and Family Services program from May 1, 2015, to as soon
as May 1, 2015, and no later than May 30, 2016.