Clark County staff flag state bill HB 1158 for potential changes to developmental disability services

County staff and the county’s developmental disabilities advisory board alerted councilors on Jan. 22 to House Bill 1158, a proposed change in state law that would alter how community inclusion services for people with developmental disabilities are administered in Washington.

Staff said HB 1158 would move contract and program oversight from the county level to a consolidated state model managed by the Washington Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and would change aspects of service delivery, including a shift from individualized services toward more group-based models. Staff and advisory-board members expressed concerns that the county has built local infrastructure over decades and that shifting administration to the state could disrupt continuity of services. There were also questions about whether the bill aligns with Medicaid rules.

Staff said no hearing had been scheduled as of the morning of Jan. 22 and that the advisory board planned a special meeting to discuss the bill. Councilors requested staff provide additional detail to councilors and suggested the subject be discussed further at the council’s legislative meeting on Monday.

Ending: Staff will distribute more detailed materials about HB 1158 to councilors ahead of the Monday legislative meeting and monitor the bill’s schedule for hearings or amendments.