Senate committee hears hours-long testimony on bill to allow parents to be paid caregivers for minor children with developmental disabilities

Senate Bill 5211 would direct the Developmental Disabilities Administration to seek Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services waiver amendments so parents may be paid for providing certain "extraordinary care" to minor children, committee staff told the Senate Human Services Committee. Allison Mendiola, committee staff, briefed the bill to the panel and outlined the proposed substitute and fiscal estimates.

The bill matters to families, advocates and clinicians because Washington currently bars payment to parents who provide personal care to minor children on DDA waivers; proponents say the restriction leaves promised hours unused amid a persistent workforce shortage. "This is not a bill to pay parents to be parents. This is a bill to employ us for the work we can't hire out because no one else is willing," said Kimmy Nova, a parent from East Wenatchee who testified in favor of the bill.

Under the substitute described in the staff briefing, DDA would, no later than Jan. 1, 2026 or as necessary based on waiver approval, submit waiver…