Partners for Our Children

HB2591 would reduce the number of former foster youth with developmental disabilities discharged into homelessness or inappropriately placed in hospitals. The bill intends to maximize the most cost-effective services for former foster youth with developmental disabilities. 

Caseload forecasting would be used to inform an expansion of developmental disability waiver slots to serve individuals exiting from a dependency or from extended foster care services. Funding for the waiver slots would be budgeted as a maintenance level cost.

The bill amends previous WAC to forecast the number of individuals under age twenty-one who are functionally and financially eligible for Medicaid waiver services. It calls for the department to convene a shared planning meeting that includes developmental disabilities administration staff when the youth are between ages 16 and 16 and 1/2 to plan services for the youth in advance of their transition to adulthood. Details about what is required during the shared planning meeting are provided.