
WA considers paying parents for caring for disabled kids amid in-home shortages
(The Center Square) – Washington may soon join Illinois, California and other states in compensating the parents of developmentally disabled children under legislation considered by the Senate on Monday.
State lawmakers proposed something similar last year but failed to get it out of the Legislature. If approved, Senate Bill 5211 would allow parents to receive payments for providing what qualifies as “extraordinary care.” However, there is a stipulation attached.
The bipartisan proposal would require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to amend certain waivers to allow for the payments. While state revenue would fund most of the $35.3 million it could cost each biennium, roughly 33% would come from the federal government.
The Senate Human Services Committee convened on Tuesday to discuss SB 5211. Many parents testified with their developmentally disabled children about the opportunity, noting their children's status often limits their ability to provide financially.
“Every time [my daughter] catches a common cold, she’s medevaced across the state to an ICU for weeks at a time. This is my reality,” Kimie Nova testified. “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.”
According to SB 5211, Washington’s childcare shortage disproportionately affects families with disabled children. The state allocates personal care hours for the kids, but due to a lack of an in-home care workforce, 41% of that time goes unused, meaning parents pick up the slack.
According to the bill, long-term in-home care is cheaper than institutional care, ultimately saving taxpayers money. Other states have observed fewer hospitalizations after implementing similar programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nova said her daughter missed more than 5,000 hours of authorized personal care from the state due to the ongoing caregiver shortage. Other parents, including Spanish-speaking, testified about the unique challenges of choosing whether to care for their children or provide financially.
“Our family is reaching a crisis point,” Jessica Morrow testified, adding that caring for her young son now requires a full-time commitment from both parents. “We simply cannot continue to care for Jayden with no income.”
Morrow said her family was told the only other option was to institutionalize him out of state, likely in Kansas, which already employs parents as caregivers to some degree. Former arborist Melissa Carson said she also gave up her job due to her son’s condition.
Carson used to work for Bellevue, but once it became clear that her family needed an alternative to daycare, she gave up her dream job. Due to the financial constraints of the situation, she said they even had to move away from family and friends.
“These [Developmental Disabilities Administration] hours are a phantom. Supposedly, we have support, but it’s inaccessible,” Carson testified. “Perhaps paying parents for the work that we do will free up some of those limited caregivers so the rest of us can have a little help, too.”
The Senate Human Services Committee will hold an executive session over the proposal on Wednesday when it will decide whether to move the bill forward or take up amendments. At least 16 people testified in support of the bill, with none appearing in opposition on Monday.