Official Text and Analysis.

Requires the Developmental Disability Administration (DDA) to give clients aged 21 and older the option to select employment services, community access services, or both at the outset, or at any point in the employment discovery process.

Makes the following changes to the underlying bill: (1) Requires that DSHS allow high acuity clients to transition to community access services after participating in employment services Code Rev/RB:amh 4 H-2510.2/17 2nd draft for 90 days beginning July 1, 2019, and subject to federal waiver approval. (2) Requires DSHS to allow clients to request an exception to the requirement that individuals engage in nine months of employment services before transitioning into a community access program. DSHS must provide clients with information about this exception in writing and respond to exception requests within 60 days with a written description of the reason why the request was granted or denied. (3) DSHS shall permit clients to enroll in a community access program without first engaging in nine months of employment services when: (a) Medical or behavioral health records document a condition or combination of conditions that prevent the individual from successfully participating, engaging, and completing nine consecutive months of supported employment services; (b) employment services were not received by the client within 90 days of being referred for those services; or (c) the DSHS otherwise determines that the client should be provided an exception. (4) DSHS shall permit clients assessed as high acuity to enroll in a community access program without first engaging in ninety days of employment services when: (a) Medical or behavioral health records document a condition or combination of conditions that prevent the individual from successfully participating, engaging, and completing ninety consecutive days of supported employment services; (b) employment services were not received by the client within 90 days of being referred for those services; or (c) the DSHS otherwise determines that the client should be provided an exception. (5) Requires DSHS to adopt accountability and outcome measures for supported employment services and provide a report to the Legislature and the Governor on these measures by December 1, 2017. (6) Requires that DSHS ensure counties entering into new contracts for supported employment services or renewing supported employment contracts include provisions in their contracts that incorporate the accountability and outcome measures adopted by DSHS and mechanisms for reporting data to support the accountability and outcome measures by July 1, 2019. (7) Requires that DSHS consult with OSPI to identify best practices within schools for offering transition services to individuals with developmental disabilities and post the results of this consultation on the DSHS web site, if appropriate.

Vote on reconsideration.

Senate refused to concur in House amendments.

House insists on its position, asks Senate to recede.