WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Adjusted Training Requirements Help Families with Developmental Disability Needs

OLYMPIA—For families with developmental disability needs, they’re often on-call 24 hours a day. Respite care provides breaks family members need to recuperate, run errands, go to the doctor, or any of the other daily activities others take for granted. While respite care is an option for those families, the training requirements to get a neighbor, family member, or friend qualified is often an impediment. Under legislation (HB 1322) sponsored by Rep. Christine Kilduff (D—University Place), training requirements will be reduced for these occasional respite care providers.

“When a family needs respite care providers, the months-long wait to get training delays critically needed care,” said Kilduff. “A shorter, client-specific training will help family members and friends get the necessary training they need to be qualified to help out. Families will get a little breathing room and persons with developmental disabilities will get the care they need.”

In order to qualify for the lower training hours, the respite care provider would be limited to less than 300 hours of work and would take a 14 hour training course.

HB 1322 passed the House unanimously 98-0 and will be sent to the State Senate for consideration.

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