wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 2319 > Original Bill
The legislature finds that Washington maintains a system of residential habilitation centers providing residential habilitative support for primarily adult individuals with developmental disabilities. Services at these facilities include medical and dental treatment, training in daily living skills, nursing services, employment services, and myriad other therapies and supports. Three of the four residential habilitation centers that are currently in use, as well as one former facility, are officially referred to in statute as schools. This does not accurately reflect the primary function or purpose of these facilities.
Therefore, the legislature intends to officially rename these facilities residential habilitation centers. The legislature does not intend to change the purpose or operations of these facilities in any way by renaming them, nor does it intend for the renaming to have any direct or indirect effect on access to funding for these facilities; rather, it seeks to clarify that these are habilitative facilities, rather than educational institutions, and make the names of the residential habilitation centers consistent on a systemwide basis.
The following residential habilitation centers are renamed:
Fircrest school is renamed Fircrest residential habilitation center;
Rainier school is renamed Rainier residential habilitation center; and
Yakima Valley school is renamed Yakima Valley residential habilitation center.
Lakeland Village residential habilitation center will continue to be named Lakeland Village residential habilitation center.
References to the former Interlake school will be to Interlake residential habilitation center.
Any existing references to Fircrest school, Rainier school, or Yakima Valley school retain full force and effect as would a reference to the updated names as identified in subsection (1) of this section.
The department of social and health services shall update rules and make other changes necessary to reflect the current names of the facilities as identified in this section.
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
"Institutional education facility" means residential habilitation and child study and treatment centers operated by the department of social and health services, state long-term juvenile institutions operated by the department of children, youth, and families, state-operated community facilities, county juvenile detention centers, and facilities of the department of corrections that incarcerate juveniles committed as adults.
"Institutional education program" means the program of education that is provided to youth in institutional education facilities as a mandatory component of the program of basic education under RCW 28A.150.200.
"Institutional education provider" or "provider" means a school district, educational service district, or other entity providing education services to youth in an institutional education facility.
"Postresident youth" means a person who is under the age of 21 and a former resident of an institutional education facility. A postresident youth may be a public school student or a person who is eligible to be a public school student but who is not enrolled in a school or otherwise receiving basic education services.
"Residential school" means the following institutional education facilities: Green Hill school, Naselle Youth Camp, Echo Glen, Lakeland Village residential habilitation center, Rainier residential habilitation center, Yakima Valley residential habilitation center, Fircrest residential habilitation center, the Child Study and Treatment Center and Secondary School of western state hospital, and other schools, camps, and centers established by the department of social and health services or the department of children, youth, and families for the diagnosis, confinement, and rehabilitation of juveniles committed by the courts or for the care and treatment of persons who are exceptional in their needs by reason of mental or physical deficiency. "Residential school" does not include the state schools for the blind, the Washington state center for childhood deafness and hearing loss, or adult correctional institutions.
"School district" has the same meaning as in RCW 28A.315.025 and includes any educational service district that has entered into an agreement to provide a program of education for residents at an institutional education facility on behalf of the school district as a cooperative service program pursuant to RCW 28A.310.180.
"Youth" means a person who is under the age of 21 who is a resident of an institutional education facility. A youth may be a public school student or a person who is eligible to be a public school student but who is not enrolled in a school or otherwise receiving basic education services.
Washington State University shall establish and operate a dairy/forage and agricultural research facility at the Rainier residential habilitation center farm.
Local funds generated through operation of this facility shall be managed in a revolving fund, established herewith, by the university. This fund shall consist of all moneys received in connection with the operation of the facility and any moneys appropriated to the fund by law. Disbursements from the revolving fund shall be on authorization of the president of the university or the president's designee. In order to maintain an effective expenditure and revenue control, this fund, to be known as the dairy/forage facility revolving fund, shall be subject in all respects to chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required to permit expenditures and payment of obligations from the fund.
In the event state funding is not sufficient to operate the dairy cattle herd, the university is authorized to lease the herd, together with the land necessary to maintain the same, for such period and upon such terms as the university board of regents shall deem proper.
By November 1, 2028, and in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, the office of the developmental disabilities ombuds shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature that includes summaries of resident, parent, and guardian feedback regarding transition of residents out of the Rainier residential habilitation center following July 27, 2025.
This section expires July 1, 2029.
Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the following residential habilitation centers are permanently established to provide services to persons with developmental disabilities: Lakeland Village residential habilitation center, located at Medical Lake, Spokane county; Rainier residential habilitation center, located at Buckley, Pierce county; Yakima Valley residential habilitation center, located at Selah, Yakima county; and Fircrest residential habilitation center, located at Seattle, King county.
The Yakima Valley residential habilitation center, located at Selah, Yakima county, shall cease to operate as a residential habilitation center when the conditions in RCW 71A.20.180(1)(a) are met.
The Rainier residential habilitation center, located at Buckley, Pierce county shall cease to operate as a residential habilitation center when the conditions in RCW 71A.20.191(5) are met.
The secretary may use surplus physical facilities at eastern state hospital as a residential habilitation center, which shall be known as the "Interlake residential habilitation center."
The secretary may designate and select such buildings and facilities and tracts of land at eastern state hospital that are surplus to the needs of the department for persons with developmental disabilities and that are reasonably necessary and adequate for services for persons with developmental disabilities. The secretary shall also designate those buildings, equipment, and facilities which are to be used jointly and mutually by both eastern state hospital and Interlake residential habilitation center.
The developmental disabilities community services account is created in the state treasury.
The following revenues must be deposited in the account:
All net proceeds from leases or sales of real property, conservation easements, and sales of timber, from the state properties at the Fircrest residential habilitation center, the Lakeland Village residential habilitation center, the Rainier residential habilitation center, and the Yakima Valley residential habilitation center. However, real property that is determined by the department of social and health services to be required for the operations of the residential habilitation centers is excluded from the real property that may be leased or sold for the benefit of the account. In addition, real property owned by the charitable, educational, penal, and reformatory institutions trust, and revenue therefrom, is excluded; and
Any other moneys appropriated or transferred to the account by the legislature.
Any sale, lease, or easement under this section must be at fair market value.
Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account shall be used exclusively for:
Supports and services in a community setting to benefit eligible persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities; or
Investment expenses of the state investment board.
The department of social and health services must solicit recommendations from the Washington state developmental disabilities council regarding expenditure of moneys from the Dan Thompson memorial developmental disabilities community services account for supports and services in a community setting to benefit eligible persons with developmental disabilities.
Expenditures from the account must supplement, and may not replace, supplant, or reduce current state expenditure levels for supports and services in the community setting for eligible persons with developmental disabilities.
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The state investment board must invest moneys in the account. The state investment board has the full power to invest, reinvest, manage, contract, sell, or exchange investment money in the account. All investment and operating costs associated with the investment of money shall be paid under RCW 43.33A.160 and 43.84.160.
All investments made by the state investment board shall be made with the degree of judgment and care required under RCW 43.33A.140 and the investment policy established by the state investment board.
The state investment board shall routinely consult and communicate with the department of social and health services and the legislature on the investment policy, earnings of the account, and related needs of the account.
The account shall be known as the Dan Thompson memorial developmental disabilities community services account.
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The Yakima Valley residential habilitation center shall continue to operate as a residential habilitation center until such time that the census of permanent residents has reached eight persons. Upon such time as the facility closes to full residential care, the facility must thereafter operate crisis stabilization beds and only so many respite service beds as the needs of the department-identified catchment area or as emergency placement needs require, subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose.
As of October 19, 2017, no new long-term admissions are permitted.
The department, within available funds:
Shall establish state-operated living alternatives, within funds specifically provided in the omnibus appropriations act, to provide community residential services to residential habilitation center residents transitioning to the community under chapter 30, Laws of 2011 1st sp. sess. who prefer a state-operated living alternative. The department shall offer residential habilitation center employees opportunities to work in state-operated living alternatives as they are established;
May use existing supported living program capacity in the community for former residential habilitation center residents who prefer and choose a supported living program;
Shall establish up to eight state-staffed crisis stabilization beds and up to eight state-staffed respite beds based upon funding provided in the omnibus appropriations act and the geographic areas with the greatest need for those services;
Shall establish regional or mobile specialty services evenly distributed throughout the state, such as dental care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and specialized nursing care, which can be made available to former residents of residential habilitation centers and, within available funds, other individuals with developmental disabilities residing in the community; and
Shall continue to provide respite services in residential habilitation centers and continue to develop respite care in the community.
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Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, as of July 27, 2025, no new long-term admissions are permitted at the Rainier residential habilitation center, located at Buckley, Pierce county.
Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, as of June 30, 2027, no admissions of any kind are permitted at the Rainier residential habilitation center, located at Buckley, Pierce county.
Until the conditions in subsection (5) of this section are met, a former long-term resident of the Rainier residential habilitation center who moves to a community-based setting after July 27, 2025, shall be offered the right to return to the Rainier residential habilitation center once during the first year following their move to the community and this shall not be considered a new admission for purposes of subsection (1) of this section. If a former resident of the Rainier residential habilitation center exercises the right to return established in this subsection (2), any additional request to return to the Rainier residential habilitation center after a second move to the community shall be reviewed by the department and must be approved by the secretary, based on the recommendation from a multidisciplinary care team. In addition to the right to return established in this subsection (2), any former resident of the Rainier residential habilitation center maintains the right to return to a residential habilitation center established in RCW 71A.18.040 and the right to residential habilitation center services when determined eligible.
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The department shall:
Provide state-operated living alternatives to residential habilitation center residents transitioning to the community from the Rainier residential habilitation center who prefer a state-operated community residential service;
Use supported living program and adult family home capacity in the community for residents of the Rainier residential habilitation center who prefer and choose these settings;
Provide space at other residential habilitation centers to residents of the Rainier residential habilitation center who prefer a different residential habilitation center setting; and
Offer employees of the Rainier residential habilitation center opportunities to work in state-operated living alternatives and other state facilities and programs.
Sufficient funding shall be appropriated to the department to fulfill the requirements of this subsection (3).
When assisting individuals who are transitioning out of the Rainier residential habilitation center the department shall:
Offer each individual resident a meaningful choice of appropriate alternative placements;
Prioritize client choice, autonomy, individual preferences, medical and behavioral health care needs, and opportunities for community integration;
Develop individualized transition plans in collaboration with each resident and their family or legal guardian, caregivers, and support providers;
Coordinate closely with other state agencies, local entities, health care providers, and community stakeholders to ensure seamless transitions;
Provide or contract for all necessary assessments, planning, relocation expenses, housing modifications, staff training, crisis support, and related transition activities; and
Implement robust oversight and accountability measures related to the transitions, and regularly monitor transition outcomes, as well as individual well-being and satisfaction.
The Rainier residential habilitation center, located at Buckley, Pierce county shall continue to operate as a residential habilitation center until such time that the census of long-term residents has reached zero persons.
"Closure" for purposes of chapter 410, Laws of 2025 means prohibiting new admissions as described in subsection (1) of this section.
The department of social and health services shall, in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, submit a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature on December 1, 2025, June 1, 2026, December 1, 2026, June 1, 2027, June 1, 2028, and annually thereafter that provides the information described in subsection (2) of this section.
The report required under subsection (1) of this section must include the following:
A point in time description of the capacity for all residential settings for clients of the developmental disabilities administration within the department of social and health services;
The number of former residents who have transitioned out of the Rainier residential habilitation center after July 27, 2025, and the type of setting that the person transitioned to, including additional transitions from the initial placement;
The number of deaths of former residents who have transitioned out of the Rainier residential habilitation center after July 27, 2025, and into other residential settings supported by the developmental disabilities administration;
The geographic distribution of residential placements across all existing residential placements for clients of the developmental disabilities administration within the department of social and health services; and
Information regarding former Rainier residential habilitation center employees who have transitioned to other state employment, left the industry, or transitioned to private sector employment after July 27, 2025.
This section expires July 1, 2030.
The secretary of social and health services shall have full power to manage and govern the following public institutions: The western state hospital, the eastern state hospital, the northern state hospital, Lakeland Village residential habilitation center, the Rainier residential habilitation center, and such other institutions as authorized by law, subject only to the limitations contained in laws relating to the management of such institutions.
The secretary of corrections shall have full power to manage, govern, and name all state correctional facilities, subject only to the limitations contained in laws relating to the management of such institutions.
If any state correctional facility is fully or partially destroyed by natural causes or otherwise, the secretary of corrections may, with the approval of the governor, provide for the establishment and operation of additional residential correctional facilities to place those inmates displaced by such destruction. However, such additional facilities may not be established if there are existing residential correctional facilities to which all of the displaced inmates can be appropriately placed. The establishment and operation of any additional facility shall be on a temporary basis, and the facility may not be operated beyond July 1 of the year following the year in which it was partially or fully destroyed.
The secretary of the department of children, youth, and families shall have full power to manage and govern Echo Glen, the Green Hill school, and such other institutions as authorized by law, subject only to the limitations contained in laws relating to the management of such institutions.
The purposes of this section and RCW 72.05.020 through 72.05.210 are: To provide for every child with behavior problems, persons with disabilities, and hearing and visually impaired children, within the purview of this section and RCW 72.05.020 through 72.05.210, as now or hereafter amended, such care, guidance and instruction, control and treatment as will best serve the welfare of the child or person and society; to insure nonpolitical and qualified operation, supervision, management, and control of the Green Hill school, the Naselle Youth Camp, Echo Glen, Lakeland Village residential habilitation center, Rainier residential habilitation center, the Yakima Valley residential habilitation center, Fircrest residential habilitation center, the Child Study and Treatment Center and Secondary School of western state hospital, and like residential state schools, camps, and centers hereafter established; and to provide for the persons committed or admitted to those schools and centers that type of care, instruction, and treatment most likely to accomplish their rehabilitation and restoration to normal citizenship.
To further such purposes, Green Hill School, Echo Glen, Naselle Youth Camp, and such other juvenile rehabilitation facilities, as may hereafter be established, are placed under the department of children, youth, and families; Lakeland Village residential habilitation center, Rainier residential habilitation center, the Yakima Valley residential habilitation center, Fircrest residential habilitation center, the Child Study and Treatment Center and Secondary School of western state hospital, and like residential state schools, camps, and centers, hereafter established, are placed under the department of social and health services.
If any part of this act is found to be in conflict with federal requirements that are a prescribed condition to the allocation of federal funds to the state, the conflicting part of this act is inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict and with respect to the agencies directly affected, and this finding does not affect the operation of the remainder of this act in its application to the agencies concerned. Rules adopted under this act must meet federal requirements that are a necessary condition to the receipt of federal funds by the state.