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Advocacy & Legal Services

Find an advocate to help you successfully navigate the ASD maze

WAA provides a range of advocacy services to help adults, youth, and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities throughout the State of Washington gain access to health and educational services and supports that they need.

These services include:

  • Family Navigation, multi system navigation and
  • Legal advocacy on issues related to access to healthcare and education.
WAAA team of advocates group picture

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Family Navigation?

The purpose of a family navigator program is to decrease fragmentation of care, coordinate services, and guide individuals and families seeking services through the healthcare, education, and developmental disabilities (DDA) systems. The family navigator is an integral part of the program. Navigators bridge the gaps in families’ access to care. Specifically, family navigators:
  • • connect individuals with resources and support systems;
  • • provide coaching on effective communication with agency staff and providers;
  • • help individuals and families identify and access funding sources to pay for their developmental disability needs;
  • • help individuals and families prepare for upcoming appointments;
  • • help decrease individuals' and families' fear and anxiety;
  • • help individuals and families identify and utilize appropriate social services;
  • • track outcomes.
The primary responsibilities of the family navigator are to assist individuals and their families navigate through the above multiple systems.
Family Navigation will be provided to DDA eligible individuals and their families as well as families who are new to Washington, even if their PWD is not yet DDA eligible.

What is WAA's Health Law Advocacy?

WAA’s Health Law Program provides individual and systemic reform legal advocacy to help individuals with ASD and other developmental disabilities and their families gain access to medically necessary healthcare, treatment, and services. 

These legal services include representation in public and private insurance administrative and court appeals of denials, terminations or reductions of medically necessary services and treatment; and other access.

What is WAA's Education Legal Advocacy?

Along with our Free Legal Clinic , 1:1 coaching by an attorney or Senior Legal Assistant, conflict resolution and referrals for legal representation in education disputes, Blueprints to Special Education training workshops to help families navigate the IEP system, WAA’s Special Education Law library offers  tools to help families advocate for the Special Education accommodations their child needs. In addition, we help identify services and supports, working with care providers and other agencies to ensure children have access to the educational support they need, regardless of economic, language, or cultural barriers.

WAA's Sliding Scales Fees?

WAA aims to ensure that legal services, family navigation and multi-system navigation are financially accessible to all families with its sliding scale fee program. Individuals and families for whom WAA agrees to provide legal representation, will work with the team to determine sliding scale fees from free to full pay, ranging from free to full pay.

Contact our team of experts to learn more.

How is my FPL Calculated?

Your FPL percentage is determined based upon the federal government’s currently established federal poverty line as well as your income and household size. It is calculated by dividing your income by the federal poverty guideline for your household size. 

When you contact WAA, our intake staff will ask you for your income and the number of people in your household (including you) to calculate your FPL percentage. WAA’s intake staff explain whether you qualify for free services or WAA’s sliding scale fee program.

How does the sliding scale work?

The purpose of a family navigator program is to decrease fragmentation of care, coordinate services, and guide individuals and families seeking services through the healthcare, education, and developmental disabilities (DDA) systems. The family navigator is an integral part of the program. Navigators bridge the gaps in family’s access to care.

WAA will use the sliding scale modeled after the Washington State Bar Association Moderate Means Program. Outlined below is the percentage of WAA’s legal services fees for which you will be responsible should you wish to request, and WAA agrees to provide you with legal representation.

Attorneys:

  • Client income 201-249% of the FPL: reduce fee by 75%
  • Client income 250-349% of the FPL: reduce fee by 50%
  • Client income 350-400% of the FPL: reduce fee by 25%

Paralegal:

  • Client income 201-249% of the FPL: reduce fee by 50%
  • Client income 250-400% of the FPL: reduce fee by 25%

Family Navigation:

  • Client income 201-249% of the FPL: reduce fee by 50%
  • Client income 250-400% of the FPL: reduce fee by 25%

Meet our Family Navigators

Leah Winter Family Navigator profile pic

Leah Winter

Family Services Navigator
Leah is from a small town in Ontario, Canada. She has been involved in direct support of individuals with autism and developmental disabilities since 2008.
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Leah completed her Undergraduate Degree in Psychology from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario in 2014 and continued her education with a post-graduate diploma in Behavioural Science in 2016. Leah has experience in Intensive Behavioural Intervention, group home settings, community support, family support and case management. Leah is currently working towards her Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology. Leah brings a caring and compassionate approach when supporting families to access the resources they need.
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Kristina Flamer

Intake Screener
Kristina is a dedicated and known advocate for promoting self-sufficiency through therapeutic care and employment.
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She has over 10 years of experience as a talented and skilled Employment Specialist for individuals with developmental and mental disorders. She has provided benefits planning, case management, job development, vocational assessments, along with intake for the development of treatment plans for individuals of diverse populations.

Rebecca Stapleford

Investments and Partnerships Assistant 
Rebecca has a Master's in Nonprofit Management from the University of Georgia. She has a passion for autism advocacy and disability empowerment.
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Currently she helps manage WAA's external communications, as well as providing administrative support.

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