Please give us 5 minutes of your time on Friday Jan. 20th!!!

After months of tireless effort and dedication, the Enhanced Behavior Support Homes bill (SB 5506) is filed with the Washington State Legislature. This bill is the culmination of continued hard work from an array of stakeholders, from Washington State legislators to dedicated individuals in the community such as yourselves.

Background: The legislature finds that there is a growing crisis for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities reaching adulthood that cannot access safe and appropriate community living options. The current supported living housing model often fails those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who have significant behavioral challenges by refusing to take them as clients, leading to housing insatiability. These vulnerable individuals then often bounce between their family home, if they have one; temporary respite placements; hospital boarding; jail; or homelessness at great expense to our state, medical, and mental health systems.

By this act, the legislature intends to establish an enhanced behavior support homes model in Washington state for purposes of providing intensive behavioral services and support to adults and children with IDD who require enhanced services and support due to challenging behaviors that cannot be safely and holistically managed in an exclusively community setting, and who are at risk of institutionalization or out-of-state placement, or are transitioning to the community from an intermediate care facility, hospital, or other state-operated residential facility.

Here's what you can do on Friday Jan. 20th: write your Senator. If you don't know who they are you can look them up here. Email addresses are provided below. If you're looking for ideas of what to write, consider:

Email Subject: Enhanced Behavior Support Home, SB 5506

Dear Senator_________________,

“Hello, my name is (____________). I’m your constituent and a (parent/grandparent/sibling/friend) of a person with autism. Creating Enhanced Behavior Support Homes (EBSH) in Washington State is very important to me and my family. Please watch this brief (4 minute) video by a similarly situated family member who speaks to the overwhelming need for this legislation. 

You already voted to pass a similar bill for those with aging and mental disorders. I have included a link to our one-page legislative summary for your information. Would you please consider supporting this effort by signing on as a co-sponsor? I am eagerly looking forward to hearing back from you.

Thank you very much for your consideration.

Your name

Your address (this is how they verify that you are a constituent)

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