The 1997 Federal Balanced Budget Act enabled Washington State to collect federal Medicaid match on the cost of employment services which were previously funded entirely with state dollars. During the 1997-99 Biennium, the department identified and placed 209 developmentally disabled persons with histories of physically or sexually abusive behaviors or arson into secure residential settings. These settings are staffed and managed to provide 24-hour supervision for these persons. Funding is provided to operate secure residential settings for these 48 individuals.
Services are to be phased in during the first year after graduation.
This has had the unintended effect of creating higher average payment rates for adult family homes serving the aged than for those serving persons with developmental disabilities. This makes placements for persons with developmental disabilities more difficult to achieve. This funding level will allow the agency to increase rates in the 1999-01 Biennium to a level much closer to those provided for homes serving the aged. This step also covers the costs for another 14 persons from the state hospitals who were placed in community settings in Fiscal Year 1999.