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WPAS Updates:
News from the Washington Protection and Advocacy System
WPAS Preparing for Thorny Legislative Session
by Phil Jordan
December 17, 2002
WPAS is busily preparing for the 2003 Legislative Session (which promises to be a difficult one). There are several issues that we hope will capture the fancy of lawmakers. Unfortunately, any bill that has a price tag is going to have a really tough time getting enough support to pass. Still, here is a list of issues that we will be working on this year.
Mental Health Parity - PRO - If this sounds familiar, then you have been paying attention for the past few years. The basic idea is this - mental health services should be covered by insurance the same way that other health care services are covered. Currently, almost all insurance plans restrict access to mental health services by limiting the number of times you can see your mental health provider or through various methods of charging you more money to get those services (co-pays, deductibles, etc.).
WPAS is a founding member of the Washington Coalition for Insurance Parity, a group that once again this year will introduce a Mental Health Parity bill. One of the things that has stopped Parity bills in past years is the fact that it will cost the state money to implement Parity (this is because the state purchases insurance plans for public employees and for low and moderate income residents of the state). This year's bill seeks to minimize the state's costs during the current biennium, and will "phase-in" Parity over the next six years.
Mental Health Ombuds - PRO - WPAS has been working for several years to pass a bill that calls for the state to contract with a private, non-profit agency to institute an independent ombuds program for consumers of mental health services. Currently, mental health ombuds are employed by or contracted to the Regional Support Networks. There are minimal standards and no statewide coordination of the program. A successful bill would establish an office that would ensure the ombuds are independent and effective.
Sunshine: Allow the public to comment on Medicaid Waivers - PRO - The state is seeking to reduce their costs for providing Medicaid services (see Public Shut Out of Public Policy in the Envoy On-Line Archives). This bill would require that the public has the opportunity to comment before changes were made through Medicaid waivers.
State Use and Job Programs for People with Disabilities - UNDECIDED - This bill is kind of tricky. If the bill passes, whenever the state wants to buy goods or services, they would be required to purchase those things (when possible) from a Community Rehabilitation Program (CRP). A CRP is a non-profit organization that employs people with disabilities.
In some cases, this can be a good thing for people with disabilities because it would mean that there is more work. It can also be a bad thing.
Many CRPs provide work in a setting that is often called a "sheltered workshop." In these settings, people with disabilities are usually paid less than the minimum wage, so it is impossible to earn enough money to be self-sufficient. It can also be very difficult for people with disabilities to move from these jobs into better jobs that pay more and have a better chance for promotion.
WPAS will support a bill that requires CRPs to help people with disabilities find the best possible jobs with good wages. So far, nobody has come up with a bill that both the advocates and the CRPs can agree on, but we are still trying!
Changing the Age of Consent for Mental Health Treatment - CON - A bill has been proposed that makes it harder for youths (13 to 16 years old) to access mental health services. WPAS is in the process of writing an issue paper on this subject.
Social Service Budget - Monitoring - Trying to follow the budget debate is a little bit like watching a moth at a light bulb. It moves fast and you tend to become blinded by all the different proposals. The Governor has proposed a budget (it was released on Tuesday, December 17). The Legislature will then have several months to come up with their own budget proposals. Then the House and the Senate will try to make their two budget proposals work together.
The Legislature will start their work in early January. If you have strong feelings about how the state should spend its money, call your Legislators. Don't know how? Read the WPAS publication, Contact your legislators.
WPAS Legislative Agenda
You can follow what is going on with these and other issues by going to WPAS Legislative Agenda (it's easy to find, there is a link to it on the WPAS home page at www.wpas-rights.org). There will be regular updates so you can track the progress of all the issues that are important to you.
WPAS E-Mail Updates
Do you want to receive E-Mail Alerts and information about legislative issues? Sign up for WPAS E-Mail Updates. It's easy to do, and none of your personal information will ever be given to another organization.
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