Program Updates

DRW releases new report on Rainier School

May 21, 2019In Chaotic and Dangerous, Disability Rights Washington’s latest report on the state-run Rainier School, DRW has found that Washington continues to put people with developmental disabilities at serious risk of harm. The report also identifies systemic failures at the institution, making clear its problems are not caused by a few bad apples, but rather grow from organizational structures that require drastic transformation by Washington State.

Trueblood bill, SB 5444, signed by Governor

May 16, 2019The Trueblood bill, SB 5444, was signed by Governor Inslee on May 9, 2019! We received strong support from advocates throughout the entire legislative process. Changes created through the bill will help transform Washington's mental health system.

DRW and Hagens Berman File Class Action Lawsuit Against Fairfax Behavioral Health

May 1, 2019Attorneys from Hagens Berman and Disability Rights Washington filed a class-action complaint on behalf of a proposed class of hundreds of patients that were arbitrarily strip-searched and/or video recorded while receiving treatment for mental illness at Fairfax psychiatric facilities located in Kirkland, Everett and Monroe, WA.

Congratulations TO DRW’s Kimberly Mosolf

April 24, 2019Kimberly Mosolf, Director of the Treatment Facilities Program at DRW, received a community ambassador award from the National Black Police Association and the Black Law Enforcement Association of Washington for her work with De-Escalate Washington, the community stakeholder group behind successful passage of Initiative 940.

DRW’s AVID Program Responds to KOMO’s “Seattle is Dying”

April 9, 2019Disability Rights Washington has appreciated previous efforts by KOMO to report thoughtfully and fairly about certain injustices faced by people with disabilities in our region. This is why we are deeply discouraged and perplexed by KOMO’s choice to produce and air its sensationalized, inaccurate, and exploitative special report about Seattle’s opioid and homelessness crises, “Seattle is Dying.”

DRW’s AVID Program and Yakima County Jail Reach Agreement to Reform Mental Health Services

January 11, 2019In December 2018, Disability Rights Washington’s AVID Program finalized a settlement agreement with Yakima County to improve the conditions for individuals with mental illness and other cognitive disabilities housed at Yakima County Jail. This settlement agreement was the product of about two years of collaboration and will be monitored by the AVID Program and a neutral expert to ensure the Yakima County Jail’s compliance with the terms of the agreement.

Treatment Facilities Team welcomes new member

December 20, 2018The Treatment Facilities Team is happy to welcome Elizabeth Jiménez to our team!

Parties receive final approval for settlement agreement to reform Washington’s forensic mental health system

December 20, 2018On December 11, 2018, U.S. District Court Judge Marsha J. Pechman approved a settlement agreement in the AB vs DSHS (Trueblood) class action lawsuit.

Go behind the walls in AVID’s new video, “Washington’s Greying Prisons and the Need for Geriatric Review”

December 6, 2018Disability Rights Washington’s AVID Project has joined with incarcerated groups at Monroe, as well as other community advocates, to propose state legislation that would create a system of post-conviction review for these older inmates. To support that effort, and show the public what our greying prison population really looks like, we teamed up with Rooted in Rights to make a video...learn more here.

New report: No Excuse for Exclusion: Segregation and Subminimum Wage at Rainier

October 30, 2018Residents working at Rainier work in isolated conditions, doing tasks that are not individualized to meet their capabilities, and earn less than minimum wage. Disability Rights Washington provides the latest update on Rainier in “No Excuse for Exclusion.”

New Report: Let Us Come Home

October 17, 2018New report released today: Washington’s Out-of-State Youth Plead: Let us Come Home Report and Recommendations. Disability Rights Washington (DRW) has completed an investigation of Clarinda Academy, one of the many out-of-state institutions where Washington State has been sending foster youth with behavioral health needs. Learn more...

AVID Program Summer Updates

September 25, 2018What has the AVID Program team been up to this summer? Find out here...

I-940 De-Escalate Ready for the Campaign and Confident of a Win in November

August 31, 2018The State Supreme Court has ruled that I-940 must be placed on the November ballot. DRW and De-escalate Washington are ready to go to the ballot and win, and then keep working for reforms with our law enforcement partners! We're committed to saving lives. The first step to that is passing I-940.

Policy Goals for the New Access Paratransit Contract

August 28, 2018Disability Rights Washington (DRW), Washington ADAPT West, and the Transit Riders Union have co-released a new report regarding the poor quality of the paratransit services in King County for riders with disabilities who cannot use fixed route buses.