Programs

Attorney General tells law makers that no statute limits people with disabilities from living in their communities

July 28, 2021In its July 27, 2021 opinion, the Attorney General’s Office smacked down the notion that there might be some legally permissible way to draft zoning or other local laws that would create categorical limits or exclusions of people with disabilities from certain communities in our state. The opinion is a long awaited response to a request made by a state legislator and a letter sent by DRW and other organizations in 2019.

New Law Demands De-escalation, Not Abandoning People in Crisis

July 20, 2021During the 2021 legislative session, Washington law makers passed HB 1310, a new law governing when and how police can use force against members of the public. The law creates an expectation for officers to de-escalate and requires police to exercise care in the use of any force, in order to reduce violence and prioritize the sanctity of life. However, some law enforcement agencies in Washington are dangerously misinterpreting the new law.

Judge Orders Washington State to End Car and Hotel Stays for Foster Youth

June 29, 2021Today, Federal Judge Barbara Rothstein of the Western District of Washington ruled that the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families must end its practice of forcing youth in foster care to sleep in unlicensed and unsafe settings, including hotels, child welfare agency offices, and even cars.

DRW Operations Director

June 25, 2021Disability Rights Washington is hiring an Operations Director. This is a chance for the right candidate to be a key member of a social justice non-profit organization. Apply for or share this position now!

#MobilizeWA Storymap Earns Statewide Coverage

April 9, 2021Since launching in January, the #MobilizeWA Storymap project has earned media coverage across the state. Disability Mobility Initiative wants to raise awareness about how people without access to cars navigate to essential services in our communities. So far, we’ve interviewed more than 100 people across Washington from every legislative district and documented those stories on our #MobilizeWA transportation storymap.

DRW Statement on Senator’s Use of Derogatory Language

March 26, 2021In response to an occurrence that happened this Wednesday during a Senate Health and Long Term Care Executive Session, we have released a statement. The use of the “R” word by Senator Rivers at a public hearing was harmful, disheartening, contrary to the Senate Code of Conduct and should not be tolerated. Senator Rivers and the Senators who failed to call it out in the moment let an important constituency down.

Solicitation for new and additional housing resources for Trueblood Class Members

February 8, 2021The Trueblood Court Monitor and the Trueblood Parties are soliciting letters of interest from providers who currently or recently have operated programs specifically targeted to Trueblood Class Members who wish to enhance the availability of housing for current or previous Class Members in their region.

Youth in Washington Foster Care Sue State for Policies that ‘Essentially Rendered them Homeless”

January 28, 2021According to the lawsuit filed on behalf of three named plaintiffs, hundreds of similarly situated foster children, and DRW, DCYF is shuttling children with behavioral health and developmental disabilities from hotels to state offices to other one-night stays, “essentially rendering them homeless for extended periods of time.”

“Shut Them Down”

January 20, 2021DRW has released “Shut Them Down:”* It’s time to close Washington’s Dangerous Residential Habilitation Centers, a report that calls out the continued failures of Washington’s Residential Habilitation Centers (RHCs) to fix major problems that have put people with developmental disabilities at risk for verbal, physical, and sexual abuse and neglect.

Subscribe to DRW’s Legislative Newsletter!

January 11, 2021DRW will provide a weekly update each Saturday morning during the 2021 Legislative Session. If you are interested in receiving this weekly newsletter, please subscribe to the newsletter. Click here to view the first newsletter sent out in 2021.

Letter RE 1/6/21 Attack at U.S. Capitol

January 7, 2021We strongly condemn the attack on democracy and the rule of law yesterday at the U.S. Capitol. As the designated Protection and Advocacy System for WA, we have a federal mandate to enforce and advance the rights of people with disabilities across WA, this includes the voting rights of people with disabilities.

Pitch Your Story to the Rooted in Rights Blog!

October 29, 2020 If you identify as a person with a disability, we want to give you a platform to tell your story. Help us fill gaps in dialogue around disability and challenge readers to think about disability in new ways. The Rooted in Rights Blog is home to compelling stories that shine a bright spotlight on disability rights issues in all areas of life

Lawsuit Filed RE: DSHS Accountability For Deadly Neglect at Rainier School

October 22, 2020Today, the family of JoHanna Pratt, Disability Rights Washington, and Carney Gillespie PLLP filed a suit in Pierce County Superior Court against the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) for neglect, claiming that DSHS wrongfully caused the death of JoHanna Pratt and violated state law against abuse of vulnerable adults.

Tell Governor Inslee to Stop Sending Kids to Out of State Facilities Owned by Sequel

October 13, 2020On October 9, 2020, DRW and 17 other advocacy organizations sent the below statement to Governor Inslee, regarding Washington’s continued relationship with Sequel Youth and Families, which owns Clarinda Academy. Seventeen advocacy organizations signed on with us to ask Governor Inslee to end all contracts with Sequel.