Programs

Now Hiring: Legal Advocacy Director

November 9, 2023Disability Rights Washington (DRW) seeks a full-time Legal Advocacy Director to lead our legal program’s efforts, which range from power-building with communities to class action litigation. The Legal Advocacy Director reports to the Executive Director and serves on the executive leadership team. Learn more here!

Now Hiring: Impact Litigation Attorney

March 16, 2023DRW’s Legal Advocacy Team seeks a litigation attorney with a demonstrated interest in conducting impact litigation and other systemic advocacy to enforce the legal rights of individuals suffering from abuse, neglect, or other human and civil rights violations. This position will require a licensed attorney, or an individual who will soon become a licensed attorney, with the ability to conduct systemic investigations, develop complex advocacy strategies, and represent both classes and individuals. Learn more now.

New report on restraint and isolation

February 9, 2023A new report from DRW and ACLU-WA investigates the use of isolation and restraint in schools across Washington state. Report findings show that restraint and isolation have no educational or therapeutic benefits but have profound disabling effects and result in lifelong harm. Read more here.

Read Notice & Motion for Class Action Settlement for Youth in Foster Care

August 5, 2022Read Notice for Class Action Settlement for Youth in Foster Care and Plaintiffs’ Unopposed Motion for Order Approving Attorneys’ Fees and Costs Following Mediation.

Washington State Reaches Groundbreaking Federal Class-Action Settlement for Youth in Foster Care

June 7, 2022Washington’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) settled a federal class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of hundreds of youth in the state’s foster care system. Learn more here.

Health Care Authority commits to remove Medicaid restriction on WISe for all youth with Apple Health

October 29, 2021The Health Care Authority has committed to changing its rules and provider billing guides over the next few months to remove the Medicaid restriction so that Wraparound with Intensive Services can be a treatment resource for all children and youth covered by the State’s Apple Health program, including undocumented immigrant and refugee children and youth who are not eligible for federal Medicaid funding.

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.

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.”

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.

DRW and Advocates’ Send Governor Letter RE Protecting Marginalized Students

May 21, 2020In a letter sent to Governor Inslee on May 18th, DRW and advocates’ raised concerns about the disparate impact and potential non-compensable harm to marginalized students during the COVID-19 school facility closures.

DRW Asks DCYF to Change How it Treats Parents with Disabilities

April 6, 2020In the letter, DRW talks about complaints DRW has made to the U.S. Department of Justice and includes three more examples of how DCYF’s discriminatory practices are separating families, possibly forever.

Loss of essential education services for students with disabilities

March 24, 2020DRW, the Northwest Justice Project, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington sent a letter requesting the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Governor address the sudden loss of essential education services for students with disabilities.

DRW files a Motion for Summary Judgment in Murinko v. Strange

March 6, 2020Disability Rights Washington has filed a motion for summary judgment in the Murinko v. Strange lawsuit against the Department of Social and Health Services and Health Care Authority. The motion asks the Court to order the State to stop allowing long service gaps that leave DRW’s constituents at risk of harm or unnecessary institutionalization.

DRW asks court for urgent relief to address DDA failures

August 30, 2019In their motion, Mr. Murinko and DRW argue that DDA’s failure to ensure he can access the services he had been getting and still needs is violating his rights under the Medicaid Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Read more at the link.