DD RHC dental care services

AN ACT Relating to dental care services at residential 1
habilitation centers; amending RCW 71A.20.191; creating a new 2
section; and providing an expiration date. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The department of social and health 5
services shall establish a pilot program as described in this section 6
to allow certain clients with developmental disabilities who live in 7
community settings to access dental services at residential 8
habilitation centers.9
(2) To be eligible for services under the pilot, a person must 10
have been determined to be eligible for developmental disabilities 11
services through the department of social and health services, and:12
(a) Have been assessed as having a high behavior acuity level, a 13
high medical acuity level, or both, according to the developmental 14
disabilities assessment; 15
(b) Have a documented medical history requiring general 16
anesthesia or deep sedation to facilitate routine medical or dental 17
treatment; or 18
(c) Have certification by the person's case manager that 19
community dental care is unavailable due to the person's specific 20
medical or behavioral profile. 21
H-2764.1
HOUSE BILL 2314
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Penner, Bergquist, Dufault, Thomas, and Hill
Prefiled 01/07/26. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on Early Learning & Human Services.
p. 1 HB 2314
(3) Dental visits may include short-term admission of no more 1
than 24 hours. Pilot participants may use available respite hours for 2
dental visits if authorized under the participant's home and 3
community-based services waiver. 4
(4) The department of social and health services shall work with 5
the health care authority to enroll the residential habilitation 6
center dental clinics as medicaid fee-for-service providers for the 7
dental services provided under the pilot. Any federal matching funds 8
for services provided under the pilot must be deposited into the 9
state general fund. 10
(5) The pilot shall conclude by July 1, 2028. By October 1, 2028, 11
the department of social and health services shall submit a report to 12
the legislature, in compliance with RCW 43.01.036, detailing the 13
outcome of the pilot. The report must include: 14
(a) The number of people served by the pilot; 15
(b) A description of successes of, and obstacles encountered by, 16
the pilot; 17
(c) A description of any administrative or billing complications, 18
with suggestions as to how to resolve these complications; and19
(d) Perceived ongoing need for this service model to serve this 20
population. 21
(6) This section expires July 1, 2029. 22
Sec. 2. RCW 71A.20.191 and 2025 c 410 s 2 are each amended to 23
read as follows: 24
(1)(a) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, as 25
of July 27, 2025, no new long-term admissions are permitted at the 26
Rainier school, located at Buckley, Pierce county.27
(b) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section and 28
section 1 of this act, as of June 30, 2027, no admissions of any kind 29
are permitted at the Rainier school, located at Buckley, Pierce 30
county. 31
(2) Until the conditions in subsection (5) of this section are 32
met, a former long-term resident of the Rainier school who moves to a 33
community-based setting after July 27, 2025, shall be offered the 34
right to return to the Rainier school once during the first year 35
following their move to the community and this shall not be 36
considered a new admission for purposes of subsection (1) of this 37
section. If a former resident of the Rainier school exercises the 38
right to return established in this subsection (2), any additional 39
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request to return to the Rainier school after a second move to the 1
community shall be reviewed by the department and must be approved by 2
the secretary, based on the recommendation from a multidisciplinary 3
care team. In addition to the right to return established in this 4
subsection (2), any former resident of the Rainier school maintains 5
the right to return to a residential habilitation center established 6
in RCW 71A.18.040 and the right to residential habilitation center 7
services when determined eligible. 8
(3)(a) The department shall: 9
(i) Provide state-operated living alternatives to residential 10
habilitation center residents transitioning to the community from the 11
Rainier school who prefer a state-operated community residential 12
service; 13
(ii) Use supported living program and adult family home capacity 14
in the community for residents of the Rainier school who prefer and 15
choose these settings; 16
(iii) Provide space at other residential habilitation centers to 17
residents of the Rainier school who prefer a different residential 18
habilitation center setting; and 19
(iv) Offer employees of the Rainier school opportunities to work 20
in state-operated living alternatives and other state facilities and 21
programs. 22
(b) Sufficient funding shall be appropriated to the department to 23
fulfill the requirements of this subsection (3). 24
(4) When assisting individuals who are transitioning out of the 25
Rainier school the department shall: 26
(a) Offer each individual resident a meaningful choice of 27
appropriate alternative placements; 28
(b) Prioritize client choice, autonomy, individual preferences, 29
medical and behavioral health care needs, and opportunities for 30
community integration; 31
(c) Develop individualized transition plans in collaboration with 32
each resident and their family or legal guardian, caregivers, and 33
support providers; 34
(d) Coordinate closely with other state agencies, local entities, 35
health care providers, and community stakeholders to ensure seamless 36
transitions; 37
(e) Provide or contract for all necessary assessments, planning, 38
relocation expenses, housing modifications, staff training, crisis 39
support, and related transition activities; and 40
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(f) Implement robust oversight and accountability measures 1
related to the transitions, and regularly monitor transition 2
outcomes, as well as individual well-being and satisfaction.3
(5) The Rainier school, located at Buckley, Pierce county shall 4
continue to operate as a residential habilitation center until such 5
time that the census of long-term residents has reached zero persons.6
(6) "Closure" for purposes of chapter 410, Laws of 2025 means 7
prohibiting new admissions as described in subsection (1) of this 8
section. 9
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