DDA Case Resource Manager Washington — What They Do and How to Get One

The Role Most Families Don't Know Exists Until They Need It

When the Developmental Disabilities Administration determines that your adult child is programmatically eligible, they assign a Case Resource Manager — a state employee who serves as the family's primary contact with DDA. The CRM handles everything from scheduling the CARE assessment to authorizing waiver services to coordinating referrals for employment programs and community resources.

In theory, the CRM is the guide through a system that spans five HCBS waivers, the Community First Choice entitlement, county employment contracts, and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. In practice, the relationship depends heavily on which caseload the client lands on.

Active Services vs. No Paid Services Caseloads

DDA maintains two distinct caseload categories, and the CRM's scope of work differs dramatically between them.

Active services caseload (71% of DDA clients). These clients receive funded waiver services — personal care hours, supported employment, respite, residential placement, or Community First Choice. Their CRM conducts the initial CARE assessment and annual reassessments using the Supports Intensity Scale (SIS-A), writes the service plan, authorizes provider hours, and monitors service delivery. Caseload ratios vary by regional office; the general DDA ratio is approximately 1 CRM to 75 clients.

No Paid Services caseload (29% of DDA clients, approximately 20,231 individuals as of December 2024). These clients are DDA-eligible but receive no funded services. Under SB 5394, DDA is authorized to provide NPS clients who actively engage with the agency limited case resource management — helping families identify community supports, navigate referrals, and understand their options for transitioning to active services.

What SB 5394 Changed

Senate Bill 5394, enacted during the 2025 legislative session, narrowed the scope of services DDA provides to the NPS caseload. The legislation:

• Authorized DDA to continue providing case resource management to NPS clients who actively engage with the agency
• Prohibited DDA from providing case management to "inactive" clients — those who don't respond to outreach or request services
• Created a sharper administrative distinction between clients who are waiting for a waiver slot and clients who aren't seeking services at all

The practical effect: if your adult child is on the NPS caseload and you want CRM support, you need to proactively engage. Contact DDA, respond to their outreach letters, and submit a formal service and information request. Staying silent risks being reclassified as inactive, which under SB 5394 means DDA cannot provide case management to the client.

How to Get Assigned a CRM

If your child is newly DDA-eligible — typically after submitting Form DSHS 14-151 and completing the eligibility determination — contact DDA to confirm the client's assigned CRM.

For families who haven't heard from their assigned CRM (or don't know who it is), the process is straightforward:

1. Call the DDA regional office for your county. Use the DSHS DDA page at dshs.wa.gov/dda to find the correct regional contact.

2. Submit a service and information request in writing. This creates a documented record that the client is actively seeking services — important under SB 5394's engagement requirements.

3. Ask specifically about Community First Choice. Even if there's no waiver slot available, CFC is an entitlement program with no waitlist. Your CRM can request the CARE assessment that evaluates CFC eligibility, and if your child meets the financial and institutional-level-of-care criteria, CFC can provide personal care hours without a waiver slot.

What to Expect From Your CRM

Set realistic expectations. CRM caseloads in Washington are high — the general DDA caseload ratio is approximately 1 to 75, according to state workforce data. Your CRM is managing dozens of clients simultaneously and may not return calls the same day.

What they will do:

• Schedule and conduct the CARE assessment (the functional evaluation that determines your support level and IFS score)
• Explain which waiver your client is best suited for and whether slots are available
• Write and update the individual service plan
• Authorize provider hours and process service changes
• Refer you to county employment programs and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

What they typically won't do:

• Help with SSI applications or Social Security appeals (that's federal, not state)
• Advise on special needs trust or ABLE account strategy
• Prepare you for the CARE assessment (their job is to administer it objectively, not to coach you on answers)
• Provide crisis intervention after hours

That preparation gap — particularly around the CARE assessment and the coordination between federal SSI and state DDA timelines — is what the Washington SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide is designed to fill. It walks through the CARE assessment preparation, the NPS-to-active transition strategy, and the federal-state timeline coordination that no single agency covers end to end.

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