Washington DDA After High School — Waivers, the NPS Caseload, and SSB 5394

DDA Is the Gateway — But Enrollment Doesn't Mean Services

The Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) provides long-term, lifespan supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Washington. Enrollment is the absolute prerequisite for residential services, personal care, and long-term supported employment.

But enrollment and funded services are two different things. When a client enrolls in DDA and doesn't immediately qualify for — or request — an active Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waiver, they're placed on the No Paid Services (NPS) caseload. And that's where the problems start.

The No Paid Services Caseload

The NPS caseload contains over 20,000 individuals in Washington. Historically, it was an unmanaged database with no proactive outreach — families sat on it without hearing from DDA for years.

After funding increases in 2023, DDA began assigning specialized NPS Case Managers at a ratio of 1 case manager per 300 clients. These managers are required to conduct annual outreach — verifying contact information, assessing immediate support needs, making referrals to community resources, and helping families submit a formal Service and Information Request to initiate a comprehensive functional assessment for waiver services.

Then SSB 5394 changed the picture again.

What SSB 5394 Did to the NPS Caseload

Senate Substitute Bill 5394, passed in 2025, restricted DDA's ability to actively manage the NPS caseload. Under the new law, DDA is no longer required to proactively contact clients on NPS. For the 20,000-plus individuals sitting on that caseload, this means one thing: if the family doesn't initiate contact, nothing happens.

A student exiting high school who lands on the NPS caseload without active waiver funding will have zero adult supports unless the family drives the process themselves. The school's transition services end. DVR's short-term job coaching closes. And DDA isn't calling.

DDA Eligibility and the Age-19 Redetermination

To enroll in DDA, the applicant submits DSHS Form 14-151 along with medical, psychological, and educational records proving a qualifying diagnosis — Intellectual Disability, Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, Autism, or a closely related neurological condition — that originated before age 18 and is expected to continue indefinitely.

For Intellectual Disability, the standard is a Full Scale IQ of 69 or below. For Autism and other qualifying conditions, the applicant must demonstrate adaptive functioning scores more than two standard deviations below the mean on standardized instruments like the Vineland-3 or ABAS-3, completed within the last 36 months.

There's a critical deadline at age 19. Under WAC 388-823-1010, DDA conducts a mandatory eligibility review if the most recent determination was completed before age 16 or was based on academic delays. DDA sends written notice six months before the 19th birthday, and families must submit current psychological, adaptive, and school records to prevent automatic disenrollment on the student's 20th birthday.

The Waiver System

DDA's funded services come through HCBS waivers, each designed for different levels of need:

Basic Plus is the most common entry point for transition-age students. It includes High School Transition Funding specifically for students exiting the school system, personal care hours, respite, and employment supports. Basic Plus is where Job Foundation and School-to-Work services connect to long-term DDA funding.

Individual and Family Services (IFS) provides supports to individuals living with family or independently, including employment, community access, and respite. Funding levels are generally lower than Basic Plus.

Core Waiver serves individuals with more intensive needs, including residential habilitation, extensive personal care, and behavioral support.

Community First Choice (CFC) isn't technically a waiver — it's a Medicaid state plan option that provides personal care, skills training, and assistive technology as an entitlement. No waiver slot required. CFC is often used alongside waiver services to supplement personal care hours.

Avoiding the Service Gap

The families who avoid the post-school service gap are the ones who start DDA enrollment and waiver applications while the student is still in school, not after exit. The ideal sequence:

• Age 15-16: Submit the DSHS 14-151 DDA enrollment packet and OSPI Form 3c to authorize record sharing with DDA
• Age 19: Submit current adaptive assessments for the mandatory eligibility redetermination
• Age 19-20: Enroll in the county Job Foundation program to get matched with an employment provider
• Age 20-22: Enter the School-to-Work program and apply for full DVR services with an Individualized Plan for Employment
• Before school exit: Submit a Service and Information Request to DDA for a CARE assessment to qualify for waiver funding

The Washington IEP Transition to Adulthood Guide maps this entire sequence with the specific forms, deadlines, and agency contacts for each step.

See more Washington guides →