The Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council is already hard at work crafting our Legislative Priorities for 2026! This year’s process began with an intentional focus on shared values. Council members came together to identify six guiding principles that reflect our collective vision: belonging, diversity, inclusion, independence, leadership, and respect.

From there, Council members were invited to complete a survey identifying the issues they believe are most critical for us to address. After tallying the responses, five top areas of concern emerged:

• Caregiver provider shortage and training (especially for in-home care)
• Access to disability services and supports
• Employment opportunities for people with disabilities
• Medicaid policies and access
• Workforce shortages (including residential staff, job coaches, and direct support professionals)

Next, the Public Policy Committee will begin the important work of reviewing these topics and determining the level of priority for each. This step will help shape our final Legislative Agenda for 2026.

Our goal is to complete the priority-setting process by October, giving us plenty of time to prepare for a strong and focused advocacy effort during the upcoming legislative session.

Stay tuned for updates—and thank you to our Council members and partners for your leadership and input!