Help Us Stop Budget Cuts!

Thank you to more than 840 caregivers, AFH residents and their families, affiliate business partners, and providers who signed our petition last week! We’ve sent a letter to the relevant committees telling them to “Stop the Cuts” to adult family homes and shared your powerful testimonies. There’s still more you can do to get involved! Email your legislator our “Stop the Cuts” letter (with their assistant cc’d) and attend your district’s town hall to meet your legislator in person. Telling your story face-to-face could make a huge difference in how they vote!

Long-Term Care Q&A Call — Infection Prevention
Monday, April 7‎ ‎ |‎ ‎ 10:00 AM

Long-term care partners in WA from all settings are invited to join us at a Q&A call about infection prevention topics. This call is for adult family homes, assisted living settings, nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities. It will be focused on answering YOUR questions about all aspects of infection prevention, including personal protective equipment (PPE), antimicrobial stewardship, multi-drug resistant organisms, respiratory protection, hand hygiene, isolation, transmission-based precautions and other topics.

Get updates on critical dear provider letters below. To see all letters, visit ALTSA’s page.

Guidance on Immigration Enforcement Operations in Long-Term Care Settings Revised
March 10, 2025

This Dear Provider Letter clarified that RCS does not require knowledge of citizenship status for clients or staff in AFHs. The letter also shares links to immigration resources. Read the letter here.

Investigation And Referral Process For Allegations

Unrelated To Physical Or Sexual Abuse
December 6, 2024

This Dear Provider Letter shares an update to APS’s policy: they will now only investigate allegations of sexual abuse and physical abuse with substantial injury.  The letter also explains what is classified as a “substantial injury.” Read the letter here.

Eastside King County: Apply for a Free Heat Pump!

Another organization has opened free heat pump applications for AFHs in Eastside King County! (Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Redmond or Sammamish). This is being offered with funds from the Climate Commitment Act to specifically serve AFH providers. Heat pumps are an excellent source for reliable heating and can help reduce energy costs, benefiting both you and your residents. Learn more about the requirements and process at our news post linked below.

Updated Community Behavioral
Health Support (CBHS) Guidance

The guidance for Community Behavioral Health Support (CBHS) Supervision services was updated in February 2025. Please review the guidance published by the Health Care Authority and DSHS for more information on claims submissions deadlines and documentation requirements. Please note: the AFH Council is working to understand the full scope of CBHS changes and is engaging in conversations with the Health Care Authority and DSHS. We will provide additional updates as soon as we have them.

March Statewide Chapter Meeting Recap

If you missed our last Statewide Chapter meeting, you can still get the updates we shared by watching the recording! This month, we had updates on the Governor’s proposed budget cuts, MCOs, AFHC marketing, and more!

There’s a WAC for That!

#1 Citation From RCS Inspections

The number one citation from RCS inspections in winter 2025 was a violation of WAC 388-76-10025, the annual licensing fee. Failure to pay the annual licensing fee will not only be a citation, but also a STOP placement (until paid) and possibly a hefty fine. Check out the list of top 10 citations and learn more to stay in compliance!

SHB 1398 Update

SHB 1398 faced challenges in the Appropriations Committee and did not advance. However, this is a step in the process, not the end of our efforts. We’ve made significant strides this session: gaining new AFH advocates, strengthening key relationships, and securing wins like a $500,000 bed hold proviso as well as support for our fully funded tentative CBA! We’re building momentum for next session, and together, we’ll continue pushing for meaningful change!

Supplemental Shakes Recall Alert

On February 22, 2025, Lyons Magnus LLC announced a nationwide voluntary recall of 4 oz. Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes due to the potential for the products to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Get the recall alert, learn what action to take, and what resources are available at our AFH news post.

Seeking Your Input: Small Business Resources

DSHS and HCA are partnering with the Washington State Small Business Liaison Team to improve access to regulatory information, education, and agency resources for small businesses. If you are a DSHS-contracted provider who provides long-term care services to Medicaid clients, they want to hear from you! Please complete this brief survey to let them know what resources would assist you as a small business owner.

There’s a WAC for That!

What to Know About DDA Specialty Training

A large number of calls we received were related to the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) training and DD Specialty Certificates. Learn more about where to register for training, how to update your AFH information if you add the specialty, and related WACs in our AFH news post!

Webinar Recording: Safety Awareness and Accident Prevention Program Planning

All employers are required to have an Accident Prevention Program, regardless of the number of employees they have. We’re working alongside Pim Savvy to create resources for developing your plan, including a webinar with more information. If you missed our webinar, you can still watch the recording. You’ll gain the tools you need to confidently implement and maintain your program while learning more about state requirements, steps, and helpful resources. You can also access the presentation slides here to follow along while you watch!.

Fall RCS AFH Provider Forum Q&As

The RCS AFH Provider Forum is a quarterly meeting with RCS hosted by the Council. They are scheduled with the intention of improving communication, giving providers opportunities to meet with RCS staff, and ensuring provider questions are answered. Please see information on the questions and answers covered from our Fall 2024 session here. The recording can also be viewed at this link.

Update on Medicaid Referral System

ALTSA is working with Room and Care to implement the new Medicaid referral system in February! This tool will help match Medicaid clients with Adult Family Homes (AFH) and Assisted Living Facilities (ALF) at no cost to providers. Training materials are in development and will be shared in the coming weeks!

NEW Hybrid Schedule at the Council Office

Exciting times are ahead at the Council! We are thrilled to announce that we have added new staff members and are continuing to grow our organization! 🎉

With much thought and consideration, we believe the best way to serve our membership is to focus on the office, meet the demands of our members, and support our growth. For the month of February, our primary focus will be on onboarding and training new staff, and supporting our legislative agenda.

Starting January 31, 2025: Our phone lines will be open from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM.

We are committed to providing the best support and services to our members, and these changes are just the beginning. So many good things are coming your way—stay tuned!

Know Your Rights: Immigrant Resources

We have received several inquiries regarding deportation concerns and want to remind you that you have rights that protect you. To ensure everyone has access to important information, we’re sharing resources to help you navigate these concerns. Please refer to our news post for guidance on understanding and navigating your rights.

Tax Season Alert for AFH Providers

As tax season approaches, it’s crucial for adult family home (AFH) providers to stay informed about important deadlines and requirements. Be sure to review our Tax Season Alert for essential information about W-2 and 1099 forms, including when they should be mailed and what to do if you haven’t received them. Staying informed and meeting these deadlines will help ensure a smooth and stress-free tax season.

Update on Medical Test Site Waiver Resources

New Dear Provider Letter

A new Dear Provider Letter was sent on November 15 with updated information on available resources. This newest letter supersedes previous letters on Medical Test Site Waivers and includes updated contact information. Read the Dear Provider Letter here.

Medical Test Site Waiver Webinar

A special webinar was hosted by the AFH Council to provide an overview of waived medical test sites in Washington. Attendees learned about the waived license, the application process and licensure requirements. You can view the recording here.

Changes to Residential Support Waiver (RSW)

DSHS recently released a Dear Provider letter outlining changes to the Residential Support Waiver (RSW) scheduled to start July 1, 2025. Services under RSW include Expanded Community Support (ECS) and Specialized Behavior Support (SBS). The state is shifting how it pays for behavioral health support to leverage better federal participation and reduce state costs, which means that SBS and ECS will no longer be the primary program for serving residents needing behavioral or mental health support.

The AFH Council was specifically told that current RSW clients would remain on RSW, and only new residents would begin CBHS— but this letter states they intend to begin converting all eligible residents now. Read our latest AFH News post to learn more about the impact and how we are working to address this information.

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