At DSHS, our House of Health and Human Services priorities are the driving force behind our agency’s Strategic Plan goals. Each administration contributes to shaping our DSHS Strategic Plan.
A Person Centered Future
This page showcases Developmental Disabilities Administration's specific goals, along with action plans and success measures. From high-quality in-home care providers to safe and protected facility settings, the power of choice for elders and people with disabilities in Washington state is bright.
Jump to other parts of the DSHS Strategic Plan: ALTSA | BHA | DVR | ESA | FFA | OOS | IT
DDA Strategic Goals
In the strategic planning process, we identify three key components.
- The Strategic Goals: Sets the goal that we are striving to achieve.
- The Action Plan: Our action strategies to get there.
- The Success Measure: The outcome to achieve a goal.
Read in detail below DDA’s strategic goals. DDA’s Strategic Plan Metrics, coming soon.
Strategic plan index: Jump to a section of the plan by clicking the Strategic Goal (SG)
- Support individuals with developmental disabilities to live and thrive in the communities and settings they choose.
- Expand accessibility, services, capacity, and increase utilization of supports & services for individuals with developmental disabilities.
- Enhance DDA’s comprehensive quality management system to ensure we are meeting the needs of our clients and workforce while complying with federal, state and program requirements.
- Advance the comprehensive structural and behavioral transformation to become a proactive-equity and anti-racist agency.
Strategic Goal #1: Support individuals with developmental disabilities to live and thrive in the communities and settings they choose.
The Action Plan:
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Supporting Affordable Housing options:
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Partner with the Department of Commerce in allocating $25 million from the Housing Trust Fund for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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Manage the Dan Thompson Memorial Developmental Disabilities Community Services Account to increase services and supports for individuals to thrive and participate in their communities.
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Strengthen community residential and respite provider network adequacy.
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Develop technology solution for service referral, provider capacity, and aggregate reporting to strengthen our provider network.
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Engage with clients, families, providers, tribal nations, and community partners.
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Modernize infrastructure at state-operated facilities.
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Develop pathway for public-private funding partnerships to support technology solutions for smart homes, service information access, and accessible assessments.
Success Measure:
1.1: Increase affordable, equitable, and accessible housing for clients by providing Housing Trust Fund support through recruitment of new developers and assist in the application review process by June 2025.
1.2: Increase services and supports in community settings for clients by identifying projects to fund from the Dan Thompson Memorial Developmental Disabilities Community Services Account by June 2025.
1.3: Improve capability of finding accessible and appropriate housing for under served populations by January 2025.
1.4: Develop technology solution to achieve self-service choice of provider by June 2026.
1.5: Increase the capacity of contracted community residential and respite service providers by 10% by June 2026.
1.6: Collaborate with DCYF and tribal partners to expand Home and Community Based Service waiver services to dependent children and youth by December 2024.
1.7: Increase self-advocate and family involvement in the policy development and review process by reviewing 25% of the administration’s policies by June 2025.
1.8: Construct a new 120 bed nursing facility at Fircrest Residential Habilitation Center by June 2027.
1.9: Develop a plan to enhance digital equity and integrate smart home technology into clients’ homes in State Operated Community Residential settings in collaboration with Technology Innovation Administration by June 2025.
1.10: Develop AI technology to answer community frequently asked questions on DDA programs and services by June 2026.
1.11: Evaluate use of AI in DDA Assessments to reduce time of assessment process and develop technology solution enabling clients to self-initiate assessment tool by June 2027.
Strategic Goal #2: Expand accessibility, services, capacity, and increase utilization of supports & services for individuals with developmental disabilities.
The Action Plan:
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Expand transitional services for adults and youth in crisis with complex needs.
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Stabilize our workforce for better client outcomes.
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Expand use of electronic health records into our continuum of care.
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Establish referral and service options for individuals to support civil transition statute.
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Communicate changes to accessibility services and capacity to staff, clients, providers, and community partners in their preferred method.
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Establish supportive housing and wraparound services to individuals in civil transitions.
Success Measure:
2.1: Establish Lake Burien Youth Transitional Facility serving 12 youth by October 2024.
2.2: Implement a Supported Living pilot serving 30 adults with complex needs by December 2024.
2.3: Implement in-home crisis diversion services by June 2025.
2.4: By June 2025, increase clients served with transitional care by 25%.
2.5: Increase training and certification opportunities by 10% for the workforce by July 2026.
2.6: Develop method to electronically share and receive information from residential providers on the number of employees needed and resource developer candidates by December 31, 2024.
2.7: Establish by January 2025a DDA Organizational Change Management Community of Practice to inform and support staff, clients, providers, and community partners through all aspects of change.
2.8: Streamline DDA eligibility application enabling clients earlier access to their DDA assessment by June 2025.
2.9: Develop online eligibility application by June 2026.
2.10: Implement the use of an electronic health records system in all 24/7 settings by June 2025.
2.11: Provide supportive community-based housing and wraparound services for 24 adults experiencing civil transitions by June 2025.
2.12: Establish two State Operated Community Residential transitional housing sites to serve 6 adults experiencing civil transitions by June 2025.
Strategic Goal #3: Enhance DDA’s comprehensive quality management system to ensure we are meeting the needs of our clients and workforce while complying with federal, state and program requirements.
The Action Plan:
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Utilize International Standard framework for quality in local government to:
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Align with 2024 revised Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Access Rules using Organizational Change Management strategies.
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Develop key performance and quality indicators to ensure quality oversight into the administration’s strategic plan.
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Enhance Home and Community Based Services to provide high quality services in integrated settings.
Success Measure:
3.1: Establish baseline performance measures by July 2025 related to revised Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rules.
3.2: Review and revise key performance indicators and quality performance indicators to include an equity component by July 2025.
3.3: Improve and implement a quality management system aligned with industry standards by July 2025.
3.4: Develop digital system data reports to inform quality assurance and program standards through data mapping by June 2025.
3.5: Establish and implement a process to evaluate standardized, integrated settings rules to ensure providers have tools for self-review and the DDA contracting process includes settings rule evaluation by June of 2025.
Strategic Goal #4: Advance comprehensive structural and behavioral transformation to become a proactive-equity and anti-racist agency.
The Action Plan:
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Create space for employees statewide to share their lived experience with others.
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Continue collaborating with tribes to provide quality services that are culturally relevant.
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Continue turning employee voices into action through the Raise Every Voice campaign.
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Support employees to increase knowledge and skills related to PEAR initiatives by providing opportunities to obtain Certified Diversity Professional (CDP) certification.
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Address barriers that individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) face in obtaining information, services and benefits from DDA programs.
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Enhance employee satisfaction and drive continuous improvement across DDA.
Success Measure:
4.1: Engage with 80% of DDA employees to participate in a Brave Conversations discussion of shared lived experiences By July 2025.
4.2: Collaborate with tribes and Urban Indian Organizations to establish an American Indian Alaskan Native cultural awareness policy for DDA by June 2025.
4.3: Host a gathering in November to honor those with unique gifts (tribal members who receive DDA services), share information, collaborate with tribal and community partners and celebrate Native American Heritage Month.
4.4: Complete 100% of Raise Every Voice tour visits across all DDA Divisions by July 2025.
4.5: Obtain Certified Diversity Professional (CDP) certification for 75% of EDAI representatives by June 2025.
4.6: Increase by 10% the number of employees who are certified bilingual by June 2025.
4.7: Increase by 10% the number of positive employee responses for each survey focus area and question by January 2025:
• Organizational Change Management – I feel supported during organizational change at this agency.
• Involvement and Belonging – I feel as if I belong at my agency.
• Growth and Development Opportunities – My agency provides me with the opportunity for learning and growth development.