Projects
We have general membership meetings three times a year. Between those meetings, established subcommittees meet to work on special projects that were recommended by each subcommittee and approved by the general membership.
Legislative subcommittee
Mission:
We network with disability advocates and advocacy organizations in Washington to increase awareness of proposed legislation, state agency policy and issues that could be addressed by state-level legislation and policy, impacting the lives of Washingtonians with disabilities, and to help create a united voice in the disability community when feasible; research issues, legislation and policy to make recommendations to GCDE and its leadership regarding stances on them; and provide resources for educating advocates on how to be heard by the legislature and state agencies.
- Members
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- Amy Cloud
- Patti Dailey-Shives - Vice Chair
- Kristin DiBiase
- Lucas Doelman
- Clarence Eskridge
- Angie West
- Cullyn Foxlee
- Damiana Harper
- Steve Lewis
- Steven McCray
- Brit Nuckles
- Kristina Sawyckyj
- Nancy Zellers
- Priority bills
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Coming soon for 2025!
2024
SHB 1069 - Adopting the mental health counselor compact.
SHB1106 - Concerning qualifications for unemployment insurance when an individual voluntarily leaves work.
SHB 1109 - Providing funding for school districts for special education.
2SHB 1134 - Implementing the 988 behavioral health crisis response and suicide prevention system.
SHB 1222 - Requiring coverage for hearing instruments.
2SHB 1305 - Improving access to and provision of a free appropriate public education for students with disabilities.
HB 1479 - Concerning restraint or isolation of students in public schools and educational programs.
SSB 5300 - Concerning continuity of coverage for prescription drugs prescribed for the treatment of behavioral health conditions.
Project-focused subcommittees
- Accessible Communities
-
The Accessible Communities Subcommittee of the GCDE comprises a group of GCDE members and a Program Coordinator. The AC Subcommittee is responsible for:
What we do:
- promoting the establishment of County ACACs throughout Washington State;
- assisting counties with the actions required to establish an ACAC, and reviewing/approving the documentation presented by counties in that regard;
- providing technical assistance to county ACACs in respect of accessibility matters;
- supplying ideas and examples for projects that will improve accessibility for people with disabilities;
- reviewing and approving funding from the Accessible Communities Account for accessibility project proposals presented by county ACACs.
More information:
- AC Operations Manual (standard print version - large print version)
- Assurance Letter for Counties Sample (Instructions)
- Fillable Project Proposal Form for Counties:
Criteria for ACAC Project Funding
Proposed projects should focus on improving access for people with disabilities, as well as promoting awareness, inclusion, or acceptance of people with disabilities within the local community.
Proposals should address the following:
- What is the county proposing to do?
- Why did the county select this proposal?
- What is the timeline for this project?
- What outcomes or performance measures does the county hope to achieve?
- What is the proposed budget for the project, how does the county propose to apply the funds it is requesting, and why is each proposed expenditure necessary for the project?
- Matching funds are not required for these projects; however, if a project is expected to generate a local match, including in-kind contributions such as volunteer hours, the nature and value of any such local match should be described in the proposal.
- Community Outreach
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The Community Outreach subcommittee advocates for and with the disability community by conducting outreach events to facilitate, encourage, and celebrate community involvement in the development of overarching action plans to improve and promote solutions for self-identified community barriers. We provide information on available resources to individuals with disabilities and to the local community.
Activities:
- Develops and hosts activities to engage rural and/or underserved communities throughout Washington;
- Engages with leaders to build effective relationships within their community.
Latest event:
Our last event was held for the Clark County Community in Vancouver, Washington, on Nov. 2, 2023.
The first public Town Hall Forum was held virtually for the Colville community in the spring of 2022. The report about the meeting is now available to read here!
Our other 2022 event was in Port Orchard in early December. Report now available!GCDE maintains information about our Community Outreach events from 2008 to present. To read the reports, click the links below.
Past reports:
- 2008 - Ellensburg
- 2009 - Bremerton, Goldendale, and Lynden
- 2010 - Centralia
- 2011 - Everett
- 2012 - Wenatchee
- 2013 - Toppenish and North Bend
- 2014 - Bellingham
- 2015 - Aberdeen
- 2016 - Omak
- 2017 - Anacortes and Moses Lake
- 2018 - Kelso and Pullman
- 2019 - Walla Walla and Orting
- 2020 - Shelton
What we discuss:
- Transportation
- Guardianship
- Community access
- Affordable housing
- Educational services
- Employment
- Local resources
- And more
For questions or to invite the Community Outreach Subcommittee to your community, contact GCDE Staff at gcde@esd.wa.gov.
- Accessible Communities subcommittee
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2024
- Minutes for Jan. 17
- Minutes for Feb. 21
- Minutes for Apr. 3
- Minutes for May 1
- Minutes for June 5
- Minutes for July 3
- Minutes for Aug 7
- Agenda for Sept 4
Contact: Elaine Stefanowicz
Past AC meeting materials
2022
- April 20 minutes
- May 11 minutes
- June 15 minutes
- July 20 minutes
- Aug. 17 minutes
- Sept. 21 minutes
- Oct. 19 minutes
- Nov. 16 minutes
- Dec. 21 minutes
2023
- Minutes for Jan. 18
- Minutes for Feb. 15
- Minutes for March 15
- Minutes for April 19
- Minutes for May 17
- Minutes for June 21
- Minutes for July 19
- Minutes for Aug. 16
- Minutes for Sept. 20
- Minutes for Oct. 18
- Minutes for Nov. 15
- Minutes for Dec. 20
Community Outreach subcommittee
2024
The most recent public Town Hall Forum was held virtually for the Port Orchard community in the Winter of 2022. We are pleased to announce that the report about the meeting is now available to read here!
Contact: gcde@esd.wa.gov
Past CO meeting materials
2022
- March 22 minutes
- April 5 minutes
- June 14 minutes
- July 12 minutes
- Aug. 9 minutes
- Sept. 13 minutes
- Oct. 11 minutes
- Nov. 8 minutes
- Nov. 15 minutes
- Nov. 29 minutes
- Dec. 6 minutes
2023
- Jan. 10 minutes
- Minutes for February 17
- Minutes for March 14
- Minutes for April 11
- Minutes for May 9
- Minutes for June 13
- Minutes for June 27
- Minutes for July 11
- Transcript for July 18
- Transcript for August 1
- Minutes for August 15
- Minutes for August 29
- Minutes for September 12
- Minutes for September 26
- Minutes for October 3
- Minutes for October 10
- Minutes for October 17
- Minutes for October 24
- Minutes for October 31
- Agenda for November 14
- Governor's Employer Awards subcommittee
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2024
- Minutes for Jan 4, 2024
- Minutes for Feb 1, 2024
- Minutes for Feb 8, 2024
- Minutes for Mar 14, 2024
- Minutes for Apr 11, 2024
- Minutes for May 9, 2024
- Minutes for June 13, 2024
- Minutes for July 11, 2024
- Minutes for August 8, 2024
- Minutes for August 22, 2024
- Minutes for Sept. 12, 2024
- Agenda for Sept. 25, 2024
- 2024 Awards meeting dates
- 2024 Awards event timeline (4-10-24)
Our recent event was held on October 06, 2023. Visit our Awards page for more information. Upcoming event: October 18, 2024.
Contact: gcde@esd.wa.gov
Past Awards meeting materials
2023
- Jan. 13 minutes
- Minutes for Feb 10
- Minutes for Mar 10
- Minutes for Apr 14
- Minutes for April 28
- Minutes for May 12
- Minutes for May 23
- Minutes for June 2
- Minutes for June 16
- Minutes for June 30
- Minutes for July 7
- Minutes for July 14
- Minutes for July 21 (time changing to July 27 3pm starting next week)
- Minutes for July 27
- Minutes for August 10
- Minutes for August 17
- Minutes for August 24
- Minutes for August 31
- Minutes for September 7
- Minutes for September 14
- Minutes for September 21
- Minutes for September 28
- Minutes for October 19
Awards archive
2022
- May 4 minutes
- May 18 minutes
- June 1 minutes
- June 15 minutes
- July 6 minutes
- July 20 minutes
- July 27 minutes
- Aug. 3 minutes
- Aug. 10 minutes
- Aug. 17 minutes
- Aug. 24 minutes
- Aug. 31 minutes
- Sept. 7 minutes
- Sept. 14 minutes
- Sept. 21 minutes
- Sept. 28 minutes
- Oct. 12 minutes
- Oct. 19 minutes
- Nov. 2 minutes
- Legislative subcommittee
-
2024
- Minutes for January 19
- Minutes for February 23
- Minutes for April 26
- Minutes for May 24
- Agenda for Sep 27
Past LWG meeting materials
2022
- April 8 minutes
- May 6 minutes
- June 10 minutes
- July 8 minutes
- Aug. 3 minutes
- Sept. 9 minutes
- Sept. 23 minutes
- Oct. 7 minutes
- Nov. 4 minutes
- Nov. 18 minutes
- Dec. 16 minutes
2023
- Jan. 13 minutes
- Minutes for Feb. 2
- Minutes for Feb. 24
- Minutes for March 17
- Minutes for April 7
- Minutes from May 19
- Minutes from September 1
- Minutes for September 22
- Minutes for October 13
- Minutes for December 1
- Minutes for December 15
- Youth Leadership Forum subcommittee
-
2024
- Minutes for Jan 19
- Minutes for May 10
- Agenda for July 12
- Minutes for July 26
- Minutes for August 9
- Agenda for Sept. 6
Contact: Elaine Stefanowicz
Past YLF meeting materials
2022
- March 18 minutes
- April 15 minutes
- May 20 minutes
- June 17 minutes
- July minutes
- August minutes
- Sept minutes
- Nov minutes
2023
- Jan 20 minutes
- Mins for Feb. 17
- Minutes for March 17
- Minutes for April 21
- Minutes for May 12
- Minutes for June 16
- Minutes for September 15
- Minutes for October 20
- Minutes for Dec 15
- GCDE General Membership meeting
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2024
- January 26 materials (minutes now available!)
- May 31 materials (minutes now available!)
Contact: gcde@esd.wa.gov
Past GM meeting materials
2022
- January 28 minutes
- Oct GM meeting materials (Minutes and transcript now available!)
- Minutes from GM meeting May 13 | Meeting recording
2023
- Agenda and materials for Feb 24 (minutes now available!)
- Materials for May 19 (minutes now available!)
- November 17 materials (minutes now available!)
- Coordinating committee
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2024
- February 2 agenda (minutes now available!)
- April 26 agenda (minutes now available!)
- August 23 agenda (minutes coming soon!)
Contact: gcde@esd.wa.gov
Past Coordinating committee materials
2021
2022
2023
- Agenda for Feb 10 (minutes now available!)
- Materials for April 28 (minutes now available!)
- June 23 agenda and PPT (minutes now available!)
- August 25 agenda (minutes now available!)
- October 27 materials (minutes now available!)
- December 15 agenda (minutes now available!)