GCDE subcommittees

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

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

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

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

2024

Contact: Elaine Stefanowicz

Past AC meeting materials

2022

2023

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