Disability Rights Washington Archives - Northwest Public Broadcasting

Families, Advocates Sound Alarm Over Patients Stuck In Washington Hospitals Without Medical Need

By Austin Jenkins August 30, 2019

In this photo, Christopher Davis, who is autistic and nonverbal, is shown restrained to his hospital bed in Spokane. He has been hospitalized for more than eight months without a medical need to be there. Courtesy of Deborah Davis

Hospitals are costly places to get healthcare and not therapeutic environments. So why does Washington have hundreds of people in hospital beds with no need to be there? Because there’s a lack of community beds for people with behavioral challenges. Read More

Washington Settles Lawsuit Over 15-Hour-Per-Day Lockdown For Inmates With Mental Illness

By Austin Jenkins July 11, 2019

File photo of a tower at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has named Stephen Sinclair as the state's new secretary of Corrections. WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Washington's Department of Corrections has agreed to improve conditions for inmates with mental illness at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. Under a court-approved settlement reached last week, the agency will open a new minimum- and medium-security unit for these inmates, with the goal of reducing the amount of time they spend locked up in their cells.Read More

As Walmart Eliminates Greeters, Workers With Disabilities Feel Targeted And Worried

By NPR News February 25, 2019

John Combs is a "people greeter" at a Walmart in Vancouver, Wash. But he has been told that come April 25, his job is going away. And he is not alone. Courtesy of Rachel Wasser

NPR has found that Walmart is changing the job requirements for front-door greeters in a way that appears to disproportionately affect workers with disabilities. Read More

New Report Sounds Alarm Over State Of Washington’s Foster Care System

By Austin Jenkins November 27, 2018

The report, released late Monday, sounds the alarm over the rising use of hotels to temporarily house foster youth. CREDIT: FLICKR PHOTO/RICH UCHYTIL (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)/HTTPS://BIT.LY/2KEV8GW

Washington's child welfare system is failing to adequately serve foster youth with the most vexing needs, resulting in hotel stays and out-of-state placements, according to a new report by the state's Office of the Family and Children's Ombudsman (OFCO).Read More

Washington Shuts Down Care Provider For Disabled Adults; Now Families Face Tough Decisions

By Austin Jenkins April 29, 2018

Deborah Davis, Christopher's sister, took this photo in July 2016. “When Chris is at our mom's house, he likes to lay on the floor surrounded by his favorite things: basketballs, footballs, and old 80's thermos bottles." Courtesy of the Davis Family

In an unprecedented move, the state of Washington is shutting down a major provider of in-home care for developmentally disabled adults in King, Spokane and Yakima counties because of repeated serious violations of care standards.Read More

Disability Rights Group Sues Over Walla Walla Penitentiary Treatment Of Inmates With Mental Illness

By Austin Jenkins April 23, 2018

At the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, inmates with mental illness are locked down in their cells for up to 16 hours a day, even if they pose little risk. That’s one of the allegations in a lawsuit Disability Rights Washington plans to file in federal court in Spokane on Monday.Read More