NO to proposed care facility closures

The proposed closures would jeopardize the safety, health, and dignity of residents, warns WFSE

OLYMPIA, WA (January 10, 2025) — The Washington Federation of State Employees/AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE) is sounding the alarm on the potential closure of Yakima Valley School and Rainier School proposed in Governor Jay Inslee’s proposed budget for the 2025-27 biennium.

The two residential care facilities are homes to Washingtonians with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and provide crucial community resources for disabled people. Staff at these facilities provide specialized care difficult to find elsewhere.

Photo: WFSE/AFSCME Council 28

Per the union, closing these two facilities would jeopardize the safety, health, and dignity of the disabled persons served by these care facilities — and remove valuable care services from the region — while overwhelming community systems that are not fully equipped to meet their needs. The Yakima Herald Republic reports that Gov. Inslee’s budget proposes some residents could be moved to other residential care facilities in the state, raising fears that residents would be moved far from family and friends.

WFSE believes this disruption could be disastrous for the vulnerable population served by the two care facilities. As the legislature prepares to convene January 13, the union is calling on labor and community supporters to urge lawmakers to reject these proposed closures that would harm both public workers and the communities they serve.

TAKE A STAND: Send an email to the state lawmakers who represent you and urge them to reject any proposal to close Yakima Valley School and Rainier School.