by Pierce County Coalition for Developmental Disabilities, Tacoma Daily Index
(read the full story here)

A grant program helps local families plan for the future to create living solutions for their loved ones with IDD. Image credit Ian Coble, via Partners4Housing

Housing is the foundation for a good life. That’s why the Pierce County Coalition for Developmental Disabilities (PC2) is pleased to be working with Partners4Housing to help thousands of families move closer to a housing solution for their loved ones with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD).

For too many people with IDD, securing suitable housing can be a struggle. Our state is home to more than 48,000 adults with IDD; 70% of them live at home with family caregivers, according to a recent ECONorthwest report.

We passionately believe it is everyone’s right to have a say in where and how they live. Yet in our county and our state, the wait lists for Section 8 housing vouchers are long, and families often struggle to access the benefits their family members are entitled to.

In fact, only 57% of adults with IDD receive any benefits from Washington’s Developmental Disabilities Association (DDA) – not because they don’t qualify, but because families face huge challenges navigating the benefit silos, and understanding what their loved one is eligible for, including Social Security, DDA benefits, food benefits, and Section 8 housing subsidies.

The good news? Due to a grant from the Dan Thompson Memorial Fund, help is available, in the form of free Benefits And Housing Reviews from Partners4Housing. Partners4Housing has been working to empower families to create housing solutions that meet the unique needs of their loved one. We are honored to be partnering with them to make these Benefits And Housing Reviews available at no cost to over 6,600 families in Washington.

One local family completed a Benefits And Housing Review with Pam Blanton at Partners4Housing. The process helped them understand what their son needed to live independently, how they could afford it, and how to make a resilient plan as his needs change.

“Before we started working with Partners4Housing, I didn’t feel there were very many options,” said Nancy. “I think we believed our son would be living at home forever.”

“I would advise families to start early,” Nancy’s husband Tom added, “because you never know how long it will take to find the right setting and the right financial situation.

Nancy, who is on the staff of Pierce County Coalition for Developmental Disabilities, sees these free RAs as an excellent opportunity to help more families solve the daunting challenge of helping their Loved One live independently.

Pierce County is home to close to 4,500 adults with IDD who face potential housing insecurity now or in the coming years. This grant, made available through the state, is a huge step forward in helping families create a more secure future for their loved one.

Yet so much more needs to be done. Washington State ranks 39th in benefits and service for people with IDD. We can do better. We must do better. Business and non-profit partnerships like this are just one way we will create a more secure housing future for people with IDD.

If you have a loved one with IDD who is 17 ½ years of age or older, please sign up now for your free Benefits And Housing Review at https://www.pc2online.org/Home/PartnersForHousing.

– Pierce Co. Coalition for Developmental Disabilities