NEW REPORT SHOWS THAT KEEPING YAKIMA VALLEY SCHOOL OPEN SAVES MORE MONEY THAN CLOSING IT

The numbers don’t lie.

Advocates for Yakima Valley School and other residential habilitation centers caring for this state’s most profoundly developmentally disabled citizens have come out with a new report that shows that keeping Yakima Valley School open will save taxpayers more than twice what closure would.

What many haven’t realized is that closing an institution doesn’t mean the state no longer has to pay out money to care for the clients. They plan to shift residents to private nursing homes.

In doing that, the state would only save $1.5 million—and cause transfer trauma deaths and a number of other bad effects to residents.

But the new report shows that in all situations, RHCs are the most cost-effective alternative versus private nursing homes.

The report shows that using Yakima Valley School to its full capacity would actually generate savings of between $1.5 million and $3.5 million. The savings come because of the use of the 60 percent of the funding that comes from the federal government.

The cost per resident now is about $499 a day, of which the state pays $199. If Yakima Valley School were to increase to 112 “resident days,” the cost goes down to $472. An increase to 128 “resident days” brings the total daily cost to $386, or which the state’s portion is $154.

The cost could actually be lower with the new Obama federal economic stimulus dollars. With that money, the state’s cost would decrease to 33 percent of the total.

As the report concludes:

“Smarter management, efficiencies of scale, transparency and accountability in the cost of services provided by DSHS will give the greatest return for state tax dollars invested in the care of vulnerable citizens.”

READ THE "SMART MANAGEMENT" REPORT here.

Call NOW! 800-562-6000
It doesn't make "cents" to cut Yakima Valley School. Urge them to SUPPORT Yakima Valley School.

Calls are also needed directly to the budget writers’ offices:

House Ways & Means
Linville (D-42), Chair; Ericks (D-1), V-Chair; *Alexander (R-20); **Bailey (R-10); **Dammeier (R-25); Chandler (R-15); Cody (D-34); Conway (D-29); Darneille (D-27); Haigh (D-35); Hinkle (R-13); Hunt (D-22); Hunter (D-48); Kagi (D-32); Kenney (D-46); Kessler (D-24); Pettigrew (D-37); Priest (R-30); Ross (R-14); Schmick (R-9); Seaquist (D-26); Sullivan (D-47)

Senate Ways & Means
Prentice (D-11), Chair; Fraser (D-22), V-Chair Capital Budget; Tom (D-48), V-Chair Operating Budget; *Zarelli (R-18); Brandland (R-42); Carrell (R-28); Fairley (D-32); Hewitt (R-16); Hobbs (D-44); Honeyford (R-15); Keiser (D-33); Kline (D-37); Kohl-Welles (D-36); McDermott (D-34); Murray (D-43); Oemig (D-45); Parlette (R-12); Pflug (R-5); Pridemore (D-49); Regala (D-27); Rockefeller (D-23); Schoesler (R-9)

Find more at WFSE.org > Call NOW! > YVS