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from https://www.heraldnet.com/2026/09/17/adult-family-home-providers-raise-concerns-over-state-policies/

Adult family home providers raise concerns over state policies
Published 1:30 am Thursday, September 17, 2026

By Jenna Peterson Herald Writer

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Will Geschke / The Herald
State Rep. Sam Low speaks at a town hall regarding adult family homes on Tuesday in Lynnwood.
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Will Geschke / The Herald

Attendees gather at a town hall regarding adult family homes on Tuesday,
Sept. 15, 2026, in Lynnwood, Washington. (Will Geschke / The Herald)

LYNNWOOD rCo More than 100 people operating adult family homes throughout
the state gathered in Lynnwood on Tuesday to discuss state policies that
they say are negatively impacting their businesses.

Adult family homes are residential homes that are licensed to care for
up to six to eight residents, depending on the type of license. In
addition to housing, the facilities provide meals, laundry and personal
care.

Caring Adult Family Homes of the North Sound is an independent,
grassroots group of adult family home providers in the region. While the
event was originally supposed to include five legislators, only State
Rep. Sam Low, R-Lake Stevens, was present Tuesday.

Low recalled first learning about adult family homes in the 1970s, when
his church bus would pick up adults with disabilities in adult family
homes in Everett.

rCLI would get to ride on the bus and learn about their home life and
learn about the situations that they were in, and I continued that for
several decades up into the early 2000s,rCY he said. rCLThis topic is near
and dear to my heart. I know thererCOs a lot of struggles, especially
around the reimbursement area, and I want to hear the struggles yourCOre
going through.rCY

In July, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that a long-standing minimum
wage and overtime exemption for live-in caregivers is unconstitutional.
On Tuesday, providers said that this change isnrCOt financially
sustainable when combined with low reimbursement rates.

rCLWe support fair pay and protection for caregivers rCo they are essential
to quality care,rCY said Damaris Ramirez, an adult family home provider. rCLBut when state requirements increase the cost of providing care, the resources available to meet those requirements must increase as well. Otherwise, good homes will be placed at risk.rCY

Currently, the standard adult family home license allows for up to six residents if the home is large enough. Providers can apply for an
additional license to increase the capacity to eight beds. On Tuesday, providers said that being able to apply for eight beds with the initial license would allow for more financial stability. Currently, inspections
for eight beds can take multiple years, they said.

Michelle Simmons, an adult family home provider in Clark County, said providers are planning on presenting a bill to the state healthcare
committee that would streamline the process.

rCLWe need to care about the providers too and provide that quality of
life and mental health to providers, to caregivers and to the
residents,rCY she said. rCLIncreasing my home to eight beds has allowed me
to do that. ItrCOs given me the money to bring in activities, bring in
extra staff, bring in management so the providers are not completely
worn out.rCY

In 2025, the state Department of Social and Health Services doubled the
annual license fee for adult family homes, from $225 to $450 per bed,
higher than the annual $381 per bed fee for assisted living facilities.
Again, providers said that the increase is placing a financial burden on
their businesses.

Another concern providers raised was a proposal from the state Health
Care Authority to move to a single-vendor system for incontinence and urological supplies for Medicaid patients. The move could save the
healthcare authority $4 million to $8 million per year, according to the Tacoma Daily Index. But providers say that the change could reduce the
quality of supplies, as well as cause many local supply companies to close.

rCLWhat yourCOre going to do is raise the cost of care in this state,rCY said JoAnn Adiele, an adult family home provider in Shoreline. rCLIf we get non-quality care products, our caregivers are going to double up, and
then werCOre going to get cited, and then these people are going to get wounds, theyrCOre going to get more infections, yourCOre going to be sending them to the hospital. This is not a good idea.rCY

As a member of the House healthcare committee, Low said he will bring
the providersrCO concerns to the group in the next legislative session.

rCLIrCOm in the minority, but I will definitely make my voice heard to the chair of the committee, make sure he understands how important this is
to me, how important it is to you and how important it is to my constituents.rCY he said. rCLThatrCOs what I can commit to today.rCY

Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; jenna.peterson@heraldnet.com; X: @jennarpetersonn.

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