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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reinstated certification for a portion of Rainier School in Buckley, a residential habilitation center for adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
The recertification comes after nearly a year of work to implement improvements at the facility’s Program Area Team (PAT) C. In April 2018, CMS surveyors told the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) PAT C was unable to come into compliance with three conditions of participation. DSHS appealed the decision and entered into a settlement agreement with its federal partners. The settlement agreement allowed the agency the time needed to secure resources to work with consultants, hire more employees and provide additional training to existing staff.
In our mission to transform lives, our top priorities include caring for the people in our state-operated facilities as well as serving people in their home communities. The staff at Rainier have worked hard to improve PAT C and we appreciate all their effort. As we continue looking ahead to right-sizing our facilities, our goal is to help each resident reach their full potential in the settings that best meet their needs.
Earlier this month CMS decertified another unit at Rainier School known as PAT A. DSHS is appealing that decertification. A third unit (PAT E) remains in federal compliance and was certified October 2018.
Each of the three Rainier School PATs receive approximately $1 million each per month in federal Medicaid funds.
Rainier School opened in 1939 and is one of the four state-operated residential habilitation centers for adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Located in Buckley and operated by DDA, Rainier School spans more than 1,000 acres and houses approximately 250 residents.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions, or if you would like additional information.
Evelyn Perez, Developmental Disabilities Administration Assistant Secretary
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