September 2025 Monthly Newsletter

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Webinars

The WA Cares Fund provides working Washingtonians a way to earn access to long-term care benefits that will be available when they need them. It will cover most of the need for some people, while for others it will provide breathing room during one of life’s most challenging stages, giving the family time to develop a plan.

Join us for our upcoming webinar WA Cares Basics: What Workers Need to Know from 11 a.m.- noon on Oct. 8. We will cover:

• What long-term care includes
• How caregiving responsibilities impact families and the workplace
• Who contributes to the fund
• How exemptions work
• Contribution requirements

Register today.

This will include an opportunity for audience Q&A and include live captioning. Simultaneous translations in ASL, Chinese (Mandarin), Spanish, Ukrainian and Russian will be available.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the webinar 

Acompañe al equipo de WA Cares el 25 de septiembre, de 12:00 – 1:00 p.m., en un seminario en español sobre Fundamentos de WA Cares: Lo que los trabajadores deben saber. El seminario web cubrirá lo que incluye el cuidado a largo plazo, cómo afectan las responsabilidades de cuidado a las familias y al trabajo, quiénes contribuyen al fondo, cómo cumplirán los trabajadores con los requisitos de contribución, qué beneficios están cubiertos y más. 

Inscríbase ya. 

More than 800,000 Washingtonians provide care to a loved one. Many of us provide care out of both necessity and love, and do so without thinking twice. Whether you’re picking up groceries for your neighbor or helping your dad manage his medications—you are a caregiver.

Through the WA Cares Fund, if the person you're caring for has earned WA Cares benefits, you can apply to become a paid caregiver—even if you're caring for your own spouse.

Join us for our upcoming webinar, Spotlight on Paid Family Caregiving with WA Cares from 11 – noon on Oct. 23.

We will cover:

• Who is eligible
• How WA Cares can help
• Steps to becoming a paid family caregiver
• Additional support and services available
• Resources for caregivers.

Register today.

This will include an opportunity for audience Q&A and include live captioning. Simultaneous translations in ASL, Chinese (Mandarin), Spanish, Ukrainian and Russian will be available.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the webinar.

Featured video

ICYMI: WA Cares Basics: What Providers Need to Know. We discussed WA Cares program works, the types of providers who will be able to register their services, minimum qualifications and requirements and how to register. Watch the replay on YouTube. This webinar is also available in ASL.

Monthly FAQ: How do I become a registered WA Cares provider?

Providers who meet minimum qualifications for one of our covered services will be able to apply starting Oct. 1. Once your application is approved, you will contract with either the Department of Social and Health Services or an Area Agency on Aging, depending on the service and location. After your contract is in place, DSHS will issue your registration and you'll be able to start serving WA Cares beneficiaries as soon as benefits become available. Learn more in our monthly news item. 

Rulemaking

• WA Cares finalized rules for a new chapter of Washington Administrative Code (WAC), chapter 388-116 WAC. The rules address general provisions, including definitions of approved services, beneficiary eligibility determinations, and requirements to provide approved services. The adopted rules will go into effect on Sept. 22.
• WA Cares filed proposed rules under WSR 25-16-096 to address payments and reimbursements for approved services, notices of department determinations, and administrative hearings for beneficiaries and providers. A public hearing will be held at 10 a.m. on Sept. 9.
• WA Cares filed a notice for proposed rulemaking under WSR 25-16-078. The proposed rulemaking addresses the WA Cares Fund pilot beginning in Jan. 2026.
• WA Cares posted new draft rule text for informal review on the rulemaking webpage for the pilot beginning Jan. 1. We encourage interested parties to review the material and provide feedback by email to Arielle Finney.

An interested parties meeting will be held at 11 a.m. on Sept. 3 to review and receive feedback on the draft rule text. Register to attend. Please submit feedback by Sept. 4.

Sign up for rulemaking notifications for future rulemaking activities.

LTSS Trust Commission

The Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Commission, which works on behalf of Washington employees and long-term care stakeholders to improve, monitor and implement WA Cares, will hold a Commission meeting from 1-4 p.m. on Sept. 17. Find meeting details and learn more about the Commission.  

Request a speaker

Interested in an in-person or virtual presentation on WA Cares for your staff, HR professionals, managers, professional/community organization, or other group in 2025? Fill out our speaker request form and we will get back to you with our staff’s availability.