(1) Within funds appropriated for this purpose, the developmental disabilities administration shall increase home visits for clients identified as having the highest risk of abuse and neglect.

(2)(a) The developmental disabilities administration must develop a process to determine which of its clients who receive an annual developmental disabilities assessment are at highest risk of abuse or neglect. The administration may consider factors such as:

(i) Whether the client lives with the client's caregiver and receives no other developmental disabilities administration services, or whether the client is largely or entirely dependent on a sole caregiver for assistance, and the caregiver is largely or entirely dependent on the client for his or her income;

(ii) Whether the client has limited ability to supervise the caregiver, to express himself or herself verbally, has few community contacts, or no independent person outside the home is identified to assist the client;

(iii) Whether the client has experienced a destabilizing event such as hospitalization, arrest, or victimization;

(iv) Whether the client has been the subject of an adult protective services or child protective services referral in the past year; or

(v) Whether the client lives in an environment that jeopardizes personal safety.

(b) The developmental disabilities administration must visit those clients identified as having the highest risk of abuse or neglect at least once every four months, including unannounced visits as needed. This unannounced visit may replace a scheduled visit; however if the case manager is unable to meet with the client, a follow-up visit must be scheduled. A client may refuse to allow an unannounced visit to take place, but this fact must be noted.

(3) The developmental disabilities administration may develop rules to implement this section.

Finding—2016 c 172: See note following RCW 43.382.005.