In 2025, the state legislature passed Senate Bill 5393 entitled “Closing the Rainier school by June 30, 2027.” To implement the bill, the Department of Social and Health Services limited new admissions to those with a short-term need starting in July 2025 and will stop new admissions July 1, 2027. Learn more about SB 5393, and read the 2025 legislative report.
As a part of this process, DSHS sought public comments on mitigating the effects of closing Rainier School at an unspecified future date, and any potential impacts of the sale, transfer, or alternative use of the property. A formal public comment period was open for ninety days through Oct. 31, 2025.
Public comments summary
152 respondents self-identified as one or more categories:
Parent/Guardian: 49
DSHS/RHC Employee: 49
Advocate: 73
Client/Other: 54
We asked the following questions.
Continue services as a residential facility or increase population; rename it (51 comments)
“Best use is for what it is, a place for people with developmental and mental disabilities to be taken care of and treated with dignity and respect. There are not enough resources out there for those in crisis. We have more than enough space instead of new construction; use the existing empty houses to help those in emergency situations similar to the program that helped those that lived in our Klamath house.”
Sell it/lease it and reinvest in I/DD services in the community or commercial use (18 comments)
“Use for other populations besides individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The campus is seriously run down and it is not efficient to run it for so few people.”
Use the campus and expertise to train community residential staff and/or families (8 comments)
“Use the campus as a training facility for direct care staff supporting people with DD/ID, DDA case managers and DDA supervisors. A variety of trainings could be offered, including multi-day trainings with staff staying on campus overnight. There is an incredible lack of training throughout the field of disabilities, and this could become a great resource.”
Recognize a person’s right to choose this service – power and choice (5 comments)
“Assure that clients needing services that can only be provided continue to receive those services. For some residents this is the only home they have ever known. Rainier staff along with DSHS and guardians have worked diligently to move clients into the community but there are some clients whose needs cannot be met safely in the community. There are also clients who are choosing to stay. We must assure that Power and Choice decisions are recognized and respected.”
Medicaid cuts will make it harder for people to access care and services (2 comments)
“It needs to be set up and used for the community. Not be storage. It’s perfect for what it’s being used for now and always has been. We don’t have resources and with Medicaid/Medicare being taken from us, we need this more than ever for these folks who should be treated as humans and not dollar signs.”
Don’t shut it down; no safe, affordable places available (30 comments)
“The community needs resources and funding in order to absorb the impacts of this closure. Supporting the individuals who currently reside or are supported by this program takes exceptional skill, coordinated care, safe spaces, high training needs of providers, medical support and cross systems navigation. There are currently no effective, affordable, available, safe places in our community for people to be able to have opportunities to be able to access less restrictive options in the community. Furthermore, the training and coordination of the workforce to be able to dedicate to this population is grossly underpaid, under trained and under supported, leaving our community members who currently require this facility at serious risk of harm, abuse, neglect and other problems that will not go away even if Rainier School does. The problems that have plagued this facility and program will just dissipate and become less visible, less managed and less funded.”
Need community crisis support and RHC supports replicated in community (18 comments)
“To mitigate the negative impact of closing this RHC or any RHC, appropriate community options for addressing crisis support must be identified and maintained. Community 'hubs' of supported opportunities (recreation, employment, health care, education, etc.....) must be established - that provide access for all, not just those without behavioral challenges. Those with ASD/IDD experiencing low to no communicative ability suffer the most extreme exclusions even to appropriate health and dental care. Finding competent providers who will serve this population is extremely difficult. RHCs have the added benefit of bringing providers and care workers together for mutual support in providing multi-faceted care. This needs to be replicated in the community to help improve safety, competency, and transparency. Transition support and training must be provided for at least one year and alternative options identified when those strategies are not successful.”
There will be deep economic impacts especially jobs (11 comments)
“The transition away from institutional care for people with developmental disabilities at Rainier School represents both a moral imperative and a complex logistical challenge. Success will be measured not only by improved outcomes for individuals with developmental disabilities, but also by how effectively the state protects the economic stability of Buckley, preserves meaningful employment for dedicated state workers, and maintains essential municipal services.”
Raze/close/privatize/sell it or study how to close it (10 comments)
“Privatize the services! In many sectors contractors can provide services more effectively and sometimes less expensively.”
Respect individual power and choice (5 comments)
“Keep it open but evolve its purpose, Open to the needs in the Community, don’t force those out that want to stay just evolve. Allow supported living agency’s to rent out homes. Give more choices for high needs individuals.”
I/DD has been underfunded for decades and should be a funding priority (4 comments)
“There isn’t enough money to do what’s needed for the IDD community in general. It has been underfunded for decades, band aids. Our state ranks in the bottom of the nation for their support of this community. Make a commitment to this community, take the time it requires to fix what is wrong, to build it from the bottom up. Stop being held hostage by the industries that you are tied to…Employment and Providers. Fix it, make it whole, look at the successes of other state!”
People who want it closed have never stepped foot or won’t use it (3 comments)
“You’re not only be putting the clients of Rainier school pretty much out on the street but also a lot of the staff that work Rainier school will lose their homes, their families will be unable to be provided for. Everyone who wants this closed down has never been to Rainier or spent time with the staff or some of the clients. And when you do visit, you visit certain clients that do not have behaviors that cannot be handled out in a community setting of a group home.”
Loss of jobs, economic loss for Buckley and surrounding areas (31 comments)
“(I’m concerned about) the client care and the economic impact on the surrounding communities and the employees who have devoted their lives to this.”
Where will clients go; loss of safe housing and essential services (31 comments)
“Many of the residents at Rainier have complex support needs that require highly specialized care and a structured environment. Uprooting them from a place where they have stability, relationships, and trusted care could result in severe emotional distress, loss of progress, and a decline in their overall quality of life.”
Harm, mistreatment, injury caused by escalation of isolation due to overstrained community system for those with high needs; safe community placement may not be available especially for those with high needs (30 comments)
“(I’m concerned about) escalation of isolation and injury due to overstrained community placement system.”
The need will always be there; without Rainier, people will end up in jail, homeless or stuck in a hospital and families need the help (13 comments)
“The community is not safe for all individuals. It's never been a one size fits all. Too many end up in the hospital, jail, or homeless. Rainier is a better option.”
No concerns as everyone there can be adequately supported elsewhere; make sure clients transition to an appropriate setting (10 comments)
“Community-based services — when properly funded and supported — lead to improved outcomes in health, autonomy, and social connection. States that have closed institutions and reinvested in community living have seen people with disabilities gain greater control over their lives, establish deeper relationships, and participate more fully in society.”
Ensure that the money will go to support I/DD or go into the Dan Thompson Memorial account (5 comments)
“We believe that all of the funds created from the sale, transfer or alternative use of the property should be deposited into the Dan Thompson Memorial Trust Account. The reason this Account was originally created was and still is to have the resource continue to directly benefit the community and provide stability for people with disabilities.”
Protect client rights and choices (someone telling clients how they should live) (4 comments)
“There is concern that the plan to close Rainier will be a lengthy and convoluted process, which could be detrimental to the clients living at Rainier as the population decreases, potentially making it even more isolating. There is also concern that the closure could be sped up for other reasons (similar to the former PATS) where the transition process will be rushed and the clients will not have as much choice as a longer transition timeline.”
Don’t close Rainier School/thrift shop/jobs as they provide excellent care (32 comments)
“Rainier School also has a Rainier Thrift and Gift store on the campus grounds that employs many clients in a job training program to help them obtain viable skills they might use if they were to move to the community. The community supports our program as well through private donations regular shopping. Community members were outraged the first time you tried to shut us down last year, knowing the benefits the clients who reside here receive.”
Closing is a step in the right direction; this is a long-time coming; be creative - residents deserve better choices (20 comments)
“Be creative. People with IDD deserve to live the life they choose in the community. And until there is sufficient community infrastructure, this building can be used to support those that need short term help for crisis, need respite and/or short term housing, just to name a few supports. One day, I hope that all the RHC's could be shut down completely, but that won't happen until there are adequately funded services, supports and housing in every county in the state.”
Find other ways to save/land is worth more than demolish or closure/use state-owned land before leasing or buying more (6 comments)
“As a State employee we are all supposed to be stewards of the budget. Why is the State spending millions on buying and leasing new properties instead of investing in properties they already own? It is not fiscally responsible. With the millions of dollars spent buying, leasing and remodeling buildings, Rainier School could have become whatever was needed.”
Evolve; use buildings for other purposes (5 comments)
“I am guardian to multiple individuals, Some had lived at Rainier school and other RHC. It served a purpose and my clients had a choice to move. But not having a place to stabilize and get medication reduction support has led to some jail time and or hospital stays. If stabilization services were available could have been prevented. Open Rainier school to serve this population. Don't close evolve its purpose.”
Don’t overload strained community support like jails and hospitals and fund I/DD services statewide (5 comments)
“My biggest worry is over loading the hospitals , courts, jails with special needs people. Here at Rainier they have the protection, safety and health concerns met without over taxing the police, hospitals, fire departments. Hospitals are already overwhelmed and keeping the special needs people in there one on one does not help. If Rainier closes we will see more and more strain on all the above.”
Rainier School is an asset and closing it is a money grab (4 comments)
“This is a money grab and has nothing to do with caring for the developmentally disabled.”
Dismantle leadership; DSHS on wrong track; WA state to be held accountable; legislators and governor has neglected Rainier School and community outrage (3 comments)
“State of Washington needs to be held accountable for protect(ing) mentally disable people, no one ever help my him nor our family during his stay there, my mother complaints were ignored never addressed.”
Consider a full continuum of care for the person’s lifespan and community placement for those with mental health/behavioral health needs, issues will not go away; huge unmet need (3 comments)
“Please consider the full continuum of services and continuity of care that people need throughout their lifespan and as mental and behavioral health needs of an aging society will have on the people with serious mental, developmental, intellectual and other disabilities will require as our funding and workforce decline. This issue will not go away and will not get smaller. We have a huge unmet need and the horrors that these individuals experience outside of Rainier School and other facilities must be addressed adequately for the scope of the need.”
Thank you (2 comments)
“Rainier School continues to provide excellent care for some of our most challenging individuals. I would like to thank all.”