The Developmental Disability Specialty Training is a 16-hour training for employees supporting individuals with developmental disabilities in Adult Family Homes and Assisted Living settings. The 16-hour training curriculum began October 1, 2017. Successful completion of this class fulfills the WAC requirements regarding AFH WAC. Attendance is required for all three days of the training.
Participants accomplish finishing the 16-hour training in this way:
- Complete the online training before attending the facilitator-led virtual class, and then;
- Attend the facilitator-led virtual class for three days;
- (In order to obtain the DDST certificate, completion of the previous two steps as well as successful completion of post-class tests is required)
- Access to the online training (website and password) is given when you register for the DD Specialty Training.
The following topics are covered in the online modules and during the in-person class. Required competency testing is included during the in-person class.
- Overview of Developmental Disabilities
- Values of Service Deliver
- Effective Communication
- Introduction to Interactive Planning
- Understanding Behavior
- Crisis Intervention and Prevention
- Overview of Legal Issues and Individual Rights
DDST Registration Process
To find future sessions and register, please click the link below:
Developmental Disability Registration Courses 2025 | Humanitix (Beginning April 2025)
As new sessions are scheduled, they will be posted on the statewide link above. Please check back regularly if you need to register as these trainings fill quickly.
For questions about DD Specialty Training, please e-mail ddst@dshs.wa.gov