Grassroots Update: Current Wins, Coming Priorities, and Future Preparedness

At WHCA, we have been closely following the early outline of the 2026 legislative session as it begins to take shape. As in years past, the state’s budgetary crisis remains front and center, driving many of the challenges our providers—who deliver quality care day after day—will face.

We are actively working to mitigate these challenges and build a more stable legislative and regulatory future for long-term care. To that end, we have been engaging our members across several advocacy initiatives, including our electronic email campaign urging Governor Ferguson to include long-term care in his December budget proposal, our Pre-Session Survey to keep an ear to the ground on emerging issues, and our focused company-specific advocacy training in December.

Our email advocacy campaign is driving results; thank you to all who have reached out. We encourage you to join us to ensure the Governor’s Office and legislators hear us as a unified, powerful voice. Send a message now.

Our pre-session survey is a pulse check that will help us educate policymakers. The survey was distributed to all Washington skilled nursing and assisted living facility administrators. The submission deadline is November 24; respondents will be eligible for a gift card drawing.

If you’d like more information or would like to schedule advocacy training for your teams, please reach out to Aidan Swayne, WHCA Government Relations Coordinator.

Thank you for all you do to protect long-term care and the Washingtonians who rely on it.