Lynn v. Department of Social & Health Services

285 P.3d 178, 170 Wash. App. 535
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedSeptember 5, 2012
DocketNo. 42401-1-II
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 285 P.3d 178 (Lynn v. Department of Social & Health Services) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lynn v. Department of Social & Health Services, 285 P.3d 178, 170 Wash. App. 535 (Wash. Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

Penoyar, J.

¶1 To obtain services from the Department of Social and Health Services (Department) Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), an applicant must have a qualifying developmental disability that constitutes a substantial limitation to the individual. Gregory Lynn is diagnosed with autism, a developmental disability, and multiple mental illnesses, including bipolar I. Lynn sought DDD services, but the Department, an administrative law judge (ALJ), and the Board of Appeals concluded that under the law Lynn was not entitled to benefits because he could not prove that his substantial adaptive functioning impairment was attributable to autism, where Lynn’s mental illnesses also impaired his adaptive functioning.

¶2 In this administrative appeal, Lynn argues (1) that the Department exceeded its statutory authority in promulgating WAC 388-823-0420, which provides that the Department denies services if it cannot determine whether the applicant’s adaptive functioning impairment is caused by the developmental disability or an unrelated mental illness; (2) that the Department’s regulations violate the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101-12213 (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. §§ 701-796Z; and (3) that the Department’s regulations violate [539]*539federal Medicaid laws. We hold that Lynn did not demonstrate that (1) but for his autism he would not have his impairment and (2) a regulatory scheme that limits benefits to those who can demonstrate that their impairment is caused by specified disabilities exceeds its statutory authority or violates the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, or federal Medicaid laws. We affirm.

FACTS

¶3 Lynn is 28 years old. He is diagnosed with autism.1 When he was first diagnosed with autism, the doctor explained that Lynn’s autistic qualities are “mild” in that he “possesses adequate verbal skills for answering concrete questions and for expressing his basic needs” but “lacks subtle [communication] skills that are required to effectively interact with an adult community.” Administrative Record (AR) at 229-30. Lynn is also diagnosed with bipolar I, with his most recent episode being manic with psychotic features.2

¶4 With a few brief exceptions, Lynn was institutionalized at Western State Hospital from 2006 until 2009, when he moved into a group home in Burien.3 During periods when he stopped taking his medication, Lynn acted dangerously: assaulting his parents, self-cutting, drinking antifreeze, attempting to put metal objects into electrical outlets, and removing and attempting to set fire to his clothing in a hotel elevator.

[540]*540¶5 In 2001, Lynn first applied for DDD enrollment. He was found ineligible because at the time, he was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, which is not a qualifying developmental disability. See WAC 388-823-0040. Shortly thereafter, Lynn’s psychologist diagnosed him with autism, and Lynn was found DDD eligible. At the time, DDD eligibility rules did not require evidence of adaptive functioning deficits to qualify for benefits under the autism category. Former WAC 388-825-030(5)(b)(ii), (6)(b)(ii) (1999).

¶6 In 2005, the Department revised its DDD eligibility rules to require individuals with autism to provide specific evidence of adaptive functioning deficits. Wash. St. Reg. 05-12-130 (July 2, 2005). In August 2006, Lynn requested new DDD services from the Department, triggering an automatic eligibility review under the new rules. WAC 388-823-1010(3). The Department denied benefits after it concluded that Lynn did not have a valid autism diagnosis because he lacked early language delays. The Pierce County Superior Court ultimately concluded that the Department had applied the incorrect evidentiary standard and that Lynn had a valid autism diagnosis, remanding back to the Department to determine whether Lynn had adaptive functioning limitations due to autism.

¶7 In January 2009, the Department sent Lynn a new DDD termination notice after a DDD eligibility specialist determined that his mental illness was too severe to determine what portion, if any, of his functional deficits were due to autism. The notice explained that “the Department is unable to determine that Mr. Lynn’s current adaptive functioning is the result of the Autistic Disorder diagnosis because of the extensive and ongoing history of serious mental health problems.” AR at 217.

¶8 Lynn requested an administrative hearing, where the parties agreed that Lynn could be DDD eligible only because of his autism diagnosis. The hearing focused on whether Lynn was eligible under the rules for autism, namely, WAC 388-823-0420’s adaptive function requirements.

[541]*541¶9 Linda Lundsford, a DDD intake and eligibility program manager, testified that regulations allow the Department to deny benefits if it determines that a person’s current adaptive functioning impairment results from a developmental disability because of an unrelated injury or illness. When a person is both mentally and developmentally disabled, it is “very difficult” to establish eligibility, but the Department would consider evidence of qualifying impairments before the outset of the mental illness to determine eligibility. Report of Proceedings (RP) at 158-59. She added that it is generally impossible to distinguish between the limitations attributable to autism versus a coexisting mental illness. She stated that if a person is dually diagnosed with a developmental disability and a mental illness, the Department would accept a qualifying Vineland Behavior Scales adaptive functioning test score if the person was “considered cured” or “no longer experiencing any effects of that mental illness.” RP at 162.

¶10 Dr. Gene McConnachie, DDD’s psychologist, opined that “probably primarily I think the major mental illness in my professional opinion is the cause of [Lynn’s] substantial functional deficits. And that’s from reading his record, not the autistic disorder.” RP at 100. Dr. McConnachie then testified that “we’ll never know what was due to autism, what’s due to the mental illness, bipolar disorder or other illnesses, and there’s no way to separate out the impact of which is causing how much of what.” RP at 138.

¶11 Dr. Wendy Marlowe conducted a Vineland-II Behavioral Scales adaptive functioning test for Lynn in July 2008. Her test relied on interviewing Lynn’s parents, since he had lived with them until 2005, and interviewing Lynn’s care provider. Dr. Marlowe did not review any of Lynn’s mental health records from Western State Hospital. The test concluded that Lynn had substantial limitations in adaptive function. Dr. Marlowe opined that the autism was the primary cause of his functioning limitations.

¶12 The ALJ concluded that Lynn was not eligible for DDD services. The ALJ concluded that it could not consider [542]*542Dr. Marlowe’s test results because of Lynn’s mental illness and, thus, he failed to meet his burden:

[I]t is the ultimate conclusion of the Tribunal that the January 6,2009 termination of DDD benefits to [Lynn] was the result required by application of the Department’s regulations, which the undersigned Administrative Law Judge must apply as the first source of law. WAC 388-02-0220.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Steve Baumgarten v. Seattle Police Dept
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2020
Babysalome T. Gamble v. Dshs
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2014

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
285 P.3d 178, 170 Wash. App. 535, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lynn-v-department-of-social-health-services-washctapp-2012.