OLYMPIA, Wash. — Some residents in Spokane County can now apply for the WA Cares Fund pilot program, which will offer early access to the long-term benefits they have been paying into since 2023.
“The WA Cares team has spent years preparing to provide a user-friendly, seamless experience for applicants and beneficiaries,” said WA Cares Fund Director Ben Veghte. “The program has already made improvements based on public input, like creating a process for workers who leave Washington to access benefits out of state. The pilot is another opportunity for us to learn directly from the people we serve and address their feedback.”
The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) says a small group of residents in Lewis, Mason, Thurston and Spokane counties can apply for early access before the benefits become available statewide starting in July…