The personal information of up to 7,000 households receiving assistance from the state Department of Social and Health Services ( DSHS ) was sent in error to incorrect or old addresses , according the state Economic Services Administration ( ESA ) . The administration confirmed in a news statement released Thursday that the private information of at least 2,600 and possibly up to 7,000 client households may have been compromised when a coding error caused letters to be mailed to previous addresses . The letters were mailed between Aug. 19 and Oct. 26 when the error was discovered and corrected , according to the state . ESA said the majority of the letters contained the clients name , address and identification number . Some , however , may have also included home phone numbers , contact information , date of birth , Social Security number , medical diagnosis or disability , other medical , chemical dependency or treatment information , employment or earnings information , and what public - assistance services the client was receiving . ;