Washington State’s House Health Care and Wellness Committee considers issues relating to the accessibility and affordability of health care as well as a broad range of issues relating to the provision of physical and mental health care services, long-term care, and strategies to promote better health.
Since they also have legislative responsibility for state public health programs, they visit rural regions throughout our state with the express purpose of learning about the creative problem-solving efforts of the communities they visit.
Recently, Rep. Barbara Bailey, who has served on the HHC&W Committee since 2003, welcomed the committee on a visit to Island County on one such fact-finding tour. Several representatives of the Island County Health Department, Whidbey General Hospital and community initiative groups were on hand to provide tours and educational presentations as well as answer questions. The committee heard positive solutions to long standing problems, and learned about successful initiatives happening in our county.
We wanted to impress upon the legislators how necessary our rural health system is in caring for Island County’s citizens. Local participants were given the opportunity to speak to their elected representatives about legislation that might help our local system as well as address concerns about proposed legislation. Topics of particular interest to the committee included:
What are the health needs of our community?
How well is the current system working in addressing those needs?
How is care coordinated within/between systems?
What are the biggest health-related challenges for our community and how are they being addressed?
What needs are still going unmet?
How are budget reductions impacting community health and how is Island County adapting to various cuts?
For example, Island County Mental Health Community Health Advisory Board members Celine Servatius and Chuck Scurlock discussed community issues such as the assessment process and examples of issues and ownership for addressing them (partnering with various partners). They also shared the work of some successful focus groups such as Environmental Health Assessment Team (EHAT) issues, Children’s Issues (Children’s Commission), and Chronic Disease Issues (Action Communities for Health, Innovation, and Environmental change or ACHIEVE).
ACHIEVE members Michele Renninger and Carrie McLachlan talked about passing a successful resolution on policy strategies to promote health eating and active living, tobacco-free park areas.
Also, there was a tour of the North Whidbey Community Clinic under the leadership of Dr. Haigh Fox.
These stops were part of a larger tour that visited health care facilities in Snohomish and Skagit counties as well. The committee left better informed about our rural health care needs.
Trish Rose represents Whidbey General Hospital in public relations and marketing.
