SPS Resolution on Racial Equity - Letter of Support

BHT wrote the Spokane Public Schools Board in support of the adoption of the Board resolution on racial equity. The letter is copied below:

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To:      
School Board President, Jerrall Haynes
School Board Vice President, Michael Wiser
School Board Member, Nicki Lockwood
School Board Member, Jenny Slagle
School Board Member, Kevin Morrison

From: Alison Poulsen, Executive Director

Date:   June 9, 2020

RE:       Support for School Board Resolution on Racial Equity

On behalf of the Board and staff of Better Health Together (BHT), we strongly support the proposed Resolution on Racial Equity. BHT is committed to ensuring every person in our community has the institutional support to achieve their full health potential and that no person experiences negative health outcomes as a result of identity, environment, or experiences. 

Over the past two years, BHT has committed our work to increase health equity through our Medicaid Transformation efforts. These efforts include:

• Financially supporting our Community Voices Council members with stipends. It’s often an unfair financial burden to community members to participate, while organizations pay for their leaders to participate.

• Organizationally supporting our county-based Collaboratives to select a community Equity project. The Spokane Collaborative has prioritized activities related to: 

  • outreach to policymakers and landlords regarding rental assistance needs emerging during COVID; 

  • parent & caregiver support trainings in the 99207 zip code, and connecting those trainings to resources & incentives such as food and financial assistance; and

  • creating messaging about available mental health resources while mental health stigma may be lessened during COVID.

• Structuring our contracts with Primary Care and Behavioral Health providers to include Pay-for-Equity activities.

• Deepening our BHT staff and Board’s commitment to equity via monthly equity trainings and workgroups focused on expanding knowledge and dismantling white supremacy culture.

We stand with Spokane Schools to build anti-racism into the bones of our society to increase empowerment, belonging, value, and hope for the future (adapted from Ijeoma Olou). We applaud your adoption of this Racial Equity resolution and action steps.

BHT Makes $100K Contribution to COVID-19 Fund

The Better Health Together Board of Directors approved the first allocation of dollars from our Community Resiliency Fund to go to the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund.

The COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Funds will provide funding to organizations that have deep roots in community and strong experience serving the elderly, homeless, residents without health insurance and/or access to sick days, communities of color, people with limited English language proficiency, healthcare, hospitality and gig economy workers, and low-wage employees, among others.

To view the full story click here.

10th Anniversary of the Affordable Care Act

On its tenth anniversary, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is helping our state provide health care during a pandemic.

Being at the center of the COVID-19 pandemic shows how critical it is for Washington State to have a strong health system. A virus does not discriminate, and we need everyone, regardless of their income, to be able to access health care to keep us all safe.

Passed by Congress 10 years ago this week, the ACA has helped 600,000 uninsured Washingtonians get health coverage and care. While there’s not a lot for health care providers to celebrate right now, we do want to honor this anniversary and stand strong to protect the ACA.

The Affordable Care Act enabled Washington State to significantly expand Medicaid coverage, greatly increasing health care access and resources. This has been particularly important for access to dental care as the number of Medicaid-insured adults accessing dental care each year has more than doubled since the state expanded Medicaid. In total, our state’s expanded health care safety net now provides health care to more than 1.7 million patients.

The ACA has also increased access to health services that are critical in addressing our state’s homelessness and opioid crises. The ACA created more funding for mental health and substance use treatment, and rural hospitals have been able to remain open thanks to Medicaid expansion. 

Better Health Together launched the Navigator network in 2013 with the audacious goal of enrolling 10,000 participants in qualified healthcare plans. Within the first two years, the Network dramatically exceeded this number, enrolling more than 100,000 participants. Because of this work, more than 96% of our Eastern Washington region now has insurance coverage.

Our network’s tremendous success comes from the web of diverse partners connected across our region. This vast network of partners, which represents many sectors has reached population segments including un/underinsured people, older adults, people with disabilities, low-income individuals and families, people experiencing homelessness, foster youth, prison and re-entry populations, people with limited English proficiency, migrant workers, small businesses, rural populations, and the region’s diverse racial/ethnic populations.

Unfortunately, the ACA has been under attack for the past several years. Federal threats to weaken it put millions of people at risk of losing access to health care. But the fact is that people depend on coverage provided by the ACA. Global health care emergencies such as the coronavirus show how much our health is connected to everyone around us. Washington State policymakers must protect the advances gained through the ACA to ensure that everyone in our state can access health care, keeping us all safer.

Pay-for-Equity Menu Released

On March 5th, BHT finalized our Pay-for-Equity Menu. Organizations who completed our Equity Assessment now have the opportunity to commit to a Pay-for-Equity item that they will implement in their organization. Committing to an activity earns additional financial assistance from BHT, as well as 8 hours of free Technical Assistance from our Equity TA Bank, made up of consultants who can offer trainings and facilitation to support your equity work. 

Partners will be invited to select an activity via survey in early April. As a reminder for Partnering Providers, this is a requirement in your contract. 

BHT will be updating our website soon to add an Equity page where we can list resources and information about our TA partners – stay tuned for that reveal!

Noise Ordinance to Protect Health Care Facilities - Letter of Support

BHT wrote the Spokane City Council members in support of the changes to the noise ordinance being considered on Monday, March 2, 2020. Please see the letter, copied below.

RE: Proposed Noise Ordinance to Protect Health Care Facilities

Dear City Council Members:

We support the proposed changes before City Council give the City of Spokane greater authority to enforce the City’s noise ordinance and protect health care patients and staff.

As the Accountable Community of Health (ACH) organization responsible for the Medicaid Transformation efforts in Eastern Washington, BHT is charged with implementing efforts to improve the health of our region. For the past five years, we’ve connected, convened, and financially supported health care providers in our region to accomplish this goal.

We strongly believe that reproductive health care is health care. Better Health Together is proud to partner with Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho to improve the health of our Spokane community. In addition to the critical work they do for reproductive health, in the last year Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho has expanded to offer mental health services, a severe shortage in our community, as well as increased primary care services.

City Council member Lori Kinnear’s ordinance to address noise at health care facilities will help protect the health and safety of our community members accessing health care in Spokane. The proposed changes before City Council give the City of Spokane greater authority to enforce the City’s noise ordinance and a private right of action for impacted staff and patients.

Thank you for your consideration,

Alison Poulsen
Executive Director
Better Health Together