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During our July Community Collaborative meeting, we opened by reflecting on what Mr. Rogers famously calls “the Helpers” and I am confident that anyone reading this newsletter can be counted among them. Over the past month, I’ve been fortunate to witness countless examples of care, courage and collective action across Washington communities. We hope this newsletter helps you find ways to connect, support one another, and remember that you are part of a community of Helpers across the state. In this edition you will find:
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Our July 9 Community Collaborative meeting provided updates on major federal policy shifts related to Medicaid and SNAP in Washington. Participants also received an overview of Washington’s nine Accountable Communities of Health (ACHs), which support regional coordination of whole-person care and Community Care Hubs.
DOH is seeking five Thought Partners, community leaders who help shape public health policies by centering the voices of communities historically excluded from decision-making. Priority will be given to individuals working with Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latine, Pacific Islander and South Asian communities, and those who work in North Eastern Washington, the Olympic Peninsula and Southwest Washington. Compensation is available.
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Did you know there are nine regional Community Care Hubs across Washington State, each managed by an Accountable Community of Health (ACH)? Community Care Hubs function as a central source for connecting individuals with health care needs and related Social Care Support services. Find out which ACH operates in your area or watch this short video to learn more about the ACHs. |
We Have Rights is a new empowerment campaign to prepare for and safely defend our rights during encounters with Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Washington for All is a new, accessible website that connects you to resources and services available to Communities in Washington State.
As hot weather continues, help your community learn how to find a cooling center and remind them to call 211 for support. For more advice on how to stay safe in the heat, visit the DOH website.
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July 26 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. – LETI is hosting Latino Expo 2025 in Lynnwood featuring community resources, entertainment, local businesses, Latin food, and more.
July 26 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. is the BIPOC Health & Wellness Fair at Eastside Community Center in Tacoma. Come for free health and dental screenings, vaccinations, HIV/STI testing, educational sessions, community resources, giveaways, music, and more.
July 26 from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. ALA Garifuna Women are hosting a Backpack Giveaway providing studnets with essential school supplies. Register here.
July 30 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. join this Healthcare from the Heart event featuring Hepatitis C screening, health and wellness support, haircuts, showers and more at First United Methodist Church of Tacoma.
August 9 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Columbia Valley Community Health (CVCH) in Wenatchee will provide free sports physicals, haircuts, backpacks and school supplies to students in grades K-12.
August 9 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Fiesta de Salud in Yakima will offer vital health screenings, complementary backpacks for kids and free haircuts.
August 13 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Thurston County Resource Hub Block Party will feature free childhood immunizations, health resources, a barber shop, lunch and more.
August 31 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. – Oceania Village Festival at Tukwila Community Center Park will host live music and cultural performances, food and more.
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Support this Community Connections and Re-entry Fair at the Washington Corrections Center for Women. On October 22, Freedom Education Project Puget Sound (FEPPS) and The Village are hosting a community event and are seeking community partners from across the state to table in the areas of mental health, women’s health, parenting, legal and immigration expertise, and financial literacy. Contact lucienspect@fepps.org with questions.
Centro Cultural Mexicano is seeking board members who demonstrate visionary leadership, dedication, and commitment to uplifting communities in East King County! Learn more and express interest here.
The Washington State Health Care Authority and Department of Health are conducting a survey to better understand Washington’s perinatal mental health workforce – professionals who provide care during pregnancy and up to one year after birth to identify gaps and challenges. Take the survey.
HCA is seeking individuals who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ and are or have been recipients of behavioral health programs and services to join a planning committee for the 2026 Say It Out Loud Conference. Reach out to Dakota.Steel@hca.wa.gov by Friday, July 25th.
Each year, the Washington State Public Health Association recognizes distinguished individuals for their contributions to improving the public’s health in Washington. Learn more and submit your nomination.
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If your organization has reduced or ended direct services or laid people off due to a loss of state or federal funding, we want to know about it. Take this brief survey: Tracking the Impact of Funding Loss in Washington Communities.
Washington’s Medicaid program, known locally as Apple Health, covers nearly 2 million residents but faces significant federal changes starting mid‑2025. Review this summary of changes due to federal cuts, and this fact sheet, which includes a high-level timeline of when changes go into effect.
This 2025 End of Session Report from the Prevention Alliance provides a summary of the Washington State 2025 legislative session, an overview of the operating budget and revenue package passed by the legislature, and the outcomes for health strategies.
HHS Announced Changes to Federal Public Benefits preventing undocumented immigrants from accessing programs like Head Start, community health centers, mental health and substance use treatment, Title X family planning, and more. DOH and other state agencies are assessing impacts on state services.
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Are you a community-based perinatal health provider serving at risk communities? You may be eligible for up to a $5000 stipend (reimbursement) from Washington DOH for training, registration or licensure fees, supplies, or providing care to clients unable to pay. Learn more and apply by July 22, 2025 at 8 a.m.
Northwest Health Foundation has a new cycle of Advancing Disability Justice Grants. Organizations must be serve communities in Southwest Washington. First-time grant seekers and emerging disabled BIPOC-led organizations are especially encouraged to apply! Learn more and apply by July 29 at 10 p.m.
The US Department of Agriculture Rural Community Development Initiative Grants are available to improve housing, community facilities, and community and economic development projects in rural areas of fewer than 50,000 people. Contact Kirk Pearson, Washington State Director with questions. Apply by August 7.
School’s Out Washington has grants available to ensure Office of Refugee Resettlement eligible children are prepared to succeed in formal schooling, strengthen academic performance, and aid the social adjustment of newly arriving refugee youth and their families.
Cambia Health Foundation has opened Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Health Care Workforce. Cambia is particularly interested in supporting primary care teams working to optimize collaboration with people being served, providing effective care management, and focusing on both individual and population health. Apply by August 14, at 5:00 p.m.
Thriving Together North Central Washington has $250,000 in Vital Conditions grant funding available. Learn more and apply by August 31.
Wash. Department of Commerce is funding healing-centered, culturally and community specific support services for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and unserved individuals who have experienced hurt, harm or crime. Eligibility is restricted to applicants that can demonstrate they are culturally based, directed, and substantially controlled by individuals from the specific BIPOC/unserved population served. Learn more and apply by Sept. 2, 2025 at noon.
Wash. Department of Commerce is soliciting applications for $70M in affordable housing projects from community-based organizations, housing authorities, federally recognized tribes, and local governments for the creation of new housing units, purchase and rehabilitation of new housing units, affordability subsidies, and down payment assistance for low-income households in Washington. Review the Notice of Funding Availability for funding requirements and priorities, the process for submission and key dates.
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Toxic chemicals may be hiding in makeup. Kohl, kajal, and surma are traditional eyeliners worn by adults and children in local immigrant and refugee communities, including the local Afghan community but new research from King County Hazardous Waste Management Program finds dangerously high levels of lead in traditional eyeliners.
988 Lifeline support remains available despite the federal government’s shut down of 988’s LGBTQI+ Youth Subnetwork as of July 17. Additionally, HearMeWA is a program to support young Washingtonians with antiracist, trauma-informed and youth-centered services created by the WA State Attorney General’s Office. Trained crisis counselors will field all calls.
New resources are available from the Washington State Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People (MMIWP) Task Force:
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This 2024 Missing Persons Toolkit can be used to plan awareness, prevention, and intervention strategies.
- The MMIWP Confront Crisis Report summarizes data from 2022 to 2025 and culturally sensitive interviews with individuals with deep knowledge of MMIWP, including family members, survivors, and service providers.
DOH has launched its Community-Driven Outreach (CDO) Initiative Evaluation, highlighting perspectives of organizations participating in the CDO Initiative. Partners share the impact of program activities, how equity was operationalized in the COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery, and activities to support community outreach, engagement, and equity in public health.
DOH is also sharing its CDO Community Conversations Report which provides partner perspectives from a series of community conversations that were conducted across the state in 2024, along with partner profiles and accomplishments.
Gray’s Harbor recently presented “where we've been, what we've learned and where we're headed” to the State Board of Health.
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 A visit with some of the "Helpers" from the CHW Coalition for Migrants and Refugees.
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NOTE: We are working to find balance in the benefits and costs associated with translation. If you would like to share this or any part of this newsletter in another language, please email Community.Collaborative@doh.wa.gov and we will work with you to translate into the language(s) needed.
Estamos trabajando para encontrar un equilibrio entre los beneficios y costos asociados con la traducción. Si desea compartir esto o alguna parte de estos materiales en Español, por favor envíe un correo electrónico a Community.Collaborative@doh.wa.gov y trabajaremos con juntos con usted para traducir.
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