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Telehealth plays an important role in maintaining well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic including within the FCS program. Individuals need mobile devices in order to receive supportive housing and supported employment telehealth services.
In response, the Health Care Authority (HCA) distributed thousands of phones to Washingtonians in need to access telehealth and community resources. Cell phone companies donated the phones with 400 talk minutes and unlimited data at no cost to individuals.
FCS providers, homeless service providers, homeless outreach teams and behavioral health outpatient facilities were some of the organizations HCA used to distribute phones. One facility identified community members experiencing homelessness while struggling without structured resources benefited from receiving the phones.
Donated phones made it easier for individuals enrolled in Apple Health to secure and maintain housing. An elderly individual experiencing a behavioral health crisis found herself on the edge of eviction. Although she was able to find low-income housing, she was unable to coordinate and fund the move. With a phone provided by HCA, she identified a moving company and family member who was willing to cover the expenses. This helped build trust with the behavioral health facility, increasing the chances of participating in a mental health assessment and counseling.
Although the donated cell phones have been distributed, HCA is continuing to look for opportunities to meet the needs of our Apple Health participants. Visit our COVID-19 webpage to learn more about HCA’s response to the pandemic along with resources and information.
 Join us in celebrating 30 years of progress for all on Monday, July 21 at 11 a.m. The program will be broadcasted on TVW. Governor Jay Inslee and Lt. Governor Cyrus Habib will present. Advocates and community leaders will also speak. Musical entertainment, historical video footage, and an interactive panel discussion will follow.
Visit the ADA Celebration Facebook page to share your story.
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is hosting a special two-hour webinar related to the ADA and people with substance use disorders and mental health disorders. The statistics are staggering. According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 9.2 million adults are living with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. The Harvard Medical School's Harvard Health Blog notes in its article “Working on Addiction in the Workplace" that over 22 million Americans are currently in recovery from alcohol and other drug use disorders. The article further states that more than 70 percent of individuals who actively use alcohol or drugs continue to function on the job. This webinar will introduce how the ADA applies to addiction in three phases of employment: pre-offer, post-offer, and employment and use scenarios to discuss and illustrate the application of the ADA as it relates to alcohol, opioids, cocaine and marijuana.
Webinar details
- Wednesday, July 29
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Register
The Washington Low Income Housing Alliance (WLIHA) will host weekly calls relating to the impact that COVID-19 is having on individuals who are homeless or unstably housed. As we know, renters all over Washington are struggling to keep a roof over their heads, many having lost their only income, and many worried about what happens when federal unemployment insurance runs out at the end of the month. Luckily, our state moratorium protects renters from eviction for nonpayment of rent.
The Housing Alliance is currently convening weekly housing and homelessness stakeholder calls for the foreseeable future to share information, resources and strategies to help individuals that are homeless or unstably housed.
Call details
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