 Legislative Session has started! Make sure to check out our website to learn about the legislative process, and how to participate in the 2024 legislative session. Watch out for our legislative priorities which will be posted soon!
Key reminders to be prepared:
- To receive legislative updates and calls to action, subscribe to our newsletter by visiting cha.wa.gov
- Stay informed on the journey of the bills CHA is tracking by visiting our Trello Boards by visiting cha.wa.gov and clicking on the CHA Priorities tab.
- Go to directly to the Washington’s legislative website: www.leg.wa.gov
- Learn more about participating in the legislative process by visiting www.cha.wa.gov/legislative-process.
- Find out who your state representatives are by visiting the Find Your District link.
- Sign up for 2024 Latino Legislative Day.
On December 8th I attended “Coffee with the Superintendent” at Touchet school district. It was encouraging listening to Superintendent Robert Elizondo discuss an overview of the “happenings” in the district, some of which were topics like improved communication through phone app for the district, robotics, IReady testing, Driver’s Education, extended library lease, among other topics. Attendees were engaged and I could interpret through the flow of questions and conversations that those present had a genuine best interest of all students.
The math instructor, Nick Genereux stopped by and gave an update about the Robotics competition that would be taking place the following day in Pasco. He was very energized to explain that the 12 students have been building teamwork and professional skills through the learning of robotics. I could feel the excitement he had for the students that would be attending as it was their first competition. Additionally, I was very impressed to see 10 people in attendance, and 4 of them were Latinos, 2 of which are board members. This is in a district of 230 students.
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On December 9th I tabled the Pasco School District Parent Advisory Committee Annual Conference for bilingual parents. There were over 200 people in attendance! What a great turnout! There were over fourteen organizations present as part of the resource fair and 12 different topics for parents to attend the sessions portion of the conference.
Did you know that Pasco is in the Franklin County. The county has just over 97,000 residents and 54% are Hispanic. Pasco School district has just over 19,000 students and 73.7% are Hispanic.
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 DO MORE FEEL BETTER
The University of Washington is conducting a research study called Do More Feel Better for adults aged 60 and older who attend senior centers and are experiencing depression. The program is based on research showing that increasing your participation in pleasurable and rewarding activities can lead to improvement in your depressive symptoms.
If you qualify for the study, you will be randomly assigned to participate in 9 weeks of either clinician-delivered or senior center volunteer-delivered depression treatment. In addition to the depression treatment, there will be 5 research assessments designed to gauge the progress of treatment over the course of 9 months. Eligible participants will receive $130 over the course of the program for completing all study visits.
*Spring 2021 update; our study is currently recruiting from both Southeast Seattle Senior Center and Greenwood Senior Center located in Seattle*
PARTICIPANT ELIGIBILITY
- Attend one of the senior centers from which we are recruiting
- Adults 60 years old or older
- Have symptoms of Depression (we conduct an assessment to gauge this)
- Capacity to provide consent for both research assessments and the Do More Feel Better intervention
- Not on any antidepressants or on a stable dose of antidepressant medication for at least 12 weeks
- Participants present with no life-threatening medical illnesses
INTERESTED?
Use the link below to send a message to the study coordinator:
I AM INTERESTED IN THIS RESEARCH STUDY.
Credible and compassionate health information for teens and young adults in Washington
Teen Health Hub WA (the Hub) is a new DOH webpage featuring health-related information and resources on topics young people want to know about. It’s co-created by DOH’s Adolescent Health team and members of the Youth Advisory Council (YAC). Teens and young adults, parents and caregivers, and youth-serving professionals can find links to websites, including resources on behavioral health, primary care, navigating the health care system, sexual and reproductive health, and teen dating and violence prevention. All content is vetted by experts in PCH and reviewed and approved by the Youth Advisory Council. Read more.
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The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program of Washington released an online tool to help people find their closest WIC clinic and apply for benefits. The new WIC Clinic Locator map showcases the more than 200 WIC clinics across the state and provides clinic addresses, phone numbers, and hours of operation. There’s also a new WIC Interest Form people can fill out online and submit to their clinic of choice, who will then contact applicants directly. Health care providers and community-based organizations can also use the form to refer people to the WIC program.
“The WIC Clinic Locator tool is another important step the state of Washington is taking to modernize the WIC Program, and improve equitable access,” said Michele Roberts, Assistant Secretary for Prevention and Community Health, DOH. “We know that in our state, as well as nationally, about 50% of people on Medicaid who are also eligible for WIC benefits are not currently enrolled in the program. Our goal with this tool is to spread awareness of WIC, and remove as many barriers as possible.” Read more.
 
Big changes are coming to financial aid applications for the 2024-25 academic year. The changes will increase eligibility, make more money available, and simplify the form. Because of these improvements, financial aid applications likely won’t be available until December 31, 2023.
But just because you are waiting for financial aid applications to open, doesn’t mean you should wait on other important steps. Here are some things to take care of in the meantime:
Create your FAFSA or WASFA account:
- Create a FAFSA account on the Federal Student Aid website. Most people should complete the FAFSA to maximize financial aid.
- Create a WASFA account on the Washington Student Achievement Council website if you’re ineligible to use FAFSA.
- Remember your login info or store it somewhere secure. Do not share this info with anyone. Learn more.
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has long partnered with College Success Foundation (CSF), a Washington-based organization that supports students identified as low-income in preparing for and graduating from college. CSF’s most recent data show their work is making an impact for students across Washington.
In the 2021–22 school year, students participating in CSF’s programs graduated at a rate of 95%, as compared to a 4-year graduation rate of 75.3% for all Washington students identified as low-income in the Class of 2022. Additionally, CSF reports that 61% of students participating in their program enrolled in college within one year after completing high school, a higher rate than the statewide figure of 50%.
CSF's programs continue to serve increasing numbers of students in Washington’s public schools. Approximately 2,700 students participated in CSF programs during the 2020–21 school year. In the 2022–23 school year, with an investment by OSPI from the agency’s federal emergency pandemic relief funds, CSF was able to serve more than 20,000 students from 28 public high schools. Read more.
Join Washington State Parks on Jan. 1 for our annual First Day Hikes events — an opportunity for everyone to get outside and enjoy a beautiful state park!
Choose a guided hike, snowshoe excursion, bike or trail ride, dog walk or paddle adventure to enjoy on New Year’s Day.
Hikes will range in difficulty from paved, flat ADA-accessible trails to moderate hill climbs. A few parks will host more than one hike with options tailored to different interests and abilities. Additionally, some hikes will include fun and educational talks with rangers, where you can learn about the history and natural features of the parks. All participants will receive a collectible Washington State Parks 2024 First Day Hikes pin!
Learn more.
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The Center for Minority Veterans has a
statutorily defined mission to provide veterans a voice and representation within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The statute specifically focuses on African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders.
They are engaged in VA-wide with outreach including service to all underserved Veteran communities, including the LGBTQ+ community. Learn more.
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Wildfires in Washington have driven people from their homes, destroyed hundreds of structures, closed roads, and burned thousands of acres of forest and grassland across the state.
The smoke from those fires and others in the broader region is made up of tiny particles that are a hazard to outdoor workers, who can suffer significant harm when they breathe it in.
To protect workers from the dangers of breathing wildfire smoke, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has filed permanent wildfire smoke rules, which will take effect Jan. 15.
Washington, Oregon, and California are now the only states with permanent rules regulating most outdoor workers’ exposure to the particles in wildfire smoke, which is one of the fastest-growing pollutants.
Smoke from wildfires contains fine particles that can reach the deepest parts of the lungs, causing serious health problems. It is particularly dangerous for people who work outdoor jobs like construction, agriculture, and certain other industries. When they breathe in the tiny particles carried by the smoke, it increases the risk of reduced lung function, aggravated asthma, heart failure, and even early death. Read more.
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