An Update Regarding Health Equity Zones
The Accountable Communities of Health have worked closely with the Washington State Department of Health regarding health equity zones. ACH's work on this topic has been led by SWACH’s Executive Director, Nichole Peppers. Below are important updates from the group’s August newsletter.
Rural and Urban Zones Selected!
The Health Equity Zones Initiative is pleased to announce that the state’s first rural and urban Health Equity Zones (HEZ) have been selected by the Community Advisory Council. A third zone for Native communities will be identified this winter by Tribal Community Representatives. The selected Health Equity Zones include the rural communities of Whatcom County and the South King County communities of Burien, SeaTac, and Tukwila. See below for more information about the distinct characteristics of these communities.
Community Advisory Council members reviewed and scored 43 nominations before meeting in person at the end of June to deliberate on the final selection of the rural and urban zones. This announcement marks more than a year of preparation for this decision.
“Meeting in person was beneficial for us as the evaluators, and for the nominators as well,” said Alina Swart, CAC member in Asotin County. “We were able to collaborate and discuss the merits of each nomination, which helped us select the health equity zones that would best benefit the people of those communities.”
“This is an exciting next step for this innovative, community-driven, and collaborative model that recognizes the unique challenges of both rural and urban communities,” said Lacy M. Fehrenbach, MPH, Chief of Prevention, Safety, and Health, DOH. “Both of these communities bring local knowledge to the work of designing lasting solutions to improve health in their areas. This pilot project demonstrates what is possible with community ownership and, with additional funding, we hope to expand to more areas in Washington state.”
About the Zones
Rural Zone
The identified rural zone is Whatcom County, a community that has long served as an agricultural center and major port of entry into Washington. With more than 100,000 acres of rich farmland, an active commercial fishing industry, and both large student and older adult populations, the nomination for Whatcom County noted that, geographically, it is predominantly rural but also has a mid-sized city in Bellingham. This combination presents a case study for advancing health equity and bridge-building between rural communities and more densely populated areas of a region.
Urban Zone
The identified urban zone encompasses the south King County communities of Burien, SeaTac, and Tukwila. One of the most diverse regions of the state, it is home to immigrant and refugee populations representing numerous ethnic and racial groups, with more than a dozen languages commonly spoken. The nomination for Burien, SeaTac, and Tukwila highlighted the challenges new residents face when relocating to Washington.
Get Involved!
Outreach to build the HEZ Community Collaboratives in each zone will be ongoing throughout Fall 2023. If you are a member of one of the selected communities and want to be involved in a Community Collaborative, please contact healthequityzones@doh.wa.gov.
How to stay in touch
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