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Governor's Interagency Council on Health
Disparities
Call for Nominations: Warren
Featherstone Reid Award for Excellence in Healthcare
The Warren Featherstone Reid Award was created “to recognize
cost-effective and quality health care services.” The award is to be
given annually to “health care providers and facilities in
Washington State who exhibit exceptional quality and value in the
delivery of health services.” When it created the award, the
Legislature recognized the importance of ensuring that all
Washington residents have access to affordable, quality health care.
Nominations must be received by May 1, 2008 .
More Information.
Gregoire Proclaims April 2008 Minority Health Month
Governor Christine Gregoire proclaimed April 2008 as Minority Health
Month in Washington State. Congress previously designated April as
National Minority Health Month.
View proclamation.
Unnatural Causes: Is inequality making us sick?
Unnatural Causes: Is inequality making us sick? is a four
hour documentary series exploring America's racial and socioeconomic
inequities in health.
KCTS Channel 9 will broadcast one hour of the series each week for four
weeks. The first broadcast is scheduled for April 2, 2008 at 11 p.m.
Save the date: Community Forum on Health
Equities
The Council will sponsor a community forum on health
equities on Wednesday, May 28, 2008. The forum will be held at
Evergreen State College's Tacoma Campus. Please contact Council staff
as soon as possible if you or someone you know will need special
accommodations to participate in this forum.
More information.
Health Disparities Council heard legislative
proposals and budget requests
At its February 7 meeting, the
Council received briefings on some activities and programs in Washington
State to reduce health disparities by improving the diversity of the health
care workforce, improving health literacy levels, reducing exposures to
environmental hazards and preventing chronic kidney disease. The Council
also heard updates from its members on legislative proposals and budget
requests. Council members participated via teleconference. The public was
invited to listen to the meeting at the Comfort Inn in Tumwater. A
final
agenda and
meeting materials are available.
Council discussed
draft progress report to the legislature
At its November 28 meeting, the Council reviewed and discussed its draft
progress report to the legislature. The Council also received
informational briefings on the Unnatural Causes documentary series
and public impact campaign as well as on multicultural health education
efforts underway at community and technical colleges.
A final
agenda and
meeting materials are available.
Proceedings from the Public Forum on
Language, Culture, and Health Care are now available
The Council held a public forum on September 19 to seek public advice
about cultural and language barriers to health care. Participants at the
forum discussed the need to recruit and retain qualified interpreters, some
key aspects of quality interpreting, suggestions for improving the cultural
competency of Washington’s healthcare system, and ways to improve the
availability and quality of health education materials, including translated
materials. A summary of the
forum proceedings and an
appendix containing
written comments submitted to the Council are available.
Council discussed phase I prioritization
criteria
At its October 22 meeting, the Council discussed the results of its
first phase of prioritizing health conditions and social determinants of
health. Council members participated by phone. The public was invited to listen to
the meeting at Point Plaza East in Tumwater. A
final agenda
and meeting materials
are available.
Council discussed phase I prioritization
criteria, social determinants of health
At its September 20 meeting, the Council heard updates on the
healthcare professional demographics survey and activities related to
culturally and linguistically appropriate health literature. The Council
also received briefings on social determinants of health and had a
work session to begin the first phase of prioritizing health conditions and
social determinants of health. A
final agenda
and meeting
materials are available.
Public forum on health information and
interpretive services
In addition to its regular meeting, the Council held a public
forum on September 19 to seek public advice on improving health information
and interpretive services. The Council will use the information shared
during the forum to make suggestions to the Governor and the Legislature.
Informational
flyer available.
Council to discuss health conditions,
indicators of health, and social determinants of health for state action
plan
At its May 23 meeting, the Council received information on health
conditions and indicators of health that will be addressed in the action
plan to eliminate health disparities. In addition, it considered whether
to add conditions, health indicators and social determinants of health to
the list; discussed criteria for the first round of prioritization; and reviewed
a work plan for developing recommendations regarding culturally and
linguistically appropriate materials and services. A
final agenda and
meeting materials
are available.
Council to hear updates on legislative proposals and budget requests
At its February 8 meeting, the Governor's Interagency Council on Health
Disparities received background information on the Joint Select
Committee on Health Disparities’ Recommendations and creation of the
Council, an update on the health impact review process, and updates from its
members on legislative proposals and budget requests. A
final agenda and
meeting
materials are available.
Health Disparities Council reviewed draft
work plan
At its December 5
meeting, the Governor's Interagency Council
on Health Disparities reviewed a draft work plan which outlines the
timeline and broad steps the Council will take to develop a state action
plan to eliminate health disparities in Washington by 2012. The
final agenda and
meeting materials are available.
Appointments to the Governor's Interagency
Council on Health Disparities announced
Vickie Ybarra of
Yakima has been appointed chair of the Council effective September 14, 2006.
Her term ends September 13, 2011. Ms. Ybarra is the Director of Planning and
Development for the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic. She is the President
of the Yakima School District Board of Directors and a former appointee to
the state Board of Health.
Emma Medicine White
Crow of Seattle and Gwendolyn Shepherd of Port Ludlow and have been
appointed as public members of the Council. Their terms also begin September
14, 2006 and end September 13, 2011. Ms. Medicine White Crow is a
self-employed consultant with Medicine White Crow Wolfmask Consulting. She
is a volunteer mentor to Native American high school students and is a
member of the Washington State Alliance for Healthy Communities of Color.
Ms. Shepherd is retired after a long career in pubic health. She volunteers
as the NAACP state health committee chairperson for Alaska, Oregon and
Washington.
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