Decolonizing Nonprofits is returning in November! This time, Tara will be offering two skill levels. Level 1 is for anyone who is interested and wants to know more. Level 2 is for those who already have a deep understanding of what decolonizing means and who are prepared to start integrating decolonizing themes into their work.
Read MoreBy Dr. Deb Harper - The first time I saw a child with teeth destroyed to the gumlines, I thought he had ectodermal dysplasia. Never heard of that? It's a very rare inborn condition. I had seen it twice during my training at Cook County Hospital, but I had never seen what this Spokane boy had in the spring of 1985. Cavities had rotted out all of his front teeth. The difference? Chicago's water is fluoridated. Spokane's water is not.
Read MoreA committee of staff members convened to develop COVID safety guidelines based on public health guidance, community case rates, and input from the full staff. The committee made the following decisions regarding guidelines and safety measures for those choosing to be at the office. This is point-in-time guidance for BHT staff working at the BHT office.
Read MoreThe Child Tax Credit (CTC) is intended to cut the child poverty rate in half. Approximately 2,500-3,000 children whose families have usually not filed taxes may not receive the CTC, potentially losing $3.7m to $4.6m in funding for families in the Spokane region. Help spread the word about CTC eligibility for families who usually do not file taxes!
Read MoreThis is point-in-time guidance for partners, clients, and visitors to the BHT office. We will continue to review and revise as appropriate based on current community conditions and public health guidance.
Read MoreBHT was delighted to welcome Michael Arnis, Deputy Policy Director for the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA). Michael shared the early thinking of the agency as they prepare to submit a renewal to our state's 1115 Waiver. This presentation shares the high-level concepts of the renewal for the BHT Board to consider during their strategic planning efforts for BHT. Watch the full presentation to learn more!
Read MoreBHT is hiring for several positions! Use your skills and professional approach to help us achieve better health, better care, and reduce costs in our seven-county region. Check out our Careers page to learn more and apply.
Read MoreCOVID-19 has taken a toll on our region. At Better Health Together (BHT), we are working with community partners to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible. BHT is committed to an equitable COVID-19 vaccine distribution process that removes the barriers many people in our region face accessing the vaccine.
BHT and our community partners launched a 2021 campaign to normalize vaccination, which features leaders, influencers, and health experts from across the region sharing their vaccine stories and encouraging others to get vaccinated. Our Trusted Messenger COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign is running on TV, cable, and radio across Eastern Washington. You’ll also see billboards and print ads, as well as digital ads and social media content.
We’ve created several billboards for our COVID-19 Vaccine Trusted Messenger that can be seen throughout our region.
Read MoreIt’s easy to get excited by the vibrancy and welcoming atmosphere of Pride Month festivities. Pride celebrations are known for an abundance of bright colors, catchy music, glitter, and joy. On the flip side, it’s uncomfortable to reflect on the historic and ongoing struggle of LGBTQ+ individuals to achieve equality in the US. Still, Pride also calls on us to acknowledge this history.
This year is a record-breaking year for anti-LGBTQ legislation, and the challenges facing LGBTQ individuals continue. It’s crucial for allies to actively support the LGBTQ+ community by educating themselves, understanding the history of LGBT rights and the importance of the Stonewall Uprising. In honor of Pride 2021, take a little time to research something new about LGBTQ history. Then, find new ways to take action and share the story of Stonewall and Pride with your community.
Read MoreDid you know? Our Parent Mentors are health insurance Navigators! They can:
Explain your household’s coverage options and explore available financial assistance.
Provide support to those with unique cultural, linguistic, disability, or other needs.
Connect families in need with local organizations providing health resources and services.
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was enacted in March 2021 and includes changes impacting health care affordability, coverage access, and other federal assistance through Washington Healthplanfinder.
Beginning May 6, Washingtonians qualify for more cost assistance to reduce premiums for health plans sold through the Washington Healthplanfinder!
Read MoreNotice of Intent to Apply - We are putting forth a proposal to administer $2 million of the City of Spokane’s funds for COVID-19 Emergency Housing and Utility Assistance as a fiscal sponsor for BIPOC lead and serving organizations to offer direct rental assistance to the community members they serve. If accepted, we hope our community partners will join us, giving input on the fund's design, structure, and governance.
Read MoreReflections from Hadley Morrow, Director of Equity & Engagement
This month, our Board meeting fell on April 7, the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda. In Rwanda, April 7 is Genocide against the Tutsi Memorial Day. Each year millions of people gather to mourn an unimaginable loss, to try to find a place for an unthinkable event in their history, to remember incredible darkness.
On April 7, 1994, Rwanda slipped into darkness, and over the next 100 days, nearly a million people were killed, raped, or crippled at the hands of an extremist-led government because of their ethnicity. For 100 days, the world was shocked by the atrocities in Rwanda, but no nations intervened.
In 2011, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Rwanda. My thesis was on genocide memorials and explored these questions: How can a nation memorialize such a significant trauma? Why explore such darkness every year? What are the impacts?
Since 1994, Rwanda has focused on cultural unity – "We are all Rwandan" – and moving away from ethnic classifications. A common phrase on flags at the memorials reads, "If you knew me, and really knew yourself, you could not kill me."
There is fundamentally no difference between Hutu and Tutsi people. These identities became institutionalized as a result of white Belgian colonizers. Rwandans were forced to have identity cards, and Tutsis were given more government power than Hutu. It is a common tactic of colonialization to divide the people when aiming to conquer. Although the Belgians left in 1962, the legacy of the division remained and festered.
We may find comfort in believing this was a fluke event. We go through such lengths to hide from humanity's dark history, but darkness grows in all of the corner's light doesn't reach.
After the holocaust, we promised "Never Again," yet the world stood motionless 27 years ago, and as you read, genocide is happening in Myanmar. Our nation's history grew from this same dangerous sense of racial/ethnic superiority; one used to justify genocide against indigenous people in America, the enslavement of African people, and many other groups' oppression.
What I saw and learned while in Rwanda changed me, and I committed to sharing Rwanda's story every April 7. I ask people in my community to take time to research and reflect. I share that challenge with you today. The story of the human capacity for committing or ignoring horrors is not just a story for Rwandans to remember. It's the story of our human history.
Any book by author Scholastique Mukasonga
"We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families." Philip Gourevitch
"Healing our Communities - Rwanda youth videos." Aegis Trust, Karuna Center, IRDP, and HROC Rwanda, and supported by USAID Rwanda.
Better Health Together (BHT) recognizes that vaccination information and resources are not accessible to all communities equitably. We're collaborating with local community partners to provide resources and funding for removing the barriers many in our community face.
COVID-19 poses undue risks to communities of color and vulnerable populations. In Spokane County, our Pacific Islander, Latinx, and Black community members are experiencing significantly higher rates of cases, deaths, and hospitalizations associated with COVID.
BHT is committed to doing all we can to support these communities in our region and ensure an equitable COVID vaccine distribution process. We admire our community partners' work sharing information, providing resources to their communities, and encouraging them to get vaccinated. We are excited to help in these efforts.
On April 16, the vaccine became available to anyone over 16 years of age. Our priority is to help get as many folks in our region vaccinated as quickly as possible in an equitable way.
Our Trusted Messenger COVID-19 Vaccine campaign supports partners working with communities disproportionately impacted by COVID to overcome vaccine hesitancy. We are working with partners to normalize vaccination, create a supportive environment for those likely to vaccinate, and share information about the vaccines through local trusted messengers.
BHT has committed to providing $450,000* in funding to support partners in their vaccination efforts. These grants fund community-driven health communications activities and can be outside our partners' usual operations. Community partners who are interested in funding can fill out our COVID-19 Trusted Messenger Outreach survey. *The funding allocated to each partner will depend on the needs of each organization.
BHT met with community partners to understand the greatest needs and learn what additional support we can provide. We're working with DH, a Spokane-based communications and marketing agency that can offer our partners culturally appropriate communications support.
We've collaborated with partners to support COVID vaccination communications, develop outreach strategies, and create a variety of media resources for Partners to share. It's exciting working with our partners to expand their vaccination efforts further, and we look forward to supporting additional partners in our community.
We've already worked with the following partners:
A concern that has emerged during our conversations with partners is vaccination hesitancy among community members. There are many reasons individuals experience vaccine hesitancy, but we find it is often due to misinformation and a lack of trust.
To combat this, we worked with DH to develop a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) resource to provide accurate information about different COVID-19 vaccines available and debunk the common myths and misconceptions. Our partners have found this FAQ valuable, and we have had it translated into 20 languages for local partners.
Fill out our COVID-19 Trusted Messenger Outreach survey to request a specific translation.
We've released a Request for Proposals (RFP) inviting applications from contracted partners connected to or providing behavioral health services for projects that will help reduce barriers for patients accessing telehealth behavioral health services during COVID-19. Individual awards of up to $20,000 per partner are available until the $300,000 available is expended. Learn more and apply by April 16th priority funding deadline!
Read MoreThe Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center
Online Resources
Facing History - Black History Month Resources
Black History Month; action hub
Black History Month Resource Guide
Films on Black History
8 movies to watch during Black History Month
91 movies and TV shows to stream for Black History Month
Books on Black History
2021 Black History Month Books
44 YA Books You Need to Read—Especially During Black History Month
Hear from Hadley Morrow and Stephanie Bultema with Population Health Innovation Lab (PHIL) discussing using network analysis to guide equitable systems change! In this web discussion, hear about how BHT has worked to bridge silos and ensure that organizations collaborate in new, innovative ways.
Read MoreNew television and radio ads are airing in our region. A big thanks to the families that were willing to share their stories!
Read MoreWatch the recent Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee work session on health equity work in the public and private sectors. Event speakers include Dr. Tim Garnett, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Eli Lilly, Dekker Dirksen, Director of Public Policy for Community Health Plan of Washington, Ken Jaslow, Vice President of Quality and Healthcare Performance with Premera Blue Cross, Paul Hollie, Social Impact Lead for Premera Blue Cross, and Alison Poulsen, the Executive Director of Better Health Together.
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