Empire Health Foundation

IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OLDER ADULTS AND ELDERS. THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OLDER ADULTS IN RURAL EASTERN WASHINGTON BY PROMOTING HEALTHY, ACTIVE AGING THROUGH COMMUNITY LED CARE COORDINATION AND COMPREHENSIVE MEDICATION MANAGEMENT. THE PARTNERS FOCUSED ON REBUILDING AND RESHAPING THE PROGRAMS OVER THE PAST YEAR. PATIENT ACTIVATION MEASURE SCORES AND THE OCCURRENCE OF HOME VISITS ARE INCREASING POST-PANDEMIC. MEDICATION MANAGEMENT PARTNERS HAVE BEEN UTILIZING THE CANTRIL'S LADDER ASSESSMENT SINCE PROGRAM LAUNCH. WE NOW ANTICIPATE SERVING AROUND 500 CLIENTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE 3-YEAR GRANT TERM. IN ADDITION TO HEALTH COACHING, PARTNERS HAVE ALSO SUPPORTED SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE OLDER ADULTS. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR OF WELLNESS AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OLDER ADULTS, ESPECIALLY COMING OUT OF THE ISOLATION CAUSED BY COVID.

HOMELESSNESS: A CONTRACT WITH THE WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. GOAL: ACHIEVE HOUSING STABILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES RELOCATED FROM A STATE OF WASHINGTON RIGHT OF WAY WITHIN THE CITY OF SPOKANE. AT ONE POINT, CAMP HOPE WAS THE LARGEST SUCH HOMELESS CAMP IN THE STATE. SINCE THE CONTRACT WAS INITIATED IN AUGUST OF 2022 (AND THROUGH JUNE 2023), CAMP HOPE HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY CLOSED/SITE REMEDIATED (AHEAD OF SCHEDULE) AND 200+ PEOPLE EXPERIENCING CHRONIC (I.E., MULTIPLE YEARS OF) HOMELESSNESS HAVE BEEN MOVED TO MORE STABILIZED HOUSING ENVIRONMENTS. THIS EFFORT CREATED A DELIVERY SYSTEM ROOTED IN PEER NAVIGATION, MEANING THOSE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE ARE GUIDING AND SUPPORTING THOSE WHO ARE NOW FORMER RESIDENTS OF THE CAMP. THIS CONTRACT WILL CONTINUE IN PLACE FOR FISCAL 23/24, FOCUSING ON SUSTAINABILITY IN MORE PERMANENT HOUSING OPTIONS AND RELATED SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR THE FORMER RESIDENTS.

REDUCING DISPROPORTIONATE FOSTER PLACEMENTS--2022 WAS THE FINAL YEAR OF THIS EXTERNALLY FUNDED 4-YEAR EFFORT. THE INITIATIVE'S PURPOSE WAS TO REDUCE OUT-OF-HOME PLACEMENTS AMONG AMERICAN INDIAN/ ALASKA NATIVE CHILDREN IN UP TO THREE COMMUNITIES IN EASTERN WASHINGTON BY 50% WITHIN THREE YEARS BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO CULTURALLY COMPETENT ASSESSMENTS, SAFETY PLANS, AND MENTAL HEALTH AND SERVICES. WHILE EFFORTS WERE HAMPERED IN THE EARLY PART OF THIS EFFORT BY COVID RESTRICTIONS, ULTIMATELY, IN CONJUNCTION WITH A COMPLIMENTARY EFFORT KNOWN AS UPFRONT ASSESSMENT, THE PARTICIPATING PARTIES WERE ABLE TO REFER 80 FAMILIES IN THE TARGET POPULATION FOR SERVICES, WITH 41 FAMILIES REMAINING TOGETHER AND ANOTHER 3 FAMILIES REUNITED. THIS WORK ALSO HELPED TO SET A PRECEDENT FOR UTILIZATION OF THE TRIBAL FQHC AFFILIATED AGREEMENT BETWEEN A TRIBE AND A NON-TRIBAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICE PROVIDER, ULTIMATELY OFFERING INCREASED FAMILIES SERVICES TO TRIBAL MEMBERS IN A SUSTAINABLE MANNER.

EQUITABLE ECONOMIES - THIS INITIATIVE IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND SMALL BUSINESSES FROM ACROSS OUR REGION TO DEVELOP THE CAPACITY TO ACCESS AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) DOLLARS AND OTHER SUSTAINABLE SOURCES OF FUNDING. WE ARE INTERESTED IN MAKING INVESTMENTS TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY-IDENTIFIED STRATEGIES THAT SHOW PROMISE IN ATTRACTING ARPA AND OTHER RESOURCES. 2022 ACTIVITY INCLUDED MAKING $234,000 OF GRANTS TO 18 DIFFERENT MINORITY-LED ORGANIZATIONS OR ORGANIZATIONS WITH SIGNIFICANT TRACK RECORDS OF ASSISTING MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, TOGETHER WITH $214,000 OF CONSULTING PAID TO COMMUNITY THOUGHT PARTNERS/CONTENT EXPERTS.