Showing posts with label health and wellness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health and wellness. Show all posts

Inslee signs laws to protect reproductive health and gender-affirming care

Friday, April 28, 2023

Gov. Jay Inslee signs abortion and gender affirming care policies at a bill signing ceremony on the University of Washington campus in Seattle on April 27. Photo courtesy Governor's Office.

Washington’s nation-leading efforts to stem the attack on choice now include enhanced data privacy, shield laws for providers and patients, and reduced costs

The Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision last year overturned Roe v. Wade and unleashed a multi-pronged attack on reproductive freedom nationwide. But states like Washington are fighting back to protect the right to abortion, gender-affirming care and other health freedoms.

Today Gov. Jay Inslee signed five bills that will protect access to a common abortion medication; enhance data privacy for people who share their health information with third party apps; protect Washington patients and providers who may face legal threats from other states; protect providers’ licenses; and eliminate out-of-pocket costs to make abortion access more equitable.

“The right of choice is an issue of freedom,” Inslee said. “Health care must remain the providence of individual Washingtonians. These laws will keep the tentacles of oppressive and overreaching states out of Washington.”



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Approval for Prop 1 Crisis Centers leading in first results

Wednesday, April 26, 2023


King County Prop 1, which would create a network of crisis centers around the county, is leading in the first set of results released on election night, April 25, 2025.

The "proposition would fund behavioral health services and capital facilities, including a countywide crisis care centers network, increased residential treatment; mobile crisis care; post-discharge stabilization; and workforce supports."

Proposition No. 1 results on election night
  • Approved 160,205   54.43 % 
  • Rejected    134,129   45.57 %
The requirement is a Simple Majority which is 50% of ballots cast plus 1.

Ballots counted so far represent 21% of registered voters.

Elections department will continue to count ballots. Results will be released weekdays until final results and certification on Friday May 5.


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Op-Ed: Vote Yes on Proposition 1, the Crisis Care Centers Levy

Sunday, April 23, 2023

Lake Forest Park resident and North Urban Human Services Alliance (NUHSA) member Alison Carver generously shared the following personal story in order to encourage residents to vote YES on Prop. 1, the Crisis Care Centers Levy. 

To learn more, click here Vote by April 25th!
~~~

Vote Yes on Proposition 1, the Crisis Care Centers Levy. If approved, this proposition would fund behavioral health services and capital facilities, including a countywide crisis care centers network; increased residential treatment mobile crisis care; post-discharge stabilization; and workforce supports.

I don't share this information lightly but with the hopes your vote can prevent another unbearable loss.

My beautiful, talented, and brilliant daughter died by suicide on October 8th after numerous interactions with the broken mental health system in Washington State. She was seemingly thriving with a promising career, friends and her own apartment.

In the months before she died, she was transported to Harborview on numerous occasions, strapped in a four point restraint, left in a cart in a hallway in the ER, administered a dose of Haldol, then released the following day with no follow-up care. 

She was released from an involuntary 110 hour hold by a King County Judge, against the advice of her care team, doctors and social workers, again with no follow up care. She talked constantly about the trauma of being restrained and the physical scars the restraints left of her wrists and ankles.

I believe access to a walk in Crisis Care Center, staffed with trained medical teams, would have saved her life.

Please vote YES on Proposition 1. Ballots are due April 25th.


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A weekend of free medical, dental, and vision services for those in need

Saturday, April 22, 2023

Cartoon courtesy Public Health

Seattle/King County Clinic returns for an eighth year to Seattle Center, April 27 – 30, 2023 with free dental, medical, and eye care services for those who struggle to access or afford healthcare.

Led by Seattle Center and Seattle Center Foundation, Seattle/King County Clinic brings together healthcare organizations, civic agencies, non-profits and private businesses to transform Seattle Center facilities into a giant dental, medical and eye care operation. 

Licensed healthcare professionals and general support volunteers donate their time and expertise with a goal of helping more than 3,000 people in need during the four-day period.

EVENT DETAILS

TIME/DATE: Thursday, April 27 – Sunday, April 30, 6:30am – 4pm

LOCATION: McCaw Hall, 305 Harrison St, Seattle WA 98109

Organizers open the facility and begin to distribute free admission tickets in Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center (corner of 2nd Ave N and Thomas St / Lenny Wilkens Way) each day beginning at 5:30am, with the doors to the Clinic opening at 6:30am. 

Once the Clinic opens, patients are escorted to the service facility and admitted by ticket number to be registered and receive free dental, medical, and vision care.


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Op-Ed: NUHSA advises Vote YES on April 25th to Improve Mental Health Services

Sunday, April 9, 2023

NUHSA (North Urban Human Services Alliance) advocates for human services in North King County (NKC) on behalf of its residents and the agencies that serve them


A special King County election is taking place on April 25th and your vote is needed to help ensure that residents get the mental health support they need – anyone, anywhere and at any time.

Successful mental health crisis systems include three core elements: someone to talk to, someone to respond, and someplace to go.

Currently our region offers a regional crisis line (988) and more people than ever are taking that critical first step in reaching out. Mobile Crisis Teams, Co-Responders and Outreach Leads respond when there is a mental health crisis and help is needed immediately. But the missing link is ‘someplace to go’. There is no walk-in behavioral health ‘urgent care’.

Currently, if someone is experiencing a mental health crisis in North King County, emergency responders have only three possible options: take them to a hospital emergency room, bring them to jail, or hope that one of the 46 King County crisis center beds is available, serving all 2.3 million people throughout the county.

The King County Crisis Care Centers Levy, which would raise funds through a property tax levy spread over nine years costing the owner of a median-valued home about $10 each month, fills this massive gap by doing three critically imperative things. 

The Levy will:
  • Create five new regional crisis care centers that will be distributed geographically across the county, including in North King County! These professionally staffed walk-in centers will provide short-term stays to help people stabilize, and one center will specifically serve youth.
  • Preserve and restore the dramatic loss of residential treatment beds. In 2018, there were 355 beds providing community-based residential care; today there are only 244.
  • Grow the behavioral health workforce pipeline by creating career pathways through apprenticeships and access to higher education, credentialing, training and wrap-around supports. It will also invest in equitable wages for the workforce at the crisis care centers.
  • Additionally, the Levy will provide immediate services while the Crisis Care Centers are being constructed through mobile or site-based services!

The choice is clear. People in crisis need immediate, safe places to go for help - and Mobile Crisis Teams and law enforcement need better, faster and more equitable options than jail and emergency rooms. The average wait time for a residential treatment bed is 44 days. With more beds and staffing, more people can get the help they need, when they need it.

As one North King County single mother explained in this Publicola article “Our family has lived with pain, confusion and anger with the system. If we had access to urgent care, I believe we would have been better equipped to survive my daughter’s worst days.”

Join NUHSA in voting YES on April 25th! Together, we can build a more accessible, responsive and effective mental health system for all residents.

Learn more here! Do you have questions or want to get involved? Email staff@nuhsa.org or click here for more information


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Free dental, medical, and vision services clinic returns to Seattle Center for April 27-30, 2023


A massive, free dental, medical, and vision clinic curtailed by the pandemic returns in full force to Seattle Center from April 27- 30, 2023.

The annual clinic, for those in need, is staffed by volunteer medical professionals and is open to those in need with no restrictions.

There are normally more people needing services than there are appointments available. Many patients camp out overnight for the appointment tickets which are issued starting at 5:30am for each day of the clinic.


 



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April 25, 2023 King County Ballot: Crisis Care Centers Levy

Saturday, April 8, 2023

King County Executive Dow Constantine and a regional coalition of leaders announced a plan in September 2022 to address the behavioral health crisis by creating a countywide network of five crisis care centers, investing in the recruitment and retention of the community behavioral health workforce, and restoring the number of residential treatment beds in the region. 

The plan would be funded by a nine-year property tax levy to treat immediate crisis and support long-term recovery and wellbeing.

In January of this year, the levy was approved by the King County Council to be submitted to voters for approval in April 2023.

“We must do more to deliver the behavioral health care people need, when they need it, especially in a moment of crisis. 

"Today, we are telling the thousands of King County residents in behavioral health crisis, their families, and our communities – help is on the way,” said Executive Dow Constantine. 

“The behavioral health system in this state has long been underfunded and underappreciated. The pandemic added further stress, and need is increasing even as we lose both treatment beds and qualified workers. 
"Now, we can chart a path forward as a region – to create places where people can receive the effective care they need and begin their journey to recovery. This is an opportunity to make the generational investment our region needs.”

The proposal is estimated to cost the owner of a median-value home about $121 in 2024. The levy would continue through 2032, generating a total of $1.25 billion to stabilize and strengthen King County’s behavioral health crisis care system.

Financial impact for homeowners: John Wilson, King county assessor, has a tool to let individual property owners see the specific financial impact of levies. See it here to compute the financial impact of this specific levy.


Ballots for the levy are now arriving in local mailboxes, along with a local voters' pamphlet. Besides the Executive and County Council, the levy is endorsed by Seattle Metropolitan Chamber, MLK Labor Council, and SEIU 1199NW. The opposing statement is written by Tim Eyman, Jim Coombes, and Suzie Burke.

The Seattle Channel has a forum on the levy which can be viewed here.

For questions about this measure contact Dan Floyd, Deputy Director, King County Behavioural Health and Recovery Division, 206-263-8961, Daniel-DCHS.Floyd@kingcounty.gov


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The TREBLE Makers of Parkinson's Disease at the Shoreline-LFP Senior Activity Center

Friday, April 7, 2023

Theatre class for Parkinson's

Tremor Rigidity Expressiveness Bradykinesia Loneliness Emotional health
tre·ble (verb) to make or become three times as large


This class uses theater exercises to battle the motor and non motor symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. 

This class is fun, engaging and entertaining all while fighting back against Parkinson’s. This class is appropriate for all folks diagnosed with Parkinson’s as the instructors modify each exercise to accommodate the individuals present.

Instructors

Anna Brinchmann - (she/her)

Annalisa is a graduate of The University of Washington where she double majored in Dance and Musical Theater. While at the U of W, Annalisa worked with SilverKite Community Arts to create musical theater performances catered toward an audience living with Dementia.

Norma Kvarda - (she/her)

Norma holds a BFA in Theatre Arts, a MFA in Theatrical Design and a MIT in education. She has a passion for inclusive theater practices. Her desire is to provide opportunities for people to experience the healing and fortifying nature of the arts in community.

  • Day: Monday and Wednesday starting May 1, 2023
  • Time: 10:00am to 11:00am
  • Location: Wellness Room
  • Cost: Sliding Scale $0-70 per month

For more information or to sign up, please contact Parkinson’s Wellness Place at 360-568-0588 or info@parkinsonswellnessplace.org

The Shoreline - Lake Forest Park Senior Activity Center is located in the southernmost building on the Shoreline Center campus, 18560 1st Ave NE. 

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Order prescription refills over the phone in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, or Vietnamese on the ICHS pharmacy line

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

ICHS pharmacy. Photo courtesy ICHS
ICHS is making it easier than ever to refill your prescriptions at our clinic pharmacies! 

Our newly updated customer service line allows you to quickly order refills in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Vietnamese over the phone today!

Shoreline Clinic 206-533-2720




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Nine Shorecrest High School HOSA-Future Health Professionals members competed at the state leadership conference

Saturday, March 25, 2023

Shorecrest HOSA-Future Health Professionals
Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools

Nine Shorecrest High School HOSA-Future Health Professionals members competed at the state leadership conference in Spokane with about 3,000 other students. 

Six of the students qualified for the International Leadership Conference, taking place in Dallas later this year.

Emotional Well-Being Challenge:
  • Jordan Goggins and Lilli Steiner
Mental Health Promotion - 1st Place:
  • Marta Tekie, Cadence Rotarius, Betel Taddese, and Nuhamin Tesfihuen
Nutrition - 3rd place:
  • Marta Tekie


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Brook Buettner announced as first Executive Director of newly formed Regional Crisis Response (RCR) Agency

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Brook Buettner, Executive Director
Regional Crisis Response Agency
The newly formed Regional Crisis Response (RCR) Agency announces Brook Buettner as its first Executive Director. 

The RCR Agency provides regional mobile crisis response services for the five north King County cities of Bothell, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, and Shoreline.

“Brook’s decade of experience in the King County crisis system and her proven track record building and leading the successful RADAR program made her a clear and unanimous choice by the RCR Board to be RCR’s first Executive Director,” says RCR Board President Kurt Triplett. 
“We all see Brook’s leadership, passion, and vision as exactly what it will take to make this innovative program a success.”

Buettner comes to RCR having managed the North Sound Response Awareness, De-escalation, and Referral (RADAR) Navigator Program for the last three years. The RADAR Navigator Program deploys Social Worker/ Navigators to address the needs of individuals in crisis with behavioral health issues and/or developmental disabilities and connect them to the community of care. 

Under her leadership, RADAR improved the lives of people served, showing incredible outcomes like a 67% reduction in adult jail bookings and a 60% reduction in crisis services events for people touched by the program.

Prior to managing RADAR, Buettner worked for King County Department of Community and Human Services for several years as the Familiar Faces Initiative Manager and a Health and Housing Integration Specialist. She has also worked in the County’s Department of Public Defense as well as for the Downtown Emergency Services Center Crisis Solutions Center.

“I’m thrilled to be part of this exciting and ground-breaking approach to getting people in North King County experiencing behavioral health crisis the right resources at the right time,” said Buettner. “We are poised to build a whole new approach to first response in our community.”

Buettner holds master’s degrees in Social Work and Public Administration from the University of Washington. She also serves on the Executive Board of the North Urban Human Services Alliance and Co-Responder Outreach Alliance.

The RCR Agency (https://www.kirklandwa.gov/.../The-Regional-Crisis...) consolidates and expands the services provided by the successful North Sound RADAR Navigator and Kirkland Community Responder programs with the goal of offering services on a 24/7 basis. 

When all positions are filled, the RCR Agency will have 13 full-time staff, an initial $5 million biennial budget, and will deploy Crisis Responder Mental Health Professionals to serve community members in the five-city region who are experiencing behavioral health crises. 

The RCR Agency Crisis Responders may refer community members in crisis to a new behavioral health crisis response center (https://www.kirklandwa.gov/.../New-Crisis-Response-Center...), which is scheduled to open in Kirkland in 2024.



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Local chiropractor publishes third research article

Sunday, March 12, 2023

Dr. Tim C. Norton
Dr. Tim C. Norton, owner and clinic director for Health Chiropractic and Massage in Shoreline, has just published his latest research article in JPTS (Journal of Physical Therapy Science). 

"Re-establishing the cervical lordosis after whiplash: a Chiropractic Biophysics® spinal corrective care methods pre-auto injury and post-auto injury case report with follow-up" authored by: Dr. Tim C. Norton Dr. Paul Oakley and Dr. Deed Harrison of the CBP Nonprofit research group. 
Journal of Physical Therapy Science: 2023 Volume 35 Issue 3 Pages 270-275

Abstract

[Purpose] To document the re-establishment of the cervical lordosis following radiographically verified altered sagittal plane alignment both prior to, and following a motor vehicle collision. 

[Participant and Methods] A 16-year-old male presented for a non-motor collision complaint of low back pain. Initial lateral cervical radiograph demonstrated cervical hypo-lordosis. The patient was treated with a 6-week plan (18 visits) utilizing Chiropractic BioPhysics® (CBP) methods to increase the cervical lordosis. Eight months later the patient presented with new complaints as a result of a motor collision. The cervical lordosis straightened. The patient received another round of similar treatment to improve the lordosis. There was also a 6.5-month follow-up.

Illustration from journal publication by Dr. Norton

[Results] The initial round of treatment achieved a 21° improvement in cervical lordosis. The motor vehicle collision caused a loss of 15° of lordosis. The second round of treatment achieved a 12.5° improvement in lordosis that was demonstrated to be maintained at a 6.5-month follow-up. 

[Conclusions] This case illustrates how a whiplash event occurring during a motor vehicle collision subluxated the cervical spine. It was also shown that CBP methods reliably corrected the lordosis after two separate treatment programs using specialized methods. Beyond trauma, radiographic screening of specific cervical subluxation is recommended following all motor collisions.

Link to full Article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9974326/

Dr. Norton is an Instructor for and Advanced Certified in the Chiropractic Biophysics (CBP) Technique. He is a past president of the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Washington State Chiropractic Association and the International Chiropractic Association. This is Dr. Norton’s 3rd medical indexed research publication.



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North Seattle resident deals with kidney disease with persistence and optimism

Saturday, March 11, 2023

Julia Sterkovsky at home in the garden
By Steve Winter and Cynthia Flash

Julia Sterkovsky has spent 25 years advocating for equity and fairness for people in Seattle and King County through the Seattle Human Services Coalition. It’s a challenging job that has kept her deeply engaged in local communities. 

All the while, the North Seattle resident also had to deal with kidney disease. 

Although she received a donor kidney in 2001, it has since decreased function and she now also has to do dialysis treatments to clean the waste and water from her blood because her kidneys can no longer fully perform that function.

In her job, Sterkovsky champions fundamental causes of bringing resources and support to undeserved communities, including early childhood education, youth development, food, shelter, and housing, community healthcare, services for seniors, advocacy, as well as domestic violence and sexual assault response and prevention. 

Although kidney disease adds more pressure to life, she said, “the choice of how to deal with it is yours. If you want to live, these are your choices.”

March is National Kidney Month, a time to focus on kidney disease and its causes. Sterkovsky hopes that her story helps educate others that they have options for living well with kidney disease, which affects one in 10 American adults. 

Risks include diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, smoking, and family history of kidney disease. Those who are African American, Asian American or Native American, people who are overweight, and those over age 60 are at higher risk for developing kidney disease.

Sterkovsky is one of small percentage of people with kidney disease who can’t point to a specific cause for her disease. However, her mother had nearly the same experience at the same early age, so an unknown genetic cause is the obvious suspect. Her mother received dialysis treatments at home in Ohio in the 1970s.

Brian and Julia Sterkovsky
While some dialysis patients receive treatments in a clinic, Sterkovsky has chosen to do peritoneal dialysis, which can be done at home or work– usually with the help of a partner. 

Sterkovsky is lucky to have her husband Brian to help with the logistics of her care.

Sterkovsky learned how to give herself dialysis treatments at Northwest Kidney Centers, a nonprofit dialysis provider that serves 2,000 patients a year in 19 dialysis centers and eight hospitals in the Puget Sound region, including the Lake City clinic in Lake Forest Park

She said the ins-and-outs of learning how to give herself dialysis treatments reminded her of learning to drive. 

She recalled “being in driver’s education class with all sorts of new information being thrown at you, and then actually driving with so many things to track on the road and on the dashboard. And then a week later it seems like you can remember to do all of those things pretty easily. It becomes second nature.”

Sterkovsky is ready to receive another transplanted kidney. She has been on the waitlist for more than four years; she waited two years the first time in 2001. The average wait time for a kidney transplant is three to five years.

True to form, she is persistent and optimistic. 

In fact, Sterkovsky has thought of a way to address the long wait periods for donor organs. Her idea could be accomplished with a simple change on driver’s license applications. The change would require people to opt out of being an organ donor rather than having to opt in. 

While families would still retain the final say regarding organ donations, this fundamental change could profoundly impact the large number of people waiting for donated kidneys as well as those in need of other organs. More than 90% of people waiting for organ transplants are waiting for kidneys.

Whether one is a patient, a donor, or neither, everyone can take steps to improve their kidney health. Tips include:
  • Following prescribed treatments to control diabetes and/or high blood pressure.
  • Eating a kidney-friendly diet (low or no salt). Look here for a kidney-friendly diet and recipes or attend an Eating Well, Living Well class to learn how to eat a kidney-healthy diet. See classes at https://www.nwkidney.org/living-with-kidney-disease/classes/.
  • Staying active through exercise that is enjoyable.
  • Avoiding overuse of over-the-counter pain medicines or prescription medicines.
Learn more about kidney disease at NWkidney.org



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Pediatric Skilled Nursing Facility opens in Shoreline March 23, 2023

Wednesday, March 8, 2023


Join us Thursday March 23, 2023 as we open Washington State’s very first Pediatric Skilled Nursing Facility—Bridges to Home, a program of Ashley House NW. 

This 15-bed care facility with a focus on pediatric care will help provide kids and their families a bridge from the hospital to home. There are two opportunities: 11:30am – 1:00pm with a 12:30 Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, and 4:30pm to 6:00pm. 

Refreshments will be served, and there will be tours, as well as the opportunity to learn how YOU can be involved.

RSVP:

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New Crisis Response Center in Kirkland to serve five North King County cities in a regional partnership

The cities of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, Kirkland, and Bothell announce the siting of a new multi-service crisis response center dedicated to serving the behavioral health needs of community members across north and northeast King County.

The new crisis center will be operated by Connections Health Solutions, a national innovator in behavioral health crisis care. The facility will be located at 11410 NE 122nd Way in Kirkland’s Totem Lake neighborhood, conveniently located near Evergreen Hospital and Highway 405. 

The crisis response center will be the first of its kind in King County to provide a spectrum of care services, from walk-in mental health urgent care to continued stabilization of behavioral health or substance use crises.

“The new Connections crisis response center adds a critical element in the continuum of behavioral health care for community members in Kirkland and throughout the region,” said City of Kirkland Mayor Penny Sweet

“This new center complements the Regional Crisis Response Agency (RCR) announced in 2022, which will deploy Crisis Responders on some 911 calls for community members experiencing behavioral health crisis across the north county region. This announcement culminates a year-long effort by Kirkland and our north King County city partners to proactively address critical behavioral health needs in our communities.”


“The benefit to individuals in crisis, first responders, healthcare providers, and our community comes at a critical time, as the lasting impacts of the pandemic continue to be felt across our communities – and especially for those in need of life-saving behavioral health care,” said Shoreline Mayor Keith Scully.”

The “no wrong door” clinic will be open to everyone regardless of severity of need or insurance status, and care will be available 24/7 with no appointment required. Connections expects to open the new facility in Kirkland in 2024.


“We’re honored to partner with the cities of Bothell, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, and Shoreline to provide immediate access to care and to connect the North King County community to a local crisis response center where high-quality treatment occurs and hope is restored,” said Colin LeClair, Chief Executive Officer for Connections Health Solutions. “We look forward to the ongoing collaboration between the five cities and all partners as we bring immediate and accessible care to those in need.”

“Connections has been serving communities for more than 30 years. Expertise and experience of that caliber matter in behavioral health crisis care and treatment,” said City of Lake Forest Park Mayor Jeff Johnson. “The positive impact of this center will be felt among families across the five North King County cities for generations to come.”
 
Connections’ effort to open the north King County facility is made possible, in part, by $21.52 million financial support from grants from the State of Washington and King County.

“Crisis stabilization centers are an effective and important tool in our state’s efforts to address behavioral health issues and reform approaches to behavioral health care and public safety,” said Governor Jay Inslee

“Our communities need a place where people in crisis can go to receive compassionate and focused behavioral health care. Programs like this that allow for first responder referrals decrease the use of jails and emergency rooms, which are not well-equipped to address these needs. I’m proud of the investments our state and our communities are making in these programs.”

“Providing a 24/7 place for people in crisis to receive effective care helps make recovery possible as part of a connected behavioral health system that provides people with the care they need when they need it in their communities,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine
“King County invested $11.5 million of state and local dollars toward this crisis center in Kirkland, and it’s the start of what we can achieve together when it comes to community behavioral health.”


“For too long, we have relied on our police officers, jails and courts to substitute for a missing behavioral health care system,” said King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski

“It’s an unfair burden on them, and unfair to our community. That’s why King County is proud to partner with the five North County cities in my district who are leading the charge to stand up the essential behavioral health response system our community needs. 

'This new facility builds on the work we have done in recent years to create the RADAR program, partnering with law enforcement to ensure an effective response to community health and safety needs. 

"We will now have a community-based care center to support our front-line mental health professionals in delivering compassionate and effective care to those in crisis, and enhancing public health and safety. I thank and congratulate all involved in this powerful partnership, and look forward to seeing its positive impact in North King County.”

Together with the national 988 Crisis Lifeline and the RCR (Regional Crisis Response) Agency, the new crisis response center fills a void of coordinated behavioral health care in King County by providing community members in crisis with three important resources: someone to call, someone to respond, and somewhere to go.


The RCR Agency was formed in collaboration by the partner cities of Bothell, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, and Shoreline to provide consolidated and standardized regional mobile crisis response services for the five-city region.

Learn more about the new crisis response center.

Find out more about the Regional Crisis Response Agency.


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Lymphedema Awareness Month, March 2023

Monday, March 6, 2023

March is Lymphedema Awareness Month. 

The condition is chronic swelling caused by a buildup of fluid that happens when the lymph system is damaged or faulty. 

This is a time to honor and celebrate all who are living and coping with Lymphedema. 

It’s also an opportunity to show the world that this is no longer a rare condition, and that it requires proper treatment, coverage, and support.

For over a decade, advocates have worked for the enactment of the Lymphedema Treatment Act. The bill became a reality when it was passed by Congress in December 2022. 

Starting in January 2024, the law will require Medicare to cover lymphedema compression garments and supplies. 

This bill can set a precedent for other public and private insurance plans to ensure that all patients have access to treatment. Compression garments are a vital tool for the control of lymphatic swelling.

Because an estimated 3-5 million Americans have lymphedema, awareness is key to getting treatment and care. 

“That’s more than ALS, Cystic Fibrosis, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy and Parkinson’s disease combined.” Further, “2 out of 5 breast cancer patients will develop lymphedema within five years of surgery.” 

It is important for anyone experiencing swelling in an arm or leg, or other areas for three or more months, to see a health care provider who can evaluate for the condition.

For more information about lymphedema and insurance coverage from the Lymphedema Advocacy Group go to LymphedemaTreatmentAct.org



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Even snow couldn't stop runners and lions at the Lunar New Year 5k fundraiser

Friday, March 3, 2023

Lion dancers led runners to the start line
Photo Credit: John Pai / ICHS

Returning to Shoreline after two years of going virtual, the International Community Health Services (ICHS) Lunar New Year 5k fundraiser was back in-person last Sunday February 26, 2023.

Not even snow could keep attendees apart from the beloved local 5k run along the Interurban Trail. Over 300 walkers and runners of all ages joined in the event to raise charity funds to provide free and low-cost health services for uninsured ICHS patients.

"After two virtual years, our advocates and community members really showed up alongside us at the Lunar New Year 5k," said Christine Consolacion, Interim ICHS Foundation Executive Director. 
"Not only did we fundraise for patient health services, it was also an occasion for us to celebrate being back together. As a community health center, our roots started with community and will continue to grow stronger within community."

The run raises funds for patient care at ICHS clnics
Photo Credit: John Pai / ICHS

Highlights included group warm-ups from local Personal Trainer and Running Coach Jackie Soo and a lion dance bringing attendees to the starting line before the race began.

This was the fifth in-person Lunar New Year 5k held by ICHS, and the fourth one held at the Interurban Trail in partnership with the City of Shoreline and local business Aurora Rents.

Right as the runners were on their final stretch to the finish line the sun broke through the clouds for a sunny, fortuitous lunar new year celebration.



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AG sues Food and Drug Administration for excessively burdensome regulation on abortion drug

Saturday, February 25, 2023

Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today he is leading a multistate federal lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accusing it of singling out one of the two drugs used for medication abortions for excessively burdensome regulation, despite ample evidence that the drug is safer than Tylenol.

Today’s lawsuit is Ferguson’s tenth case filed against the Biden administration. Of those cases, Ferguson’s office has four legal victories and has yet to lose a case.

The lawsuit, co-led by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson and Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, was filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. Nevada, Delaware, Arizona, Illinois, Connecticut, Colorado, Vermont, New Mexico, Michigan and Rhode Island also joined the lawsuit.

“The federal government has known for years that mifepristone is safe and effective,” Ferguson said. 
“In the wake of the Supreme Court’s radical decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the FDA is now exposing doctors, pharmacists and patients to unnecessary risk. The FDA’s excessive restrictions on this important drug have no basis in medical science.”
More information here



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AG: New website available for Washingtonians seeking pro bono legal services regarding their reproductive rights

Friday, February 24, 2023

SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today that health care providers, seekers, and helpers in Washington have a new avenue to obtain pro bono legal assistance to facilitate abortion access.

Help can be found at a new legal services website managed by the Lawyering Project — abortiondefensenetwork.org

Washingtonians seeking help through the website will be connected to attorneys in a nationwide pro bono network, including several Washington law firms recruited by the Attorney General’s Office, to provide free legal guidance and resources.

Advocacy organizations have also partnered with the law firms and the Attorney General’s Office to connect Washingtonians to these important legal services. The ACLU of Washington, Legal Voice and If/When/How provided training to Washington attorneys.

“Radical laws in other states are creating chaos for providers, out-of-state patients and individuals assisting their friends and family to access health care,” Ferguson said. 
“The changing legal landscape is causing providers and others to question whether they face legal jeopardy by helping someone come to Washington for legal abortion care. This resource will help them navigate these important issues and protect their freedoms.”

“Know Your Rights”
Ferguson also produced a “know your rights” brochure and a specific form for Washingtonians to file complaints about violations to their reproductive rights. The brochure, available on the Attorney General’s website, is a guide to Washington state law’s protections for abortion and contraception access. The two-page document covers Washington’s guaranteed right to choose abortion, access for pregnant people from other states, insurance coverage for abortion care, emergency contraception access and more.

Anyone with complaints or concerns about violations of reproductive rights under state law is encouraged to file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office.

Background
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Center, overturning Roe v. Wade, the nearly five-decade-old opinion that recognized abortion as a constitutional right, some states continue to protect abortion rights. Others have enacted restrictive and punitive anti-abortion laws, raising unprecedented legal questions for health care providers and people seeking reproductive health care. Amid this shifting legal landscape, confusion, uncertainty and misinformation threaten to chill access to abortion care — even in states like Washington, where the right to choose abortion and provide health care is protected.

The website, managed by the Lawyering Project, connects individuals with legal support in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision. Backed by a nationwide network of trained attorneys, it is designed to help providers and patients around the country understand their legal rights. Ferguson convened law firms and advocacy organizations in Washington to ensure that attorneys are available to advise anyone who is seeking legal guidance about providing or receiving abortion care in Washington state.

According to a friend of the court brief Ferguson filed in August, clinics in Eastern Washington have seen a “massive influx” of patients from Idaho, which has severely restricted abortion access after the Dobbs decision.

Planned Parenthood told Crosscut that 62% of patients at its Pullman clinic were from Idaho in June. The following month, that number jumped to 78% — nearly double the rate from the previous year. The Pullman clinic is just 10 miles from the Idaho border. After it closed its Boise, Idaho, clinic, Planned Parenthood also reported seeing Idaho patients at its Kennewick and Walla Walla clinics, more than four hours away from Boise.

Washington Department of Health data show that between May of 2020 and the end of October of 2022, there were just short of 1,400 emergency department visits in Washington state where abortion was used to treat an emergency medical condition, including life-threatening pregnancy complications. More than a third of those visits — 508 — happened in the last year.

For more information about accessing abortion in Washington state, visit the state Department of Health’s abortion information page.

First Assistant Attorney General Kristin Beneski coordinated the AGO’s outreach to participating firms and organizations.



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DATE CORRECTION: Essentrics/Age Reversing Workout - free class at Senior Center Saturday March 4, 2023

Sunday, February 19, 2023

Come, Move Your Body and Feel Amazing!
Free class on Saturday, March 4, 2023

The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Activity Center will be offering a new exercise class in March.

Essentrics/Age Reversing Workouts for Posture, Pain Relief, Mobility, and Bone Strengthening

This class works all your 650 muscles and restores movement in your joints and liberates your spine, shoulders and hips. Improve your posture, balance, and relieve chronic aches and pains. Great for both men and women. Bring a yoga mat, towel, strap, and a friend!

Natalia von Somoff, Certified Essentrics Instructor
Instructor is Natalia von Somoff, Certified Essentrics Instructor, Essentrically Fit, LLC 

Classes at the senior center will be offered Tuesday and Saturday mornings!

*FREE CLASS*

Try a free class on Saturday, March 4, 2023 from 1130am - 1230pm at the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Activity Center, 18560 1st Ave NE, Shoreline WA 98155 (southernmost building)

Questions: contact Natalia EssentricswithNatalia@gmail.com



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