Category: Uncategorized

During this American Heart Month, we Shine a Light on CHPW

Posted on January 12, 2024 by - Uncategorized

A heart shaped bowl full of healthy food with a pair of turquoise tennis shoes and a set of turquoise weights set beside it.

Now that 2024 is well under way, this is a great time to revisit any healthy resolutions you made for the year because February is American Heart Month. Your heart is the strongest muscle in your body and there are many things you can do to keep it healthy. That’s why Community Health Plan of Washington (CHPW) provides support and resources to strengthen your heart and your health. In fact, they have a helpful Health Information Library available online for anyone. Check out their different tools and information for Heart and Circulation health in their online library. Find more health information on CHPW’s blog, CHPW Connections, where you can find suggestions for healthy choices, such as their article on Heart Health Tips: How Lowering Your Blood Pressure Can Help.

Community Health Plan of Washington (CHPW) has been providing health care to Washington families for more than 30 years. They are Washington’s first not-for-profit to serve Apple Health members. In 1992, Washington’s community and migrant health centers (CHCs), created CHPW to provide health insurance to people who were not being served by traditional insurance companies. From that beginning, they are governed by community organizations (Community Health Centers) like Unity Care NW which, in turn, are governed by community members. Today they remain a not-for-profit based in Washington providing health care for Washingtonians. HereCHPW Logo in Whatcom county, they offer Apple Health (Medicaid) and Medicare plans.

CHPW By the Numbers
CHPW is connected throughout Washington. The Community Health Plan of Washington network includes:

  • 21 Community Health Centers operating more than 190 clinics
  • More than 3,100 primary care providers
  • Nearly 15,000 medical specialists
  • Nearly 8,000 behavioral health specialists
  • Over 100 hospitals
  • More than 130 Affiliate Providers at 393 locations

They are also one of Unity Care NW’s Health Care Champion sponsors supporting our work to provide affordable whole
person health care to everyone. Thank you CHPW for everything you do to create stronger and healthier communities!

‘The Only Doctor’ at Pickford Film Center’s Doctober Film Festival

Posted on September 22, 2023 by - Uncategorized

 

A middle aged woman in black scrubs stands in front of a brick building.Dr. Karen Kinsell’s clinic has served Clay County Georgia for over 22 years but in a state that has yet to expand Medicaid as part of the Affordable Care Act, the economics of running a sliding scale clinic isn’t feasible. The Clay County Medical Center is in disrepair and despite Dr. Kinsell’s commitment to work without pay, the clinic faces bankruptcy. But ever committed to her community, Dr. Kinsell looks to forge a partnership with a medical university in order to keep her clinic open. The film reveals the challenges of rural healthcare and how money and politics too often determine who does and does not receive medical care.

Georgia is one of 10 remaining states that hasn’t expanded Medicaid eligibility to include individuals earning less than $20,120 annually. The film presents the heartbreaking reality for people living in states without expanded Medicaid that stands in contrast to the experience of paying for care in Washington. Medicaid was expanded in this state in 2014 and affordable plans are available to those who qualify through the state’s health insurance exchange, Apple Health. Because of this, Federally Qualified Community Health Centers, like Unity Care NW, are able to help expand health care access to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.

Get Tickets

Unity Care NW has partnered with Pickford Film Center during their annual Documentary Film Fest: Doctober to host two showings of The Only Doctor. The film will be shown with a virtual Q&A with Dr. Karen Kinsell herself and the film’s Director, Matthew Hashiguchi at 5:15pm on Tuesday, October 10th and 7:30 pm on Tuesday, October 24th at Pickford Film Center.

Watch the trailer, purchase tickets on the Pickford Film Center website and find out what happens as Dr. Kinsell fights for her patients.

Unity Care NW is Sponsoring two showings of The Only Doctor at Pickford Film Center on October, 10th and 24th.

Unity Care NW Earns Gold Status for Advocacy Excellence

Posted on August 9, 2023 by - CurrentNews, Uncategorized

Unity Care NW (UCNW) is proud to announce that it has earned the Gold ACE status from the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). This is the highest level of recognition in the NACHC Advocacy Center of Excellence (ACE) Program, which supports and recognizes health centers that achieve specific measures of advocacy success and demonstrate an ongoing commitment to advocacy by making it an organizational priority.

UCNW is one of only three health centers in Washington to have achieved Gold ACE status. This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff and leadership, who are committed to advocating for health access to care for the patients we serve.

The ACE Program measures advocacy success in four areas:

  • Policy impact: The extent to which health centers have influenced policy changes that improve access to care for their patients.
  • Public awareness: The extent to which health centers have raised awareness of the importance of community health centers and the challenges they face.
  • Workforce development: The extent to which health centers have trained and supported staff to engage in advocacy.
  • Organizational capacity: The extent to which health centers have the infrastructure and resources to support advocacy efforts.

We are grateful to NACHC for this recognition of our advocacy efforts. We will continue to work hard to advocate for health access to care for the patients we serve.

Quote from NACHC

“Earning Gold ACE status requires serious dedication and prioritization of advocacy at your health center. Your organization is now part of an elite group that serves as an example to other Community Health Centers striving to achieve advocacy excellence. The amount of effort and time needed to achieve this requires hardworking, engaged staff and supportive leadership—two pieces of the puzzle necessary for a successful and robust advocacy program—both of which you have demonstrated.”

How You Can Help

You can help UCNW continue its advocacy work by:

Thank you for your support!

Molina Healthcare– A Legacy of Giving Back

Posted on June 25, 2023 by - Uncategorized

Physician listens to senior Caucasian woman's heartbeat with a stethoscope. The woman is smiling at the doctor.

Molina Healthcare was founded in 1980 by an emergency room physician with a mission to provide quality health care to those who needed it, no matter their circumstances. Molina is committed to community service and has established a vibrant corporate social responsibility initiative to support the communities they serve.

Today, Molina Healthcare of Washington serves over 1 million members through government sponsored programs Apple Health (Medicaid) and Medicare D-SNP across every county in the state, and health plans through the WA Health Benefit Exchange in most counties. In Washington’s North Sound region, Molina serves over 130k members, including nearly 40k members in Whatcom County. They collaborate with community partners to eliminate access barriers and tackle health disparities to improve the health and lives of their members and communities.

Molina LogoAs part of this commitment, Molina provides a variety of resources on their website to help everyone on their health journey, including articles on their blog focused on a variety of health topics. The categories range from resources for addiction, help for allergies, and information on immunizations. In addition, Molina Medicaid members can earn gift card incentives for completing their annual preventive care. The Company also participates in our Healthcare Champions Sponsorship program, supporting health care for everyone. Unity Care NW is thankful for their support and partnership to build stronger communities in Whatcom County and beyond.

 

 

 

Puget Sound Energy – Bringing Light and Support to Our Communities since 1873

Posted on May 1, 2023 by - CurrentNews, Uncategorized

A mother and child look at a yellow school bus with "Early Learning and Family Services" written on it.
From gas lights to wind power projects, Puget Sound Energy (PSE) has a rich history and deep roots in the Pacific Northwest. In addition to providing services to over 2 million residents in 10 counties, they are committed to partnering with local groups to create stronger communities for all.

Recently PSE provided a brand-new electric school bus to the Opportunity Council’s East Whatcom Regional Resource Center (EWRRC) for their East Whatcom County Mt. Baker Head Start program. The acquisition of this electric bus is part of PSE’s Up & Go Electric pilot program focused on fairness in transportation electrification, one of PSE and the PSE Foundation’s many grants programs.

This bus, which PSE purchased from Blue Bird, comes with a dual-port level 2 charging station that PSE installed on the resource center property. The charging station will power the electric bus while the extra charging port will be available for other invited guests of the resource center.

PSE is working to advance the adoption of transportation electrification in our region, and partnerships with community-based organizations enable them to build a robust EV network. They want to ensure that everyone, regardless of income and geographic location, can access the benefits of electric mobility.

PSE’s commitment to access extends to a variety of projects and programs throughout the ten counties they serve. They are one of Unity Care NW’s Health Care Champion Sponsors, supporting our work to ensure everyone in our community has access to high-quality care even if they can’t afford it. Thank you, PSE, for your support and your efforts in so many communities across the Pacific Northwest.

It’s Time to Get Childhood Immunizations Back on Track

Posted on January 19, 2023 by - CurrentNews, Uncategorized

We’re all still in a pandemic recovery period and getting our lives back on schedule can be chaotic, from preventative healthcare to regular haircuts and beyond. For those with the next generation’s health in their hands, pediatric immunizations are especially important. Lately, many children have fallen behind on their vaccine schedules. Elisabeth Gehringer, D.O. and Associate Medical Director at Unity Care NW, recently sat down with WhatcomTalk to help encourage parents get back into the groove of their kids’ healthcare.

Why We Are Behind

“I’ve been seeing a pattern that kids have been falling behind on immunizations — the main challenge was related to the pandemic due to delay in care, and the result of those challenges was falling behind on their vaccine schedules,” says Dr. Gehringer. “Vaccines are a really important part of the well child check-ups that we have built into our visits.” Read the full article.

When should I get an updated COVID vaccine?

Posted on January 6, 2023 by - Uncategorized

When to get your updated COVID vaccine depends on your age, how many vaccine doses you’ve already gotten, and when you got them. The CDC has created an online tool to help determine when to get your next booster.

What are the updated vaccines?

The COVID-19 vaccines continue to work very well at preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death.

The updated vaccines now available from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna target the Omicron variant, which is the COVID virus infecting people today. They’re an additional dose for people who’ve completed their primary vaccination series.

Novavax offers a booster dose of its COVID vaccine, but it doesn’t target Omicron. People 18 and older can get the extra Novavax dose if they’ve completed their primary vaccination series.

Who should get an updated COVID vaccine?

All vaccinated people 6 months and older should get an updated vaccine when eligible.

Children 6 months – 4 years who got all 3 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech primary vaccination series don’t need an updated vaccine at this time.

Where can I get vaccinated?

The state’s vaccine locator can be used by to find another available vaccination appointment locally.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Celebrating American Heart Month, Shining a Light on CHPW

Posted on December 13, 2022 by - Uncategorized

A person ina yellow sweater and blue jeans holds a small red heart in their hands.

February is American Heart Month. A great time to strengthen your heart and start healthy habits. Did you know that your heart is the strongest muscle in your body? That’s why Community Health Plan of Washington (CHPW) provides support and resources to strengthen your heart and your health. Check out this article about Heart-Healthy Living on their website.

Community Health Plan of Washington (CHPW) has been providing health care to Washington families for more than 30 years. They are Washington’s first not-for-profit to serve Apple Health members. In 1992, Washington’s community and migrant health centers (CHCs), created CHPW to provide health insurance to people who were not being served by traditional insurance companies. From that beginning, they are governed by community organizations (Community Health Centers) like Unity Care NW which, in turn, are governed by community members. Today they remain a not-for-profit based in Washington providing health care for Washingtonians. Here in Whatcom county, they offer Apple Health (Medicaid) and Medicare plans.

CHPW By the NumbersCommunity Plan of Washington logo of a multicolored sunflower
CHPW is connected throughout Washington. The Community Health Plan of Washington network includes:

  • 21 Community Health Centers operating more than 190 clinics
  • More than 3,100 primary care providers
  • Nearly 15,000 medical specialists
  • Nearly 8,000 behavioral health specialists
  • Over 100 hospitals
  • More than 130 Affiliate Providers at 393 locations

They are also one of Unity Care NW’s Health Care Champion sponsors supporting our work to provide affordable whole person health care to everyone. Thank you CHPW for everything you do to create stronger and healthier communities!