>>> GOOD FLON, THE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON FEDERAL
ADMINISTRATION AND POLICY
CHANGES COMMITTEE MEETING WILL
COME TO ORDER. IT IS 2:10 P.M.,
JUNE 25, 2026. I'M CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE. WILL THE COMMITTEE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL AND
LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT
COUNCILMEMBERS JUAREZ, STRAUSS,
AND SAKA ARE EXCUSED.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> PRESENT.
>> VICE CHAIR KETTLE?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR RINCK?
>> HERE.
>> THERE ARE SIX MEMBERS PRESENT
AND THREE EXCUSED.
>> THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE
ONTO APPROVAL OF TODAY'S
AGENDA. I MOVE TO ADOPT TODAY'S
AGENDA. IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. WELCOME EVERYONE AND
THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TODAY'S
MEETING OF FEDERAL
ADMINISTRATION AND POLICY
CHANGES. AS A REMINDER TO THE
PUBLIC, THIS COMMITTEE WAS STOOD
UP IN 2025 TO UNDERSTAND HOW
MAJOR CHANGES HAPPENING AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL ARE IMPACTING
RESIDENTS IN THE CITY SEATTLE,
ALL WHO LIVE AND WORK HERE. THE
COMMITTEE IS MEETING ON A
QUARTERLY BASIS WITH THE MOST
RECENT MEETING ON MARCH 5. WE
ARE SCHEDULED AFTER THIS MEETING
ON SEPTEMBER 10 BEFORE COUNCIL
HEADS INTO BUDGET SEASON. ON
TODAY'S AGENDA, WE HAVE THREE
ITEMS COVERING TWO TOPICS,
HEALTHCARE AND LGBTQ CIVIL
RIGHTS. SO FIRST OF ALL, HAPPY
PRIDE MONTH, EVERYBODY. WE WILL
BE HEARING FROM OUR WASHINGTON
STATE HEALTHCARE AUTHORITY AND
HEALTHIER HERE ON HOW CHANGES
MADE IN THE BIG BETRAYAL BILL
PASSED BY CONGRESSIONAL
REPUBLICANS IN 2025 ARE
IMPACTING HEALTHCARE HERE IN
SEATTLE AND IN WASHINGTON STATE.
WE WILL THEN HEAR DIRECTLY FROM
HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ON WHAT
THIS LOOKS LIKE ON THE GROUND
FOR THEIR ORGANIZATIONS AND
PATIENTS. WE WILL CLOSE WITH A
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION ON CIVIL
RIGHTS AND LGBTQ ISSUES AND HOW
THE CITY OF SEATTLE IS
RESPONDING TO GROWING COMMUNITY
CONCERNS. ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE
HAVE SEEN INTENSE ATTACKS KWENS
QUEER AND TRANS PEOPLE WITH
HOSTILE LEGISLATION AND
VIOLENCE. I WANT TO SAY LOUD AND
CLEAR WHILE WE KNOW WE HAVE MORE
WORK TO DO IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, WE NEED TO STAND FIRM
AND BE WELCOMING FOR QUEER AND
TRANS PEOPLE. WE WILL OPEN THE
HYBRID PUPLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
COMMENTS SHOULD RELATE TO THE
ITEMS ON THE AGENDA AND IN THE
PURVIEW OF THIS COMMITTEE. HOW
MANY SPEAKERS ARE SIGNED UP?
>> CURRENTLY WE HAVE 29 IN
PERSON SPEAKERS SIGNED UP AND
TWO REMOTE SPEAKERS.
>> EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE ONE
MINUTE. WE WILL START WITH IN
PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST. THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL BE
MODERATED IN THE FOLLOWING
MANNER. THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS UP TO 60 MINUTES.
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN THE
ORDER IN WHICH THEY ARE
REGISTERED. SPEAKERS WILL
ALTERNATE BETWEEN SETS OF IN
PERSON AND REMOTE SPEAKERS UNTIL
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD HAS
ENDED. BEGIN BY STATING YOUR
NAME AND ITEM YOU ARE
ADDRESSING. SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A
CHIME WHEN 10 SECONDS ARE LEFT
ON THE TIME. SPEAKERS MICS WILL
BE MUTED IF THEY DO NOT END
THEIR COMMENTS IN THE ALLOTTED
TIME TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE
NEXT SPEAKER. THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS NOW OPEN AND WE WILL
BEGIN WITH THE FIRST ON THE
LIST.
>> I WILL READ THE FIRST OF FIVE
SPEAKERS LISTED RIGHT HERE.
FOLKS WANT TO START QUEUEING UP.
THE FIRST PUBLIC SPEAKER I SEE
HERE IS JANIS DEGUCCI, FOLLOWED
BY COURT TNY SMITH GILES AND
THEN VALERIE JOHNSON, VIOLET
CALGUCCI AND TAYLOR FAR.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. SPEAKING ON
THE TOPIC OF MEDICAID LONGTERM
SUPPORT AND SERVICES. THANK YOU
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY
TODAY. MY NAME IS JANIS DEGUCCI,
I'M DIRECTOR EXECUTIVE OF. AT
LEAST FIVE PAROLEES AND OTHER
LAWFULLY PRESENT IMMIGRANTS
LIVING IN WASHINGTON WILL LOSE
LONGTERM MEDICARE SUPPORT
SERVICES BECAUSE OF HR1.
NEIGHBORED HOUSE SERVES 841 OF
THE 1200 AFFECTED WASHINGTONIANS
WHOSE CONDITIONS ARE NURSING
LEVEL ACUITY. THEY WOULD LOSE
TREATMENT LIKE CHEMOTHERAPY,
DIALYSIS, WOUND CARE, OXYGEN
THERAPY. WE ARE SCRAMBLING TO
CONNECT THE CLIENTS WITH OTHER
RESOURCES . THEIR FUTURE HEALTH
AND WELL-BEING IS GONE ONCE THE
COVERAGE IS REVOKED. THE CLIENTS
HAVE PENDING STATUSES. UCIS
STOPPED GRANTING INTERVIEWS OR
PROCESSING APPLICATIONS STARTING
DECEMBER 2025 AND TPS WILL
EXPIRE IN OCTOBER FOR
UKRAINIANS. URGE THE HEALTHCARE
AUTHORITY AND GOVERNOR FERGUSON
TO MAINTAIN COVERAGE AND THE
GIVING SUPPORT FOR THE 1200
VULNERABLE AND FRAIL COMMUNITY
MEMBERS.
>> THANK YOU. COURTNEY?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON
COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS
COURTNEY SMITH GILES. I'M HERE
ON BEHALF OF LIFE LONG HEALTH TO
SPEAK ON MEDICAID LONGTERM
SERVICES AND SUPPORT. THANK YOU
FOR HOSTING THIS IMPORTANT
HEARING. LIFE LONG IS AN
ORGANIZATION BORN OUT OF THE
AIDS CRISIS PROVIDING CRITICAL
HEALTH, HOUSING, FOOD, AND AGING
SUPPORTS FOR THOSE WHO ARE OFTEN
LEFT BEHIND. WE BELIEVE EVERY
PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY HAS A
RIGHT TO BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY
AND COMPASSION, REGARDLESS OF
WHO THEY ARE, WHO THEY LOVE,
WHERE THEY COME FROM OR HOW MUCH
MONEY THEY HAVE IN THE POCKET.
THAT'S WHY WE ECHO THE CONCERNS
EXPRESSED BY OUR COLLEAGUES AT
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE AND WE ARE
GRAPPLING WITH HOW TO CONTINUE
SERVING BETWEEN 10 AND 20
CLIENTS. WE EXPECT TO LOSE
MEDICAID COVERAGE AND THE HOME
BASED COMMUNITY LONGTERM CARE
SUPPORTS OCTOBER 1. WE RECOGNIZE
BUNLTS ARE TIGHT AND WE KNOW
THAT CARING FOR THE PARTICULARLY
VULNER BIBLE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO
HAVE COME TO THE COUNTRY AS
REFUGEES WILL SHOW UP IN LESS
DESIRABLE AND MORE EXPENSIVE
SETTINGS IF WE DON'T FIND A WAY
TO CONTINUE FUNDING THEIR CARE
SERVICES.
>> THANK YOU. VALERIE JOHNSON?
>> HELLO , MY NAME IS VALERIE
JOHNSON. I'M A HATE CRIME
REFUGEE. I LANDED HERE APRIL 99
HOMELESS, I WAS JUST BROUGHT
HERE BY A CHARITY AND THERE WAS
NOWHERE TO GO. WE NEED
DESPERATELY HOUSING FOR REFUGEES
COMING IN BECAUSE WE HAVE GOT A
CHOICE, DEATH OR HOMELESSNESS.
THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND. ON
THIS SUNDAY, I WAS WALKING
ALONE, I'M A TRANS MAN AND I
WAS WALKING ALONE ON THE SEATTLE
ART WALK TRYING TO STAY AWAKE
BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE TO SLEEP
ALONE AND I WAS BEATEN BY A MAN
BECAUSE I WAS TRANS. THIS IS NOT
SAFE. WE NEED HELP , THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE
VALERIE. NEXT WE HAVE VIOLET.
>> HELLO, I'M VIOLET CALGUCCI,
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECT TER OF THE
O'CONNOR INITIATIVE, WASHINGTON
STATE 501(C)(3) THAT HELPS TRANS
PEOPLE FLEEING LEGISLATIVELY
HOSTILE STATES. I WANT TO
PREFACE THIS BY SAYING WE HAVE A
LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE BUILT UP
THE COURAGE TO COME TO THIS
BUILDING RIGHT NOW AND TALK TO
YOU ALL. I IMPLORE YOU ALL TO
PLEASE LISTEN WITH AN OPEN MIND
AND AN OPEN HEART AND REALLY
INTERNALIZE WHAT THESE PEOPLE
HAVE TO SAY. THINGS ARE GETTING
VERY BAD. OKLAHOMA FOR EXAMPLE,
IS TO MY KNOWLEDGE WELL ON THEIR
WAY TO GETTING GENDER AFFIRMING
CARE REMOVED FROM MEDICAID
COVERAGE. THIS IS HAPPENING IN
MANY, MANY STATES. SEATTLE IS
THE NUMBER ONE DESTINATION IN
THE COUNTRY BECAUSE WE HAVE
INFRASTRUCTURE, WE HAVE
COMMUNITY. THERE ARE
ORGANIZATIONS SPUN UP. WHEN THEY
FLEE, THEY WILL FLEE HERE. AND
IF TEXAS OR FLORIDA DOES WHAT
OKLAHOMA IS DOING NOW, THIS CITY
NEEDS TO PREPARE FOR THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE FLEEING.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE
TAYLOR FARLY.
>> HELLO, MOST OF YOU KNOW ME,
I'M TAYLOR FARLY. I'M WITH
QUEER POWER ALLIANCE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR . OUR COMMUNITY IS
UNDER ATTACK AS YOU KNOW.
ORGANIZATIONS PROTECTING LGBTQ
AI PLUS PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING TO
SURVIVE. LGBTQ ORGANIZATIONS
RECEIVE ONLY 0.17% OF ALL
CHARITIABLE GIVING IN THE UNITED
STATES. THAT'S LESS THAN ONE
DOLLAR FOR EVERY $500 DONATED.
RISING NEARLY TWICE AS FAST AS
THE FUNDING IS COMING IN. AT
THIS MOMENT, OUR COMMUNITIES ARE
IN NEED ARE MOST IN NEED. WE
HEAR FROM TRANS AND NONBINARY
PEOPLE WHO ARE AFRAID OF LOSING
THEIR HEALTHCARE, HOUSING,
PROTECTIONS, FREEDOM TO LIVE FOR
THEMSELVES. I'M GOING TO SKIP A
BUNCH OF STUFF BUT I HAVE HEARD
THAT 95 PEOPLE HAVE MOVED TO
SEATTLE AND OVER TEN YOUTH AND
YOUNG ADULTS HAVE COME FROM
OTHER STATES TO SEEK SAFETY.
>> I'M GOING TO READ THE NEXT
FIVE NAMES. CHLOE SHAPIRO, MAG
DULENAROAR, LYDIA TAYLOR, AND
ALEX GOSS, AND EDEN QUA.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL. I AM
CHLOE SHAPIRO. I'M A VETERAN OF
THE UNITED STATES ARMY, NATIONAL
GUARD, TEXAS. I SERVED 12 YEARS.
I AM NOW A REFUGEE FOR THE SAME
COUNTRY I DEFENDED FOR 12 YEARS
BECAUSE I HAVE LIVED IN TEXAS
AND IT WAS GETTING DANGEROUS AND
NOW I'M HERE, HOMELESS,
SLEEPING IN MY CAR. AND WE NEED,
WE NEED ACTUAL SUPPORT, ME AND
ALMOST 40,000 OTHER TRANS
REFUGEES, ALL FROM TEXAS,
FLORIDA, OKLAHOMA, GEORGIA,
ALABAMA, MISSISSIPPI. WE ARE
STRUGGLING, THERE ARE MULTIPLE
SEATS THAT HAVE CALLED SPECIAL
SESSIONS AND HAVE TURNED US INTO
A PROTECTED CLASS, FOR INSTANCE
HAWAII, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO
HAVE JUST SIGNED LEGISLATION AS
TRANS PEOPLE AS A PROTECTED
CLASS.
>> NEXT WE HAVE MAGDALENA.
>> I'M READY. COUNCILMEMBER
PRESIDENT, ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF
THIS BODY AND COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK AND COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE
WHOSE SOLIDARITY WITH TRANS
PEOPLE IS A LAUREL TO HER CROWN.
HER NAME WAS JUNIPER BLESSING
AND HER BLOOD CRIES OUT FROM THE
FLOOR OF THE CHAMBER. BIGOTRY
KILLED HER IN THIS CITY'S MILD
MANNERED EFFORTS TO COMBAT IT.
YOUR FIRST DUTY AS INHERITORS OF
A GENOCIDE, THE ONE COMMITTED
AGAINST THE DEWAMMISH AND OTHERS
AND TO RETURN LEADERSHIP AND
STEWARDSHIP TO THEIR
DESCENDANTS. YOU HAVE NO HIGHER
DUTY. IF THIS PLACE WAS NOT
COLONIZED, THEY WOULD HAVE
OPENED THEIR ARMS TO US. YOU
HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO ANYTHING
LESS. ONGOING POLITICAL VIOLENCE
AGAINST TRANS PEOPLE AS A
GENOCIDE. NO ONE IS QUALIFIED TO
REFUTE THE STATEMENT. STAND BY
US AND DECLARE A CIVIL
EMERGENCY. STOP TRANS GENOCIDE.
WE ARE NOT A CRISIS. WE ARE A
CONSTITUENCY. HOW MANY OF US ARE
HERE? MORE THAN THAN THE 2,000
PEOPLE THAT THE MAYOR WON BY.
>> NEXT WE HAVE LYDIA AND THEN
WE HAVE ALEX .
>> HELLO?
>> YOU HAVE TO EAT THE MIC A
LITTLE BIT?
>> LIKE THIS?
>> THAT'S PERFECT. HI. I'M
LYDIA TAYLOR. I HAVE MET SEVERAL
OF YOU SO BEFORE EITHER WITH
YOUTH CARE OR MOCKINGBIRD. IT IS
NICE AND VALIDATING TO HAVE A
LIST OF POINTS BUT THOSE OF YOU
WHO HAVE MET ME BEFORE WOULD
KNOW THAT I HAVE ALREADY BEEN
SAYING THIS FOR YEARS AT THE
TIMES THAT WE HAVE MET FACE TO
FACE.
>> THANK YOU, LYDIA. NEXT WE
HAVE ALEX GOSS FOLLOWED BY EDEN
QUA.
>> MY NAME IS ALEX GOSS. I FLED
HERE FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE AS THE
STATE WAS HOSTILE TO TRANS
PEOPLE. BEFORE I LEFT, THEY
PASSED A TRANS BATHROOM BILL AND
ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF
STRIPPING AWAY TRANS HEALTHCARE.
WITH THE INTENTION OF TAKING
AWAY FROM ADULTS AS WELL. NOT
LONG BEFORE, I LEFT NEW
HAMPSHIRE, NEO NAZIS WALKED
THROUGH THE STREETS AND THE
POLICE DID NOTHING. IT IS
BECOMING INCREASINGLY HOSTILE
FOR MANY PEOPLE ACROSS THE
COUNTRY BUT ESPECIALLY TRANS
PEOPLE. AND THE ONLY REASON I
DIDN'T GO TO MASSACHUSETTS IS
BECAUSE I HAVE AN EX THERE WHO
WANTS ME DEAD. WE NEED TO TAKE
THIS SERIOUSLY BECAUSE WE ARE
TARGETS OF WHAT IS A GENOCIDE.
WE NEED TO DECLARE A CIVIL
EMERGENCY NOW.
>> NEXT WE WILL HEAR FROM EDEN
AND THEN GWEN VEER, TOBIAS, I.J.
AND THEN MANTTA.
>> I'M EDEN QUA FROM SOUTH
DAKOTA. I CAME HERE IN 2024.
PREVIOUSLY I WAS A MIDDLE SCHOOL
LIBRARIAN AND I WAS OUTED AT
WORK AND SLURS WERE FREQUENTLY
YELLED AT ME IN THE HALLWAY AND
THEN BECAUSE I HAD TO HAVE A
SUMMER JOB, SLURS WERE YELLED AT
ME WHEN I WAS WORKING AT A GS
STATION. I GAME HERE AND I
DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY AND I
WAS AFRAID I WAS GOING TO BE
HOMELESS SO I TOOK OUT $62,000
IN DEBT TO ATTEND A GRADUATE
PROGRAM HERE WHICH I HAVE NOW
GRADUATED AND KNOW THAT I WILL
SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE PAYING
OFF THE MONEY. I DON'T WANT
OTHER PEOPLE TO TAKE OUT $62,000
OF DEBT TO HAVE A CHANCE AT
GETTING A JOB SMOIR WHERE THEY
ARE NOT UNDERTHREAT OF HATE
CRIME CONSTANTLY. ALTHOUGH
JENNIFER BLESSING'S DEATH WAS
TRAGIC, THERE ARE DOZENS OF
OTHER TRANS PEOPLE WHO HAVE
MOSTERS UP TALKING ABOUT HOW
THEY ARE MISSING AND WE WILL
NEVER SEE AGAIN.
>> I'M READING A STATEMENT ON
BEHALF OF A REFUGEE. I MOVED TO
SEATTLE IN 2025, MOVED INTO A
COUPLE OF TRANS FOLKS I KNEW
FROM THE INTERNET. I WORKED FROM
HOME AND DIDN'T HAVE TO FIND A
JOB IMMEDIATELY AFTER MOVING SO
THAT WAS A HUGE PLUS. IF I
DIDN'T HAVE THAT, I WOULDN'T
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS. I
SOLD MY MOSTIVALUE BIBLE
POSSESSION TO MOVE HERE, THE
TRUCK MY DAD BOUGHT FOR ME. I
FULLY RESTORED IT AND PUT SO
MUCH LOVE INTO IT AND HAD TO
SELL IT. I REACHED OUT TO A FEW
LGBTQ ORGS LIKE CAP HILL
MEDICAL. THE LGBTQ CENTER
ASSIGNED ME A CASE WORKER AND
THEY WERE INCREDIBLE. CAP HILL
MEDICAL WAS FULL AND NOT TAKING
PATIENTS. THE CASE WORKER I WAS
ASSIGNED RECOMMENDED ME DOCTORS.
GETTING IN WITH FRIENDLY DOCTORS
WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE BUT I WAS
ABLE TO FIND ONE THANKS TO
FRIENDS RECOMMENDATION. LIVING
IN SEATTLE IS LIFE CHANGING,
BEING AROUND PEOPLE WHO ACCEPT
ME FOR WHO I AM OR DON'T CARE.
I DON'T GET STAIRS WHEN I GO
OUT.
>> THANK YOU. NOW WE HAVE
TOBIAS. HELLO, THERE WE GO. MY
NAME IS TOBIAS GIRL. I'M A
TRANS MAN AND A TEACHER IN
SEATTLE. I MOVED HERE FOR THE
SECOND TIME IN DECEMBER OF 2024.
I FLED SEATTLE IN 2022 BECAUSE I
SAW THE DIRECTION THE CITY WAS
GOING AND I TRIED TO MAKE IT TO
CANADA. UNFORTUNATELY, I WASN'T
ABLE TO STAY AFTER MY GRADUATE
PROGRAM CONCLUDED SO I CAME
HERE. WITH ALL RESPECT AND LOVE
TOSEATTLE, MANY OF US WOULD NOT
BE HERE IF WE HAD OTHER PLACES
TO GO BECAUSE WOE WERE UNDER THE
THREAT OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WE
DO NOT HAVE OTHER OPTIONS. WE
ARE PLAYING THE FLOOR IS LAVA ON
TOP OF A VOLCANO. IF I HAD MOVED
HERE I WOULD BE HOMELESS BECAUSE
YOU CAN'T GET A HOME IF YOU
CAN'T GET A JOB. HELP US AVOID
ALL THAT AND FUND OUR
ORGANIZATIONS, THANK YOU.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS I.O. THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE. I'M
CURRENTLY 2 # #. I MOVED TO
SEATTLE FIVE YEARS AGO, HOPING
TO ESCAPE THE CRUELTY OF THE
AMERICAN SOUTHWEST. SINCE THEN,
I HAVE SPENT MOST OF THE FIVE
YEARS DOING MY BEST TO UPLIFT
THE CITY AND THE PEOPLE WHO
HELPED SURROUND ME. SINCE THEN I
HAVE SPENT MOST OF MY NAME
VOLUNTEERING AT FOOD BANKS AND
EDUCATING SEATTLE'S YOUTH.
RIGHT NOW I WOULD LIKE TO
ITERATE LIKE MANY PEOPLE HERE
TODAY THAT TRANS PEOPLE NEED
HELP AND WE ARE ASKING YOU TO
DECLARE A STATE OF CIVIL
EMERGENCY SO THAT WAY MORE
PEOPLE MAY BUILD A LIFE HERE AND
BUILD SEATTLE INTO THE CITY THAT
WE KNOW IT CAN BE. THANK YOU.
>> THEN AKARA, A POLOGIES IF I
MISPRONOUNCE THAT.
>> YOU MAY TALL ME MONTA, I AM A
LEADER OF THE COMMUNITY IN
SEATTLE. I READ THIS ON BEHALF
OF ANOTHER TRANS PERSON. I
CAN'T ATTEND THIS MEETING BUT
IF SOMEONE CAN HIGHLIGHT HOW
MANY TRANS PEOPLE THEY ARE
LOSING WHETHER TO MENTAL
DISABILITY, HOMELESSNESS, ET
CETERA AND BECAUSE WE ARE SO
TUCKING POOR AND BEING
DISCRIMINATED GNS. 95% OF
EMPLOYERS SAY A TRANS PERSON
WOULD NOT FIT INTO OUR WORK
PLACE. ON BEHALF OF MY TRANS
SIBLING'S REQUEST I READ ALOUD
THE NAMES OF THE TRANS PEOPLE I
AM AWARE OF WHO HAVE DIED AND
GONE MISSING IN SEATTLE SINCE
KATIE WILSON WAS ELECTED MAYOR.
VAN ESA, ALEX JUNIPER, SUICIDE,
LYDIA, REFUGEE MISSING, ALLEY
SCHMITT MISSING, JUNEBLESSING,
MURDERED, FATAL 27 SUICIDES, 27,
REFUGEE FROM CANADA, GWENDOLYN,
O CAMA, 51, NATURAL CAUSES.
>> THANK YOU, VERY POWERFUL. AND
IF PEOPLE WANT TO SUBMIT THE
TESTIMONY INTO THE WRITTEN
COMMENTS BOX, THAT'S GREAT. I
HAVE AKARAS AND THEN WE HAVE
LOU, BRANDON, ALLISON, THEN
FRIDAY.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL. I'M
HERE ON BEHALF OF A TRANS
MASCULINE MAN AND REFUGEE WHO
COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY. HE
RELOCATED FROM NEW ORLEANS
LEAVING THE CITY BECAUSE IT
WASN'T SAFE TO STAY. MEDICAID
DIDN'T COVER HIS HOMERUNS AND
HE WAS PHYSICALLY UNSAFE. A
TRANS RIGHTS ORGANIZATION LIKE
THE ONE HERE HELPED PAY FOR THIS
PLANE TICKET TO WASHINGTON BUT
THAT WAS ONE OF THE MANY COSTS,
FINANCIAL, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL. HE
HAS BEEN PUSHED OUT OF JOBS
WITHOUT JUSTIFICATION. HE ALSO
SPEAKS OF A FRIEND OF HIS IN A
RURAL PLACE IN LOUISIANA WHO
DIDN'T GET THE HELP SHE NEEDED
AND IS NOW ACTIVELY SUICIDAL.
NOW THINK OF THIS AS AN ABSTRACT
POLICY QUESTION, THE POLICY YOU
ARE DISCUSSING IS THE REASON HE
LIVES IN WASHINGTON INSTEAD OF
NEW ORLEANS. MORE AND MORE
PEOPLE ARE COMING TO SETAL
BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A CHOICE.
COSTS THAT COVER IS THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TURNING
PEOPLE AWAY AND SAYING --.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE LOU.
>> HEY, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK NOT
AS A PERSON WHO FLED A RED STATE
BUT AS A HELPER. MOST OF US
DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY. A
LOT OF US ARE UNEMPLOYED. A LOT
OF US ARE SUPER OVERWHELMED AND
IT IS LIKE A PERSON DOES A BUNCH
OF WORK, THEY COLLAPSE, GIVE IT
TO ANOTHER PERSON, THEY COLLAPSE
AND THAT'S KIND OF LIKE
THERE'S SOME STABILITY HERE AND
THERE BUT WE NEED MONEY. WE GOT
TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR
RENT. WE ACTUALLY NEED TO BE
ABLE TO BRING IN THE PEOPLE HERE
INTO HOUSING, LIKE A MOTEL WOULD
BE AMAZING IF WE COULD JUST PUT
PEOPLE IN A MOTEL, THAT WOULD BE
INSANE BUT WE NEED MONEY TO DO
THAT. PLEASE FUND ORGANIZATIONS
LIKE COY. THANK YOU.
>> BRANDON?
>> THANK YOU FOR THE TIME YOU
HAVE GIVEN TODAY TO ADDRESS THE
CRISIS OF TRANS GENDER REFUGEES
WHO FACE PERSECUTION WITHIN
THEIR OWN STATES. FOR YEARS THE
COMMUNITY HAS WARNED OF
ESCALATING ATTACKS ON TRANS
RIGHTS AS PART OF A CALLUS
POLITICAL STRATEGY OF THE RIGHT.
IT IS UNDENIABLE THAT THE
VIOLENCE IS REAL INCLOUDING THE
DISRUPTION OR ELIMINATION OF
NECESSARY MEDICAL SERVICES.
SEATTLEITES ARE WELCOMING AND
GENEROUS. THEY HAVE MADE IT
CLEAR THAT THE GENICIZE AGAINST
TRANS PEOPLE STOPS AT OUR
BORDER. THE QUESTION TODAY IS
NOT WILL SEATTLE WELCOME TRANS
REFUGEES FROM ACROSS THE
COUNTRY. OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE MADE
IT CLEAR WE ARE WILLING TO
ACCEPT THEM. NOW WE NEED TO BACK
IT UP WITH ACTION. WE NEED MORE
HOMES TO PLACE PEOPLE IN. WE
NEED MEAL ASSISTANCE AND
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. WE NEED
HEALTHCARE THAT WON'T DROP
COVERAGE FOR TRANS KIDS BECAUSE
ONE ADMINISTRATION THREATENS
THEIR FUNDING. ORGANIZATIONS
THAT REFUGEES TO SETTLE IN BLUE
STATES HAVE THOUSANDS OF
APPLICANTS BUT NOT THE RESOURCES
THEY NEED.
>> THANK YOU, BRANDON. NEXT I
SEE ALLISON EVEREST.
>> DEAR COUNCIL, MY NAME IS
ALLISON NEPHERS, MAY PRONOUNS
ARE THEY SHE IT. I'M HERE TO
PRESENT ON THIS MATTER. THE
TRANS COMMUNITY HAS DONE LEGWORK
TO ELECT THE KURNLT
ADMINISTRATION. WE ARE SUPPOSED
TO BE A GOVERNMENT FOR AND BY
THE PEOPLE AND AS LONG AS THERE
IS A GOVERNMENT TO DO THE
BIDDING, WE SHOULD. OUR MUTUAL
AID NETWORKS HAVE BEEN STRETCHED
BEYOND NEEDS FOR SIBLINGS
FLEEING ACROSS THE NATION FOR
IMMINENT THREAT FOR THEIR LIVES.
WE IMPPLORE THE CITY TO HEAR OUR
VOICE AND DO ITS PART TO LIVE UP
TO ITS REPUTATION AS A SAFE
HAVEN FOR TRANS REFUGEES. TOO
MANY HAVE BEEN MURDERED FOR THE
CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS TO
CONTINUE. , THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE WILL HAVE FRIDAY
AND THEN I'M GOING TO READ THE
NEXT HANDFUL OF NAMES. I HAVE
CLINTON, DAREN, MARIE, AND
EARNEST.
>> HELLO, THERE WE GO. HELLO,
MEMBERS, TWO OF MY FRIENDS HAVE
DIED BY SUICIDE THE PAST YEAR.
ONE AFTER HARASSMENT FROM ONE
GROUP BECAME TOO MUCH. SHE MOVED
HERE FROM AN ABUSIVE FAMILY
SITUATION IN CALIFORNIA AND FELL
IN WITH OUR GROUP BEFORE THE
HARASSMENT BEGAN. THIS GROUP
USES THE WAR OF A FUN PARTY
SPACE WITH SEX, DRUGS, AND BEDS
AND SHELTER. THEY PRESSURE GIRLS
TO CUT TIES TO OTHER GIRLS AND
USE THEIR POSITION TO KEEP THEM
IN LINE. THERE IS A KROIS S IN
SEATTLE. THERE ARE OVER 40,000
PEOPLE HERE THAT ARE MOVED TO
THE STATE SEEKING STABILITY AS
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
CONTINUES TO USE TRANS PEOPLE TO
DISTRACT. WE MUST NOT ALLOW
PEOPLE TO COME INTO THE SEATTLE
SANS SUPPORT. BY DOING SO, WE
BREATHE AIR INTO ABUSE NETWORKS.
BEFORE PEOPLE USED TO RELY ON
QUEER SUPPORT GROUPS BUT THIS IS
A TEMPORARY MEASURE AT BEST AS
THE GROUPS FACE OVER CAPACITY
AND BUDGET CUTS DURING THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION. WE MUST RAPIDLY
EXPAND OUR HOUSING.
>> OKAY. CLINTON?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS
CLINTON ATWAY, DISTRICT 2,
SHOUTOUT TO COUNCILMEMBER LIN. I
AM SIS GENDER STRAIGHT, I'M
JUST AWARE OF THIS CRISIS
THROUGH OPENING MY HOME UP TO A
REFUGEE WHO ARE COMING UP FROM
TEXAS AND OTHER PLACES WHERE
THEY ARE JUST BEING CULTURALY
EXTIPGUISHED. THE COUNCILMEMBERS
HERE ARE ALL SAVVY POLITICAL
MINDS AND ARE SURELY AWARE OF
THE CLICHE OF YOU ARE A LIGHT OF
THE WORLD, CITY ON A HILL CANNOT
BE HIDDEN. THIS GETS WORSE. MORE
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE COMING.
WE NEED RESOURCES NOW. THAT'S
GOING TO ONLY BE ACCOMPLISHED
THROUGH DECLARING CIVIL
EMERGENCY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CLINTON. NEXT UP I
HAVE DAREN. AS DAREN IS COMING
UP, JUST A REMINDER, WE HAVE
MARIE, EARNEST, THEN MINA, AND I
CAN'T BELIEVE I SEE SAM,
FOLLOWED BY SIMON.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS DAREN. I
MOVED HERE FROM FLORIDA --
SORRY. BACK IN 2024. RECENTLY
AFTER RON DESANTIS ENACTED A
BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW HEALTHCARE
PROFESSIONALS TO DECLINE TO
TREAT TRANSGENDER PATIENTS. IT
HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE FOR PEOPLE
BACK IN FLORIDA SINCE I WORRY
ABOUT MY FRIENDS THERE, WHAT T
THEY ARE GOING THROUGH, WHO
COULDN'T AFFORD TO MOVE UP HERE
LIKE I DID. I WAS VERY
FORTUNATE. I ASKED THE CITY OF
SEATTLE TO MROEZ HELP FUND OUR
PROGRAMS TO HELP MOVE OTHER
TRANSGENDER PEOPLE UP HERE AND
SUPPORT THE HOMELESS AND
STRUGGLING TRANS GENDER PEOPLE
IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT WE HAVE MARIE. IF I
COULD HAVE FOLKS AS I'M READING
OUT YOUR NAMES, IF WE COULD HAVE
FOLKS QUEUE UP SO WE ARE READY
TO GO, THAT WOULD BE REALLY
HELPFUL. EARNEST, MINA, SAM,
SIMON, START LINING UP FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT, THAT WOULD BE
GREAT. PLEASE, MARIE?
>> MY NAME IS MARIE. IT REALLY
SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME THAT I GO
TOA GAY BAR THESE DAYS, I ALWAYS
MEET SOMEBODY WHO TELLS ME THEY
CAME TO THE CITY OF SEATTLE
BECAUSE THEY ARE FLEEING SOME
HORRIBLE SITUATION OR SOME
HORRIBLE NEW LAW THAT WAS COOKED
UP IN ANOTHER PLACE. IT ALWAYS
COMES FROM A NEW FACE EVERY
TIME. I CALL UPON THE CITY TO
DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY ON
THE TRANS REFUGEE CRISIS SO THAT
FUNDS CAN BE FREED UP TO SUPPORT
THE MUTUAL AID ORGANIZATIONS
WHICH ALREADY EXIST AND WHICH
HELP TO RESETTLE TRANS
IMMIGRANTS LIKE THE PEOPLE I
MEET IN THESE BARS, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE
EARNEST FOLLOWED BY MIPA.
>> HELLO, THERE. MY NAME IS
ERNEST WALLACE, I AM A REFUGEE
SUCCESS STORY. I FLED HERE IN
2019 WHERE I LIVED IN GEORGIA. I
HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING A
SUPPORT TO STAND ON, OF HAVING A
SOLID FOUNDATION. WE ARE TAKING
EFFORTS ACROSS THE TRANS
COMMUNITY TO BRING OURSELVES TO
SAFETY. BUT WE ARE ALREADY AT A
DISADVANTAGE. IT IS CLEAR ON OUR
STREETS, HOMES, HEARTS. 40,000
PEOPLE ARRIVED HERE IN 2024 AND
MORE FLEE HERE EVERY DAY. IT IS
TIME FOR THE CITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THIS AS WELL. IF YOU ARE NOT
PREPARED TO WELCOME US, YOU ARE
COMPLICIT IN THE VIOLENCE
CHASING US HERE. IT WILL BE
CLEAR WHAT SIDE OF HISTORY
SEATTLE AND THE CURRENT
ADMINISTRATION AS DECIDED TO
STAND ON. IT IS HAPPENING RIGHT
IN FRONT OF YOU. THE PEOPLE
DYING ON YOUR WATCH. THROW THE
LIFE LINES TO THE RAFT. WE ARE
BUILDING FROM THE BONES. THANK
YOU FOR LISTENING.
>> NEXT WE HAVE MINA FOLLOWED BY
SAM, SIMON, AND ARI.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK TODAY ON THE TOPIC OF
THE CRISIS. SO MANY HAVE SAID IT
BETTER THAN ANYTHING I COULD
COME UP WITH. WE NEED FUNDING.
WE NEED HELP. I'M SO TIRED OF
SEEING THE FEAR IN MY SIBLINGS
EYES WHEN THEY HAVE TO THINK
ABOUT GOING BACK TO PLACES THAT
WANT THEM DEAD, THAT WANT THEM
ERASED. YOU CANNOT BE FACED --
SORRY. WE NEED FUNDING. WE NEED
FUNDING TO GO TO THESE COMMUNITY
EFFORTS THAT WILL HELP. THERE'S
NO OTHER OPTION. THANK YOU.
>> HELLO, I'M SAM YAZA, LOCAL
ACTIVIST. IN THE PAST YOUR, I
COUNTED I HAVE HAD AT LEAST 12
DIFFERENT TRANS PEOPLE CRASH ON
MY COUCH AND I LIVE IN A STUDIO.
THIS IS NOT ENOUGH. THESE PEOPLE
ARE EFFECTIVELY ORPHANS. THEY
ARE FLEEING BOTH FROM STATES AND
FROM PARENTS THAT THEY WOULD
RATHER BE HOMELESS THAN LIVE
WITH. JUST YESTERDAY, I WAS AT A
GATHERING FOR HOMELESS TRANS
PEOPLE AND ALL TRANS PEOPLE TO
SHARE MUSIC TOGETHER THAT WAS
RIGHT WING AGITATORS CAME TO AND
STARTED A FIGHT IN. WE NEED MORE
RESOURCES SO THAT PEOPLE CAN GET
HOUSING AND DON'T HAVE TO BE
DEPENDENT ON THE LUCKY FEW WHO
CAN GET EMPLOYMENT. THANK YOU.
>> ALSO, THOSE WINGS ARE
INCREDIBLE. NEXT WE WILL HAVE
SIMON AND THEN I'M GOING TO
READ THE NEXT COUPLE OF NAMES SO
FOLKS CAN START COUPERING UP, WE
HAVE ARI, GABBY, VINCENT, AND
THEN WE WILL MOVE TO ONLINE
COMMENTERS. PROCEED.
>> NOT ABLE TO BE HERE, THEY ARE
AT WORK. I DID NOT KNOW AS LATE
AS THE END OF FEBRUARY THAT I
WAS MOVING HERE WHEN KANSAS
PASSED SB244. I WANTED TO STAY
THERE, I HAD FRIENDS AND
COWORKERS. THE JOB WENT FIRST.
THEY DIDN'T WANT A BUS DRIVER
WHOSE LICENSE WAS GOING TO BE
REVOKED. THEN MY FRIEND WAS
SCARED OF BEING SEEN WITH A
TRANSGENDER PERSON. WHEN I WAS
FOLLOWED HOME, I MADE
ARRANGEMENTS TO MOVE. THE
SOMEONE THE NEXT WEEK HAD BROKEN
INTO MY HOME WITH A FIREARM.
K.O.I. SAVED MY LIFE. THESE
STORIES HAPPEN AVENUE DAY, MOST
AND BADLY, I'M BLESSED TO HAVE.
PEOPLE WILL MOVE HERE NO MATTER
WHAT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SIMON. NEXT WE
HAVE ARI.
>> I'M A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATOR
WITH SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I
LOVE MY JOB AND I KNOW I WOULD
NOT BE ABLE TO DO IT IN MY HOME
STATE OF ARIZONA AND
INCREASINGLY WOULD NOT BE AIBL
TO DO IT IN MANY, MANY STATES
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY. I HAVE GOOD
RELATIONSHIPS WITH MOST OF MY
STUDENTS BUT MY RELATIONSHIPS
WITH MY TRANS STUDENTS ARE
ESPECIALLY WONDERFUL BECAUSE
THEY GET TO SEE THAT A FUTURE
FOR THEM IS POSSIBLE. I HAVE HAD
TRANS STUDENTS TELL ME THAT I AM
THE FIRST TRANS ADULT THEY HAVE
EVER MET, NOT ALL OF THEM.
SEATTLE HAS A LOT OF TRANS FOLKS
AROUND. BUT FOR SOME OF THEM IT
IS AND IT GIVES THEM HOPE THAT A
FUTURE IS POSSIBLE. SO I'M JUST
HERE TO SAY, PLEASE REMEMBER
TRANS YOUTH. TRANS TEACHERS, WE
ARE HERE PLEASE DECLARE A CIVIL
EMERGENCY, ESPECIALLY AS STATES
LIKE TEXAS TRY TO PUSH AN
INCREASINGLY HOSTILE NARRATIVE.
>> WE HAVE GABBY, VINCENT AND
MIKAYLA.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS GABBY
DENEV. I MOVED HERE FROM
VIRGINIA BACK IN 2021. PRIOR TO
MOVING HERE, I ATTEMPTED SUICIDE
THREE TIMES. NOW I'M BASICALLY
AN UNLICENSED THERAPIST FOR MY
FRIENDS WHO ARE SUICIDAL AND
CAN'T GET ANY HELP. BECAUSE
THERE IS JUST NO GOOD PLACE TO
GO TO. IF YOU GO TO ANY
INSTITUTION, IT FEELS LIKE
PRISON AND THERE IS NO SAFE
PLACE FOR TRANS PEOPLE. NOW I
HAVE TO WORRY EVERY DAY THAT ONE
OF MY FRIENDS MIGHT KILL
THEMSELVES. THERE IS BARELY
ANYTHING I CAN DO BECAUSE I'M
NOT TRAINED FOR ANY OF THIS!
THANK YOU.
>> VINCENT AND MIKAYLA.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS
VINCENT AND I'M AN EPSTEIN
SURVIVOR. YOU MISSED THE MONTANA
TENTTICAL IN THE FILES BECAUSE
THE PEOPLE IN THIS RING RUN THE
WORLD. THEY ARE ACCUSING MY
COMMUNITY, I AS AN INTERSEX
MASCULINE, THEY ARE ACCUSING MY
COMMUNITY OF WHAT THEY DO. I
SHONT HAVE LIVED PASSED 6
BECAUSE SOMEONE ORDERED SNUFFED,
SERIES VIDEOS FROM MY FATHER WHO
IS A MARINE WHO IS THE BEST
FRIEND OF BILL CLINTON'S MARINE
SECURITY DETAIL. I DON'T KNOW
WHO ORDERED IT. I KNOW THE KKK
CHASED US OUT OF ARKANSAS BEFORE
DAD COULD FINISH FILMING THOSE
VIDEOS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT
TO SEE A LITTLE WHITE GIRL. THEY
DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THE BLACK
BABIES THEY FORCED MOW TO EAT
OFF OF IN THE VIDEOS. THE PEOPLE
MAKING THE ACCUSATIONS ARE THE
THING.
>> MY NAME IS MIKAYLA HILSY, I
HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT IN SEATTLE
FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS NOW. WHEN I
FIRST GOT HERE, I WAS FORTUNATE
TO HAVE MANY FRIENDS WHO WERE
ABLE TO LEND ME HOUSING IN
SPACES WHERE I WAS ABLE TO TAKE
CARE OF MOIFL IN THE BEGINNING
OF MY TRANSITION. I KNOW THAT IS
NOT AN OPPORTUNITY THAT MOST
PEOPLE ARE LENDED. THERE ARE
MANY VOICES WHO COULD NOT MAKE
IT HERE SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE
HOOKING FOR PLACES TO SURVIVE.
WE ARE IN A VERY TERRIFYING TIME
TO BE ANYTHING THAT IS
CONSIDERED DIFFERENT OR OUT OF
THE ORDER NER SNACHLT WE ARE
ALREADY TRYING TO BE MARGINIZED
AND PUSHED AWAY INTO THE CRACKS
OF THE STREETS WHERE WE CAN BE
FORGOTTEN AND LEFT FOR DEAD. IF
YOU NEED ANY KIND OF EVIDENCE
FOR WHY WE NEED A TRANS STATE OF
EMERGENCY, YOU JUST NEED TO WALK
THROUGH ANY STROET OF CAPITOL
HILL. GO INTO CALANDERSON PARK
ON THE VERY LARGE PUMP HOUSE ON
THE BACK. THERE IS A DOOR.
>> THANK YOU MIKAYLA. THOSE WERE
ALL OF THE IN PERSON PUBLIC
COMMENTERS. NOW WE WILL MOVE TO
REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENTERS. THE
FIRST REMOTE SPEAKER IS ALBERTY
ALVAREZ , PLEASE PRESS STAR 6
WHEN YOU HEAR THE PROMPT. YOU
HAVE BEEN UNMUTED.
>> THANK YOU. DOLLARS NOT DECK
LARATIONS. REPORTS AT UCLUX A
AND OTHER STUDIES SHOW MORE THAN
HALF OF TRANS AND QUEER KIDS ARE
FLEEING THEIR HOME CITIES AND
STATES. YOU ARE HEARING ABOUT
THE OPPRESSIVE LAWS AND
DANGEROUS POLICIES SO MANY TO
SEEK HEALTH AND ACCEPTANCE IN
OUR COMMUNITIES. WE HAVE BEEN
WITNESSING THE CHAOS, VIOLENCE,
TURMOIL BROUGHT BY THE FASCIST
STORM. COUNCIL HAS THE LEGAL
RESPONSIBILITY AND MORAL DUTY TO
PROVIDE FUNDING AND BUILD UP
COMMUNITY SERVICES THAT WILL
ENSURE HEALTHY ARRIVAL FOR
ANYONE SEEKING HELP. DOLLARS,
NOT DECLARATIONS WILL GET THEM
FED, HOUSED, WORK TRAINED AND
READY TO STABILIZE THEIR NEW
LIFE IN OUR TOWN. THANK YOU AND
HAVE A GOOD DAY.
>> ALL RIGHT. THERE ARE NO
ADDITIONAL REGISTERED SPEAKERS.
SO NOW WE WILL BE PROCEEDING TO
THE ITEMS OF THE BUSINESS. BUT
BEFORE WE TAKE THE FIRST ITEM OF
BUSINESS I WANT TO ADDRESS
EVERYONE WHO HAS COME OUT FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT AND TOTHANK YOU
FOR YOUR POWERFUL TESTIMONY. I
KNOW BEFORE THE MEETING I
CHATTED WITH A FEW OF YOU. I
UNDERSTAND THERE ARE SOME
PEOPLEAL GIVING FIRST PUBLIC
COMMENT AT CITY HALL FOR THE
FIRST TIME. I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR THAT. THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S
HOUSE. I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU
AND WELCOME YOU TO SEATTLE. I
KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW
NEIGHBORS HERE. I KNOW WE WILL
BE GETTING TO THE ITEM THAT YOU
ARE SPOKING TO LATER IN OUR
AGENDA TODAY BUT I WANTED TO
TOUCH ON THAT POINT AND ALSO
AFFIRM, I KNOW AT THE BEGINNING
OF THE MEETING I SAID HAPPY
PRIDE FUNT TO HONOR THE HISTORY
BEHIND PRIDE MONTH, IT IS
IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT WE WOULD
NOT HAVE A PRIDE MONTH IF IT WAS
NOT FOR TRANS PEOPLE AND IF NOT
FOR A TRANS WOMAN OF COLOR. IT
IS IMPORTANT TO GET THAT INTO
THE RECORD. THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE AND THANK YOU. WITH THAT,
WE ARE NOW GOING TO MOVE ON TO
OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS. WILL
THE CLERK READ ITEM ONE INTO THE
RECORD.
>> ITEM ONE, ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL
BILL ACT HR1 IMPACT ON
HEALTHCARE IN SEATTLE AND
WASHINGTON STATE, BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> WONDERFUL. AT THIS POINT,
I'M GOING TO INVITE OUR
PRESENTERS TO COME UP TO THE
TABLE. WHILE THE PRESENTERS ARE
COMING UP TO THE TABLE, I'M
REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE THIS
DISCUSSION TODAY THIS DISCUSSION
IS REALLY IMPORTANT. THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AND PARTICULARLY CITY
GOVERNMENT DOES NOT NECESSARILY
COVER HEALTHCARE YET CONGRESS
HAS MADE MAJOR CHANGES FOR OUR
RESIDENTS. I THINK GIVEN THE
CHANGES ARE IMMINENT AND WILL
HAVE IMMEDIATE IMPACT FOR OUR
NEIGHBORS, HAVING THE DISCUSSION
FELT IMPORTANT. SO I WOULD LIKE
TO WELCOME OUR COLLEAGUES FROM
THE WASHINGTON STATE HEALTHCARE
AUTHORITY. IF YOU COULD TAKE A
MOMENT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES
BY STATING YOUR NAME INTO THE
MICROPHONE FOR THE RECORD AND
THEN START THE PRESENTATION,
THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC. GOOD
AFTERNOON, I'M TRINITY WILSON,
STATE MEDICATE DIRECTOR WITH THE
WASHINGTON STATE HEALTHCARE
AUTHORITY. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK
WITH YOU TODAY. I WILL BE
PROVIDING AN OVERVIEW OF THE
STATE'S IMPLEMENTATION OF WHAT
WE ARE CALLED HR1, KNOWN AS THE
ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL. PROVIDES
FREE AND LOW COST HEALTH
INSURANCE TO WASHINGTONIANS.
RIGHT NOW IT COVERS 1.9 MILLION
WASHINGTONIANS. I WILL PROVIDE A
STATEWIDE OVERVIEW OF THE
IMPACTS OF HR1 AND PASS IT TO MY
COLLEAGUE JOHN FOR MORE OF A
KING COUNTY AND SEATTLE IMPACT.
THE IMPACTS OF HR ONE ON
MEDICAID ARE SIGNIFICANT. WE
THINK OF THEM IN TWO DIFFERENT
CATEGORIES. ONE BEING AROUND
IMPACTS TO MEDICAID CUSTOMERS.
SO IT SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGES
ELIGIBILITY FACTORS. MORE PEOPLE
WILL LOSE MEDICAID COVERAGE
BECAUSE OF HR1. THE SECOND
CATEGORY IS REALLY AROUND
PROVIDER PAYMENTS. THERE WILL BE
LESS FUNDING FLOWING TO
HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS IN THE
COMMUNITY. I WILL PROVIDE AN
OVER VIEW OF THE PROVISIONS
TODAY AND ALSO WHAT WE ARE DOING
AS A STATE IN TERMS OF OUT REACH
AND XHOUNICATION TO THE
COMMUNITIES AND THE INDIVIDUALS
IMPACTED PIE THE PROVISIONS.
>> OKAY. A HIGH LEVEL OVER VIEW,
I MENTIONED THE FIRST
CATEGORIES. THE FIRST BULLET
POINT YOU SEE IS THE ELIGIBILITY
PROVISIONS THAT ARE COMING FROM
HR1. THE FIRST BEING AN IMPACT
TO THE DEFINITION OF A QUALIFIED
LAWFULLY PRESENT NONCITIZEN.
THOSE ARE THE MOST IMMEDIATE
NORTERM IMPACTS THAT WILL COME
INTO EFFECT ON OCTOBER 1. THEN
WE HAVE SEVERAL IMPACTS ON
SPECIFICALLY THE ADULT EXPANSION
POPULATION . SO THESE ARE
INDIVIDUALS IN OUR STATE WHO ARE
NEWLY ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAID AS A
RESULT OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE
ACT. IN OUR STATE, THAT IS ABOUT
600,000 INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
CURRENTLY RECEIVING COVERAGE.
HR1 INTRODUCES AN INCREASE IN
THE NUMBER OF TIMES THE
INDIVIDUALS NEED TO REDETERMINE
THEIR ELIGIBILITY. RIGHT NOW, IT
IS AN ANNUAL RESERTIFICATION.
COME JANUARY 1 OF 2027, THAT
REDUCES TO SIX MONTHS. TWICE A
YEAR, THE ADULTS WILL NEED TO
RECERTIFY THE ELIGIBILITY. HR1
INTRODUCED WORK REQUIREMENTS FOR
THE ADULT POPULATION, AND A COST
SHARING PROVISION, SORT OF A
COPAY FOR CERTAIN SERVICES THAT
ARE RENDERED. HR1 ALSO IMPACTS
RETROACTIVE COVERAGE. SO TODAY
ON MEDICAID AND INDIVIDUAL COULD
BOW ELIGIBLE FOR UP TO THREE
MONTHS OF RETROACTIVE COVERAGE
IF THERE WERE UNPAID MEDICAL
BILLS DURING THAT TIME.
BEGINNING JANUARY 1 OF NEXT
YEAR, THE COVERAGE REDUCES TO 1
MONTH FOR ADULT POPULATION AND 2
MONTHS FOR THE REST OF THE
POPULATION INCLUDING CHERN. THE
SECOND BULLET YOU SEE IS AROUND
THE PROVIDER PAYMENT PROVISIONS
THAT I MENTIONED. HR1 INVESTS
INTO WORLD HEALTH TRANSFORMATION
AND RESTRICTS THE USE OF STATE
DIRECTED PAYMENTS, LOWERING THE
FEDERAL SHARE GOING TO PROVIDERS
IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS SORT
OF AN OVER ARCHING TIMELINE OF
THE MEDICAID PROVISIONS. WE
CURRENTLY AT THE END OF THE BOX.
WE ARE AT THE END OF THE
PROVISIONS OF HR1 AND THE GRAY
BOXES ARE OTHER VARIOUS FEDERAL
LED ELIGIBILITY INITIATIVES THAT
WE ARE ALSO UNDERTAKING. YOU CAN
SEE WE ARE ENTERING A PERIOD OF
SIGNIFICANT CHANGE BETWEEN
OCTOBER AND JANUARY OF NEXT
YEAR. I WANT TO MENTION THE
HEALTHCARE AUTHORITY'S APPROACH
TO IMPLEMENTATION. WE
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE WOULD NEVER
HAVE IMPLEMENTED SOME OF THESE
POLICIES THAT WERE PASSED BY THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WE ARE
REALLY BUILDING FOUR PRINCIPLES
AS WE IMPLEMENT HR ONE. ONE
BEING BUILDING THE LEAST
BURDENSOME PROCESSES FOR THE
CLIENTS. AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, WE
ARE LEVERAGING AUTOMATION AND
INFORMATION WE ALREADY HAVE
ACCESS TO SO THAT THE CUSTOMERS
DO NOT NEED TO PROVIDE US
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO PROVE
THEY REMAIN ELIGIBLE. OUR SECOND
PRINCIPLE REALLY BUILDING ON AND
ADVANCING THE CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE. WE WANT THIS TO BE
EASY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO ACCESS
CARE. WE WANT CONTINUITY OF
COVERAGE AND TO MITIGATE
COVERAGE LOSS. WHERE THERE ARE
OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO
INDIVIDUALS, WE WILL BE MOVING
THEM INTO OTHER PROGRAMS TO
MAINTAIN COVERAGE.
ADMINISTRATIVE EFFICIENCIES,
THIS IS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF
WORK FOR THE STATE AND THE
PROVIDERS. WE WANT TO REDUCE THE
AMOUNT OF WORK THAT IT TAKES TO
IMPLEMENT THESE PROVISIONS AND
REALLY AGAIN, LEVERAGE SYSTEMS
AND PROCESSES THAT WE ALREADY
HAVE ACCESS TO TODAY. AND THEN
FINALLY, WE HAVE BEEN COBUILDING
A COMMUNICATION PLAN AND
STRATEGY WITH OUR PARTNER
AGENCIES, PROVIDERS, TRIBES
ACROSS THE STATE, HOSPITALS AND
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO
ENSURE WE ARE XHOUNICATING IN
LANGUAGES THAT ARE APPROPRIATE
FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WE SERVE.
AND COMMUNICATING IN METHODS
THAT WILL REACH THEM. LETTERS,
MAIL, TEXT MES SAGING,
ROBOCALLS, ET CETERA. I WILL
DIVE DEEPER INTO SOME OF THE
ELIGIBILITY PROVISIONS. THE
FIRST BEING THE CHANGE TO THE
DEFINITION OF QUALIFIED,
LAWFULLY PRESENT NONCITIZEN. I
WANT TO EMPHASIZE THESE
INDIVIDUALS ARE LAWFULLY
PRESENT. BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, WE
ANTICIPATE THAT ROUGHLY 14,000
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CURRENTLY
RECEIVING MEDICAID WILL NOLONGER
BE ELIGIBLE AS THE DEFINITION OF
A QUALIFIED NONCITIZEN IS
RESTRICTED TO LAWFULLY PERMANENT
RESIDENTS, COFA ISLANDERS AND
CERTAIN CUBAN AND HAITIAN
ENTRANTS. OF THE 14,000
INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL BE
IMPACTED, ROUGHLY 1700 OF THOSE
INDIVIDUALS ARE CURRENTLY
RECEIVING LONGTERM CARE OR
DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY
SERVICES. SO AS A STATE, WE ARE
CURRENTLY EVALUATING OTHER STATE
FUNDED OPTIONS THAT COULD BE
AVAILABLE TO THESE INDIVIDUALS
AND MAXIMIZING THE FUNDS THAT
ARE AVAILABLE TO US TO DO SO. WE
THOUGHT WE WOULD IMPLEMENT THE
PROVISION OVER TIME BASED ON A
RENEWAL DATE. WE HEARD FROM OUR
PARTNERS AT THE MEDICARE
SERVICES THIS YEAR THAT THIS
PROVISION DOES TAKE EFFECT
OCTOBER 1. SO THOSE 14,000
INDIVIDUALS COVERAGE, THE LAST
DAY OF KORJ WOULD BE SEPTEMBER
30. THIS IS ONLY APPLICABLE TO
THE ADULT EXPANSION POPULATION,
ABOUT 600,000 INDIVIDUALS IN THE
STATE. BEGINNING OF JANUARY 1,
HR1 INTRODUCED A NEW ELIGIBILITY
TRITERIA THAT INDIVIDUALS MUST
MOTE A WORK OR COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT REQUIREMENT OR
QUALIFY FOR AN EXEMPTION TO A
WORK REQUIREMENT. WE DID GET A
RULE PUBLISHED BY CMS ON JUNE 1.
THE AGENCY IS WORKING VERY FAST
TO IMPLEMENT THE RULE BY JANUARY
1. SO SEVERAL CRITERIA TO MEET
THE WORK REQUIREMENT, IT
INCLOUDS HAVING AN AVERAGE
MONTHLY FAMILY INCOME OF $580
PER MONTH. THAT IS 80 HOURS THAT
THE FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE. AN
INDIVIDUAL COULD ALSO BE
ENROLLED IN AN EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAM AT LEAST HALFTIME. THEY
COULD PARTICIPATE IN A WORK
PROGRAM FOR AT LEAST 80 HOURS A
MONTH. COMPLETE AT LEAST 80
HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE OR
ANY COMBINATION OF THE FACTORS
TO MEET THE WORK REQUIREMENT.
THERE ARE SEVERAL EXCLUSIONS AND
EXEMPTIONS TO THE WORK
REQUIREMENT. I WON'T READ
THROUGH ALL OF THEM. IT DOES
INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
FOSTER CARE OR FORMER KOSTER
CARE YOUTH, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
PARENTS OR CARE TAKERS OF
CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 14 OR
OF CHILDREN WOO HAVE DISABILITY.
TRIBAL MEMBERS ARE EXCLUDED FROM
WORK REQUIREMENT. INDIVIDUALS
WHO ARE CONSIDERED MEDICALLY
FRAIL OR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
RECEIVING TREATMENT IN AN
ALCOHOL OR SUBSTANCE USE
FACILITY. IN COMBINATION WITH
THE WORK REQUIREMENT, I
MENTIONED THE CHANGES TO THE
REDETERMINATION PERIOD.
BEGINNING JANUARY 1, THE ADULT
POPULATION WILL NEED TO
RECERTIFY THEIR COVERAGE EVERY
SIX MONTHS. I'M HAPPY TO REPORT
THAT AS A STATE, WE ARE ABLE TO
RENEW 7AL 8% OF THE MEDICAID
POPULATION USING INFORMATION WE
ALREADY HAVE FROM THEM. WE ARE
LEANING ON THAT HIGH RATE OF
RENEWAL, MOVING INTO SIX MONTH
ELIGIBILITY REVIEWS. BUT IT DOES
-- I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT
APPROXIMATELY 20% OF THE
POPULATION WILL STILL NEED TO
MANUALLY RENEW THE COVERAGE
EVERY SIX MONTHS. WE EXPECT THIS
WILL DRIVE CALLS TO OUR STATE
AGENCIES AS IT IS A CHANGE. IT
IS A CHANGE COMPARED TO OTHER
HOUSEHOLDS MEMBERS. FOR A FAMILY
RECEIVING MEDICAID COVERAGE,
THERE WILL BE SEVERAL DIFFERENT
CERTIFICATION PERIODS TO TRACK.
MOVING AWAY FROM THE ELIGIBILITY
PROVISIONS, I MENTIONED SOME OF
THE STATE DIRECTED PAYMENT
PROVISIONS OF HR1 WHICH REALLY
IMPACT THE PROVIDER PAYMENTS IN
THE HEALTHCARE DELIVERY SYSTEM.
IT DOES PROHIBIT NEW STATE
DIRECTED PAYMENTS AND FOR
EXISTING STATE DIRECTED PAYMENTS
REDUCES THE PAYMENT TO MEDICARE
MAMENT Z PAYMENT LEVEL. IN OUR
STATE, WE EXPECT THAT OVER TIME,
THIS COULD BE A $1.5 BILLION
REDUCTION IN FEDERAL FUNDS INTO
THE PROVIDER COMMUNITY. CUSTOMER
OUT REACH, I WANT TO SHARE WITH
THIS GROUP THAT WE DO HAVE
ESTABLISHED COMMUNITY CONNECTORS
FORUM. THIS IS A MONTHLY FORUM.
WE INVITE ANYONE IN THE
COMMUNITY, NAVIGATORS, COMMUNITY
MEMBERS TO TUNE IN AND LEARN
ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT ARE
FORTHCOMING OVER THE NEXT
SEVERAL MONTHS. WE HAVE RECENTLY
FINALIZED A COMMUNICATION TOOL
KIT FOR PARTNERS TO USE IN THE
SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, FOR
HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS TO USE IN
THEIR CLINICS TO SHARE ABOUT THE
CHANGES THAT ARE COMING. THIS IS
A TIMELINE OF WHAT INDIVIDUALS
SHOULD EXPECT OVER THE NEXT SIX
MONTHS. WE WILL BEGIN SENDING
NOTICES TO THE 14,000
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LOSING
COVERAGE DUE TO THE DEFINITION
OF A LAWFULLY PRESENT NONCITIZEN
NEXT MONTH. IN JULY, THE NOTICES
WILL BE SENT. THEY WILL BE SENT
BY MAIL OR EMAIL. WE WILL BE
RUNNING TEXT MESSAGING CAMPAIGNS
AND WE ARE TRANSLATING THE
NOTICES INTO THE CUSTOMER'S
PREFERRED LANGUAGE. WE WILL
BEGIN KRNDZ ON THE WORK
REQUIREMENT AND THE
REDETERMINATION PERIOD FOR THE
MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. THAT WILL BE
ONGOING FOR THE NEXT 18 MONTHS
AS INDIVIDUALS ARE -- AS IT
APPLIES TO INDIVIDUALS IN THAT
COVERAGE GROUP. THEN RETROACTIVE
COVERAGES IN DECEMBER AND MOST
OF THESE PROVISIONS TAKE EFFECT
IN JANUARY. JUST EMPHASIZING
JUST A LOT OF CHANGES COMING IN
THE NEXT SIX MONTHS FOR THE
MEDICAID POPULATION. MY CONTACT
INFORMATION, IF THERE ARE
QUESTIONS, AND THEN I WILL PASS
IT OVER TO JOHN.
>> SWITCHING OV, MOY NAME IS
JOHN KIM, CEO OF HEALTHIER HERE,
ACCOUNTABLE COMMUNITY HEALTH FOR
KING COUNTY. I WANT TO THANK
COUNCIL FOR ATTENDING AND
FOCUSING ON THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
PROTECT THE HEALTH OF
SEATTLEITES INTO 2027 AND
BEYOND. I WANT TO EXTEND THANKS
TO HCA FOR THIS AMAZING WORK
THAT IS ALREADY ONGOING AND HAS
BEEN GOING FOR AS SOON AS WE
HEARD THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S A TON
OF WORK AND IT'S VERY COMPLEX.
THAT HAS TO HAPPEN AT THAT LEVEL
IN ORDER FOR US TO REALLY BRING
IT HOME TO THE PEOPLE ON THE
GROUND. SO WITHOUT THAT, IT'S
ROLLY CHALLENGING FOR US TO EVEN
IMAGINE WHAT OUR RESPONSE IS
GOING TO BE LOCALLY. SO THANKS
FOR THAT. I'M HERE TO ENCOURAGE
WAS IN THIS MOMENT TO THINK
WHOLISTICALLY ABOUT FAMILY AND
FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, AND ABOUT
BUSTING SILOS IN OUR CARE
DELIVERY SYSTEMS THAT CAN DO A
BETTER JOB OF ENSURING THAT ALL
OF US HAVE ACCESS TO THE
RESOURCES THAT WE NEED TOTHIEFB.
HEALTHIER HERE IS A CROSS SECTOR
COLLABORATOR AND CONVENER WITH A
NETWORK OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS,
ABLE TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY
ARE WITH LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL
SENSITIVITY. OUR COMMUNITY CARE
HUB IS BUILT AS A NO LONG DOOR
HUB. IT'S A BACK BONE FOR
COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS
PROVIDING CASE MANAGEMENT AND
NAVIGATION TO SOCIAL CARE
SERVICES. YOU CAN SO HERE THAT
WE HAVE 85 COMMUNITY BASED
WORKERS SPEAKING 40 DIFFERENT
LANGUAGES ACROSS PARTNER
ORGANIZATIONS, SOME OF WHICH ARE
HERE IN THE ROOM AND WILL BE
SPEAKING TO YOU DURING THE ROUND
TABLE. OUR FIRM BELIEF IS THAT
HIGH QUALITY, WHOLE PERSON CARE
CORDINATION MATCHED WHAT PEOPLE
NEED TO THRIVE AND NOT JUST
SURVIVE. YOU CAN SEE FROM ALL OF
THE SERVICES THAT ARE ARE LAID
OUT HERE, PEOPLE NEED A LOT OF
DIFFERENT SERVICES AND THEY NODE
A LOT OF HELP. BUILT ON THE
TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS THAT OUR
PARTNERS HAVE CREATED WITH THE
COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SERVE, WE
EMPOWER AND ASSIST PEOPLE TO
ACCESS A WIDE VARIETY OF
SERVICES. WE SEE THE BARRIERS
AROUND ACCESS TOMEDICAID BEING
YET ANOTHER CHALLENGE THAT WE
WILL HAVE TO ADDRESS. WE ARE
FOCUSED ON SERVICING COMMUNITIES
THAT HAVE, LET ME SAY THAT
AGAIN. WE ARE FOCUSED ON SERVING
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE
TRADITIONALLY BEEN EXCLUDED FROM
OR TRAGICALLY UNDERSERVED BY
SYSTEMS. INCLOUDING PEOPLE OF
COLOR AND MANY OTHERS LIKE
ROENTLY INCARCERATED, UNHOUSED,
LGBTQ AI PLUS, IMMIGRANT,
REFUGEE COMMUNITIES. WE KNOW
THAT HR1 TARGETS THESE
POPULATIONS AND IS DESIGNED NOT
ONLY TO REDUCE THEIR ACCESS TO
SERVICES, BUT TO ALSO
INTIMIDATE. IT IS TARGETING.
HERE YOU CAN SEE BASED ON THE
DATA THAT WE ARE COLLECTING ON
PEOPLE WE ARE SERVING THAT IT IS
A VERY DIVERSE GROUP. I PUT THIS
UP HERE NOT BECAUSE YOU DON'T
KNOW STATISTICS ABOUT KING
COUNTY AND SEATTLE BUT TO SAY IN
THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING, WE
ARE COLLECTING DATA. WE ARE
TRYING TO BE SENSITIVE ABOUT
WHAT DATA IS TELLING US. I WANT
YOU TO FOCUS ON WHAT WOE SEE AS
THE HIGHEST COMMUNITY NEEDS.
THIS IS COMING DIRECT FROM
CLIENTS TO OUR CASE MANAGERS. WE
ARE SEEING THAT HOUSING AND
SHELTER SERVICES, NO SURPRISE
ARE TOP OF THE LIST. CLOSELY
FOLLOWED BY FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE, FOOD ACCESS,
EMPLOYMENT, AND UTILITIES. I
ALSO WANT TO NOTE, THAT
OFTENTIMES FOLKS COME INTO THE
HUB, SEEKING ASSISTANCE WITH ONE
STATED REASON, BUT BECAUSE OF
THE TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS, THEY
ARE ABLE TO BECOME MORE
VULNERABLE OVER TIME AND TO
SHARE THE FULL EXTENT OF THEIR
NEEDS AND THE INTERSECTIONALITY
IS A LITTLE SURPRISING. MAYBE IT
IS NOT SO SURPRISING BUT IT IS
RARE THAT SOMEONE SHOWS UP WITH
-- THEY MAY PRESENT WITH ONE
NEED AND END UP HAVING FOUR OR
FIVE. AS WE REMOVE BARRIERS AND
HELP ATTACH PEOPLE TO SERVICES,
OTHER NEEDS EMERGE. I JUST WANT
TO SAY, LIFE IS NOT LINEAR.
IT'S MESSY. SO BEING IN A
POSITION TO WORK CLOSELY WITH
FOLKS IN A TRUSTING RELATIONSHIP
IS ABSOLUTELY KEY. IT IS NOT
TRANSACTIONAL. I PUT THE SEATTLE
INFORMATION UP HERE. I JUST WANT
TO NOTE THAT ACCORDING TO THE
DATA WE ARE SEEING, IN SEATTLE,
THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE ARE
SERVING THE MOST FOLKS FROM ARE
CHOINA TOWN INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT TO SOUTH AND EAST
SEATTLE. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, AS
FOLKS MOVE FURTHER SOUTH, TO
FIND AFFORDABILITY AND IN SOUTH
KING COUNTY, WE ARE SEEING A
MIGRATION OF FOLKS MOVING TO THE
SOUTH. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT
WITH 10.5% POPULATION ON
MEDICAID, A PROFOUNDLY NEGATIVE
IMPACT ON MEDICAID IS A VERY
LARGE NUMBER WITHIN SEATTLE.
I'M ALMOST EMBARRASSED TO PUT
THIS SLIDE UP HERE WITH SIX
BLOCKS BECAUSE THE TRUE IMPACT
OF HR1 GOES FAR BEYOND THIS. I
DON'T THINK WE ARE GOING TO SEE
WHAT THE TRUE IMPACTS ARE GOING
TO BE UNTIL TIME UNFOLDS AND WE
SEE THE IMELEMENTATION. WHAT I
CAN SAY IS BASED ON THE
DIVERSITY OF IMPACTS I CAN
IMAGINE, IT IS GOING TO TAKE
STAKEHOLDERS FROM EVERY WALK OF
LIF TO TAKE NOTE AND COME
TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THIS CRISIS.
AND THE HARMS, POTENTIAL HARMS
FROM HR1 AREN'T NECESSARILY
COMPLETELY NEW. BECAUSE IT
WASN'T AS IF THE SYSTEM WAS
REALLY WORKING PERFECTLY BEFORE
THE PASSAGE OF HR1. AND BASED ON
OUR INPUT OR INPUT FROM OUR
PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY, I CAN
SAY THAT THE ISSUES AROUND
CAPACITY, ENOUGH BODIES, IN
PLACE TO WORK WITH CLIENTS IS
GOING TO GET WORSE. THE TRAINING
THAT THEY NEED TO PROVIDE THE
SERVICES THAT ARE GOING TO BE
NEEDED IS GOING TO GET WORSE.
AND THEN THIS IDEA THAT WE ARE
NOT BREAKING DOWN SILOS AND
SHARING INFORMATION IN A WAY
THAT ENABLES OUR WORKERS TO
ACTUALLY PROVIDE WHOLE PERSON
CARE CORDINATION, IT IS GOING TO
GED WORSE. BEING ABLE TO SHARE
DATA IN A MEANINGFUL WAY TO MAKE
THE TOOLS MORE EFFECTIVE, TO
HAVE TRAININGS THAT ARE CURRENT
AND ACCURATE AND THAT EQUIP OUR
CASE MANAGERS TOO ABLE TO WORK
WITH CLIENTS AND JUST HAVING
MORE CASE MANAGERS AVAILABLE TO
WORK WITH THE INCREASED VOLUME
OF FOLKS NEEDING SERVICES, THESE
ARE AREAS THAT WE CAN ADDRESS.
HEALTHIER HERE IS IN A PLACE TO
SEE SOME OF THE EARLY WARNINGS
AROUND THE ISSUES WITH SYSTEMS
AND NEED FOR CAPACITY. WE ARE
DOING IT BY BEING CLOSE TO
COMMUNITY, PAYING ATTENTION TO
WHAT PEOPLE WITH LIVED
EXPERIENCE ARE ACTUALLY
OFFERING. BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE
A LOT OF THE SPECIAL SAUCE IS
HAPPENING. THESE ARE RESILIENT
COMMUNITIES. AND THE VALUE OF
THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE SOMETIMES
IS NOT RECOGNIZED IN
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SYSTEMS. BUT
WITHOUT IT I DON'T KNOW HOW WE
ARE GOING TO DO BETTER. SO AS I
MENTIONED, HEALTHIER HERE IS
OPERATING A COMMUNITY HUB IN
KING COUNTY, SERVING SEATTLEITES
AS WELL AS FOLKS THROUGHOUT KING
COUNTY TO ADDRESS PEOPLE'S
SOCIAL NEEDS. WE ALSO ARE
OPERATING INFORMATION EXCHANGE
WHICH IS A POWERFUL TOOL IN THE
HANDS OF CASE MANAGERS WHICH
ALLOWS THEM ACCESS TO RESOURCE
DIRECTORIES, TO CLOSED LOOP
REFERRALS, TO EXCHANGE
INFORMATION WITH OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS SO MORE PROVIDERS
OF SUFBSS HAVE A CLEAR PICTURE
OF COMPREHENSIVE NEEDS OF THEIR
CLIENTS. IN THE COURSE OF THIS
WORK, WE HAVE BEEN SO FORTUNATE
TO BE WORKING WITH SEATTLE KING
COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH. WE HAVE
BEEN WORKING VERY HARD AHEAD OF
IMPLEMENTATION OF UNDERSTANDING
THE IMPACTS OF HR1. THEY HAVE
SHARED REALLY COMPREHENSIVE
TRAININGS THAT WE ARE ADOPTING.
AND USING TO TRAIN OUR PARTNERS
AND THEN WORKING WITH OUR TRIPLE
A IN TOWN IS ALSO BEEN
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AS WE
IMPLEMENT SOCIAL NEEDS SERVICES
AND CREATING STRENGTH BETWEEN
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SERVING
OVER LAPPING POPPINGULATIONS.
YOU HAVE HEARD A LOT OF THE
WORST OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN WITH
HR1. I JUST WANT TOSAY IF WE DO
NOTHING THIS WILL COME TO
PASS.BUT NOT US BECAUSE WE HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY. AND COMING
TOGETHER AND THINKING ABOUT THE
WAYS WE CAN REALLY COORDINATE
THE EFFORT ACROSS ORGANIZATIONS,
ACROSS SILOS SO WE ARE NOT
DUPLICATING, EXPENSIVE
INFRASTRUCTURE BUT ARE REALLY
CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE
COVERAGE OF ALL OF THE MANY
THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE TO
PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GETTING
UNNECESSARILY ENROLLED FROM A
SERVICE THAT THEY NEED SO BADLY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
TREMENDOUSLY INFORMATIVE
PRESENTATION. COLLEAGUES, I WANT
TO OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS YOU
HAVE FOR OUR REPRESENTATIVES.
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, AND THANK
YOU SO MUCH PRESENTERS. I WANT
TO FIRST START OFF WITH A
COMMENT AND COME BACK AROUND
WITH A QUESTION. I REALLY
APPRECIATE THIS. THE
PRESENTATION AS WELL AS THE
FOCUS ON REENROLLMENT AND THE
WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING TO MAKE
SURE FOLKS ARE TRAINED SO THAT
WE CAN MINIMIZE AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE THE IMPACTS FROM HR1.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME NOT JUST
AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL BUT
SOMEBODY, I TALK ABOUT THIS
OCCASIONALLY BUT I WAS ON APPLE
HEALTH WHEN I GAVE BIRTH TO MY
SON. IT WAS LIKE A LIFE LINE,
LITERALLY. IT WAS THE WAY WE
ACCESSED HEALTHCARE. THAT ACCESS
FOR MYSELF AND FOR HIM TO HAVE A
STRONG START WAS SO IMPORTANT
AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE
POTENTIAL FOR FAMILIES TO LOSE
THAT ACCESS IS JUST DEVASTATING.
JUST WANT TOSAY HOW MUCH I
APPRECIATE THAT PROFESSIONALLY
AND PERSONALLY. I WANT TO THANK
HEALTHIER HERE FOR HAVING ME
YESTERDAY. I GOT A CHANCE TO SIT
DOWN WITH THE TEAM AND FANTASTIC
FOLKS FROM VIA COMMUNE TARRIA
AND LEARN ABOUT THEIR WORK AND
WHAT THEY ARE DOING ON THE
PREVENTION SIDE AND TRYING TO
KEEP PEOPLE ENROLLED AND I JUST
WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION
AGAIN FOR THE FOLKS HAVING ME ON
THE SITE VISIT AND TOUR. IT WAS
A HELPFUL OPPORTUNITY TO
UNDERSTAND HOW THE NETWORKS ARE
TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER TO STEM
THE WORSE. HAVINGED THAT, I'M
WONDERING IF YOU CAN SPEAK MORE,
I THINK YOU HAVE THIS ON BOTH
SLIDES AROUND THE ROLE OF THE
COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS AND THE
TRAININGS WE ARE DOING. I WONDER
IF WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF
HOW MANY FOLKS WE THINK ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR REENROLLMENT, IF WE
ARE ABLE TO REACH THEM
ADEQUATELY. DO WE HAVE A NUMBER
THERE OR A SENSE OF SCALE TO
YOUR POINT OF MINIMIZING THE
WORST?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING
YOUR STORY, COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER, I APPRECIATE THAT. I
MENTIONED THE 600,000 INDIVIDUAL
ADULTS IMPACTED BY THE
PROVISIONS. WE DID HAVE 1300
INDIVIDUALS SIGN UP FOR AND
ATTEND THE FIRST WEBINAR ON HR1.
WE ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE
HEALTHCARE AUTHORITY IS NOT THE
RIGHT MESSENGER IN A LOT OF THE
RIGHT FORUMS. INDIVIDUALS
RECEIVING TRUST THEIR PROVIDERS
AND THE NEGATIVEIGATORS THEY
WORK WITH TO ACCESS THE
COVERAGE. WE HAVE A LOT OF
LEARNINGS FROM THE COVID-19
PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY AND WHEN
WE UNWOUND THAT. THERE WERE
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD TO RECERTIFY
COVERAGE OVER A PERIOD OF 12
MONTHS. THE OUT REACH STRATEGY
OF WHAT WE USED FOR THE UNWIND
IS WHAT WE ADOPTED FOR
IMPLEMENTATION OF HR1. LEANING
ON ASSISTANCE OF COMMUNITY
PROVIDER NETWORKS TO HELP
COMMUNICATE. I THINK IN TERMS OF
IMPACT AND NUMBER OF
INDIVIDUALS, WE KNOW THAT TODAY
WE ARE ABLE TO RENEW UP TO 78%.
WE KNOW THAT UP TO 200,000 OF
THOSE EADULTS COULD LOSE
COVERAGE THANKS TO THE WORK
REQUIREMENT AND THE ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS ALONE. IT IS A
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT. THE MORE
PEOPLE WE COULD REACH IN THE
COMMUNITY TO SHARE THE IMPACT,
THE BETTER WE WILL DO AT
MITIGATING THE COVERAGE LOSS.
>> THANKS FOR THE QUESTION. AND
SO FOR A LEVEL SET, WHEN WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT THE TOTAL MEDICAID
POPULATION ACROSS THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON, KING COUNTY IS 22%
OF THE TOTAL MEDICAID PART WHICH
TRANSLATES TO MANY THOUSANDS.
AND HEALTHIER HERE IS ONLY ONE
OF THE PLAYERS THAT IS INVOLVED
IN KING COUNTY. AND TRINITY
MENTIONED SORT OF THE IMPACTS
ACROSS NOT JUST THE MEDICAID
ENROLLEES BUT ALSO THE REDUCED
PAYMENTS AND OTHER THINGS THAT
APPLY TO PROVIDERS, WHAT WE ARE
SEEING IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF
INTEREST FROM HOSPITAL SYSTEMS,
HEALTHCARE INSURERS AND THE
FOLKS THAT DO THE NAVIGATION FOR
THE HEALTHCARE BENEFIT EXCHANGE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE I
THINK WHO ARE, HAVE THEIR OWN
INTERESTS. BUT WHEN IT IS
COMBINED, THAT LOOKS LIKE BETTER
COVERAGE FOR REACHING THE NUMBER
OF MEDICAID ENROLLEES IN KING
COUNTY AND IN SEATTLE BETWEEN
ALL OF US, WE HAVE DIFFERENT
TOUCH POINTS AND DIFFERENT WAYS
OF REACHING THEM. WE WERE
LOOKING FOR AS COMPREHENSIVE
COVERAGE AS POSSIBLE AND WE
CAN'T DO IT ALONE. BY LINKING
ARMS WITH PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR
INTERESTS IN TERMS OF ENSURING
PEOPLE ON MEDICAID STAY ON
MEDICAID, WE WILL HAVE A CHANCE
OF APPROACHING THAT NUMBER. I
WILL JUST THROW OUT THERE, OVER
50% OF THE MEDICAID POPULATION
IN KING COUNTY ARE YOUNG PEOPLE.
THANKS FOR AGGRESSIVE CHIPS
PROGRAM AND THE ABILITY TO GET
FOLKS ON COVERAGE, BUT THESE ARE
LARGE NUMBERS AMONGST THE
POPULATION THAT WE ARE SEEKING.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. JUST ONE
FOLLOW UP QUESTION AND I REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR MENTION OF BOTH
THE IMPACT TO YOUNG PEOPLE AS
WELL AS THE REFERENCE TO LESSONS
LEARNED FROM COVID. MAYBE THIS
IS TOO SIMPLISTIC OF A QUESTION
BUT I THINK OF THE COMMUNITY
BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND FOLKS
YOU MENTIONED AS TRUSTED
PROVIDERS, WHAT IS THE BEST WAY
FOR THOSE FOLKS TO HAVE UP TO
DATE INFORMATION ON
REDETERMINATION IF WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE AS A CITY WE ARE
GETTING, DOING OUR PART TO FWET
THE INFORMATION TO FOLKS.
>> THE COMMUNITY CONNECTOR FORUM
THAT I MENTIONED IS A FANTASTIC
OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO TUNE
IN. WE ARE ALSO DOING QUARTERLY
WEBINARS AND HAPPY TO SHARE THE
INFORMATION WITH THE COUNCIL
AFTER THE MEETING. AND THEN THE
TOOL KIT, WE JUST PUBLISHED IT
THIS WEEK. BUT IT HAS A LOT OF
FACT SHEETS AND SOCIAL MEDIA
CAMPAIGNS THAT PEOPLE CAN USE,
REBRAND, AND SHARE WITHIN THEIR
NETWORKS. FROM THE STATE'S
PERSPECTIVE, THAT WOULD BE THE
BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO
GET INVOLVED.
>> I WILL JUST ADD THAT IN LAST
SESSION, THERE WAS A PROVISO
INSERTED INTO THE BUDGET THAT
ENCOURAGES THE ACHs ACROSS THE
STATE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH ACA
TO WORK TOGETHER ON
IMPLEMENTATION SO THERE IS
SPECIFIC CALLOUT FOR US TO BE
WORKING TOGETHER. I'M HAPPY TO
SAY THAT WE ARE IN CONVERSATION
ABOUT HOW BEST TO DEPLOY
RESOURCE SAID BETWEEN THE LOCAL
AND STATE IN ORDER TO ENSURE
THAT WE ARE REALLY AT ONCE
PROVIDING ACCURATE AND HELPFUL
INFORMATION BUT ALSO DELIVERING
IT IN A WAY THAT IS LANGUAGE
SENSITIVE, CULTURAL SENSITIVE,
AND COMING FROM FOLKS THAT ARE
FROM THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY
ARE ACTUALLY WORKING WITH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONS,
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER. VICE CHAIR
KETTLE?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I WANT TO
THANK MS. WILSON AND MR. KIM FOR
BEING HERE AND YOUR
PRESENTATION. I LIKE YOUR LAST
SLIDE. OR SECOND TO LAST SLIDE.
IT SAYS TOGETHER WE CAN SUPPORT
A HEALTHY, SAFE, AND THRIVING
SEATTLE. I THINK THE WE, ONE
THING I HAVE BEEN NOTICING THAT
WE, BE IT STATE, COUNTY, CITY
NEED TO WORK TOGETHER BETTER.
THIS SHOWS UP IN A WHOLE HOST OF
DIFFERENT POLICY ISSUES. BUT IN
THIS ONE, THIS IS AN AREA WHERE
WE DO HAVE TO HAVE EVERYTHING IN
SYNC. WE NEED THE STATE, COUNTY,
CITY, WITH THE VARIOUS PIECES
AND RESPONSIBILITIES BECAUSE THE
CHALLENGES SHOW IN SEATTLE IN A
WAY THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN
OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE. THE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR -- THE AREA
OF RESPONSIBILITY REQUIRE THE
STATE TO DO ITS PART. SO I THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE AND IN A WAY
REPRESENTING THAT. THAT'S
SOMETHING WE NEED TO REINFORCE.
BECAUSE PARTLY, WE ARE ALL
FISCALLY IN DIFFICULT STRAITS.
SO THIS IDEA, YOU KNOW, AND IT
IS MADE WORSE BY WHAT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS DOING BUT
THE IDEA THAT THE CITY OF
SEATTLE CAN DO IT ALONE IS
OBVIOUSLY NOT POSSIBLE. WE DO
NEED TO COMMENT ON THE STATE'S
RESPONSIBILITIES IN DIFFERENT
AREAS, MEDICAID TO DO ITS PIECES
AS WELL. I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE
AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND I
THANK ALL OF THE PUBLIC
COMMENTERS THAT HAVE COME HERE.
THE FACT IS WE ARE A WELCOMING
CITY BY EXAMPLE OF ALL OF THE
PUBLIC COMMENT WE SEE TODAY. SO
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I
THINK MESSAGING THIS, AND ALSO
MESSAGING IT IN A WAY THAT IS
REFLECTIVE OF THE FOUNDING
DOCUMENTS. THIS IS OUR 250th
YEAR. AND I'M OLD ENOUGH TO
REMEMBER THE 1976 BICENTENNIAL
AS WELL. YES, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THE POINT BEING THAT YOU KNOW,
WE NEED TO BUILD ON THESE PIECES
AND REMIND OURSELVES, THIS IS
IMPORTANT TO COME TO PUBLIC
COMMENT AND BE SEEN AND BE
HEARD. I CARRY AROUND A U.S.
CONSTITUTION, PARTLY MORE SO
UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
BUT IT IS A REMINDER, THE
FREEDOM PLANE COMING HERE SOON,
NEXT MONTH AS PART OF THE 250
#th CELEBRATIONS THAT WE THE
PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES AND
THE PREAMBLE GOES ON TO SAY IN
ORDER TO FORM A MORE PERFECT
UNION ESTABLISH JUSTICE, PROVIDE
FOR THE COMMON DEFENSE, PROMOTE
THE GENERAL WELFARE AND SECURE
THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY TO
OURSELVES AND POSTERITY AND
ESTABLISH THIS CONSTITUTION FOR
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR ALL
OF AMERICA. IN OUR HISTORY, IT
HASN'T BEEN. IT HASN'T BEEN
FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN, OUR BLACK
COMMUNITIES. AND PARTICULARLY IN
THE AGE OF SLAVERY BUT ALSO FOR
WOMEN IN TERMS OF RIGHT TOVOTE.
THIS ARC OF THE HISTORY, THE
IDEA OF PROMOTING GENERAL
WELFARE, IT APPLIES TO THE LGBTQ
COMMUNITY. THE IDEA THAT IT
DOESN'T IS WRONG. I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT WITH THE COLLEAGUES
SITTING HERE THAT SOMEBODY WHO
COMES FROM ANOTHER JURISDICTION
AROUND THE COUNTRY, I HAVE BEEN
AROUND THE COUNTRY IN MY TERM IN
THE MILITARY. I KNOW ALL OF
THESE STATES THAT HAVE BEEN
MENTIONED. OFTEN TIMES, IT IS
PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO ARE PASSING
THESE LAWS IN THESE STATES. I
THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US AS
A CITY, COUNTY, STATE, TO SAY
THAT PUBLICLY, GO BACK TO WHAT
IS THE FOUNDATION AND THEN MAKE
THE POINT THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING
TODAY IS PART OF THE ARC OF
HESTORY. IT IS CREATING A MORE
PERFECT UNION BECAUSE IF WE
STOPPED TEN YEARS AGO, THAT'S
NOT RIGHT. WE SHOULD BE BUILDING
ON JUNETEENTH. WE SHOULD BOW
BUILDING ON, I COME FROM MERE
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, SUSAN B.
ANTHONY AND THE SUFFRAGE AND THE
RIGHT TO VOTE. TLUT THE PERIOD
OF THE 60s, 70s, 80s, AND NOW
THE 2020s AND WHT WE ARE SEEING
WITH REACTION TO THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION. AND SO I'M
SAYING THIS TO SAY, IT IS
IMPORTANT TO BE HERE. IT IS
IMPORTANT TO SEE OURSELVES AS
PART OF THIS PROCESS. I THINK WE
SHOULD BE LINKING IT TO THAT
PROCESS. AT THE END OF THE DAY,
I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE GET
SUCCESS. BUT THAT SUCCESS CANNOT
BE CITY OF SEATTLE ALONE. IT HAS
GOT TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE COUNTY AND STATE IN OUR
CASE. AND REALLY A PARTNERSHIP
WITH OREGON, CALIFORNIA , OTHER
STATES AS WELL. CHAIR, I WANTED
TO MAKE THAT KNOWN. I THINK IT
IS IMPORTANT TO GROUND OURSELVES
IN THAT WAY. AND TO BE FRANK, I
THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE
LIKE ME, BECAUSE AGAIN, SO MANY
OF THE STATES, IT IS PEOPLE WHO
LOOK LIKE ME, THEY HAVE MY
BACKGROUND AND THE LIKE THAT ARE
PASSING THESE LAWS, IN THESE
VARIOUS STATES. OFTEN IN
IGNORANT -- NOT OFTEN BUT NEARLY
ALL THE TIME IN IGNORANCE. SO
CHAIR I WANTED TO TAKE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THAT N. I
DON'T HAVE A QUESTION
SPECIFICALLY BUT I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THOSE REMARKS,
VICE CHAIR AND I THINK THAT WAS
A GOOD GROUND TOO AND I WANT TO
BUILD ON THE REMARKS YOU MADE TO
TEE UP A QUESTION FOR OUR
PRESENTERS TODAY. PART OF HOW WE
STRUCTURED THIS DISCUSSION TOO
IS TO HAVE A PRESENTATION FIRST
TALKING THROUGH THE MECHANICS OF
HR1 AND THE STRUCTURES THAT
EXIST AROUND HEALTHCARE POLICY
AROUND THE STATE. I THINK WITH
EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN WALKED
THROUGH, IT REALLY BEGS THE
QUESTION ABOUT DOING BETTER
TOGETHER AND KIND OF WORK
THROUGH THESE SILOS. SO I WANTED
TO POSE THE QUESTION TO YOU TOO,
IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO THE ACTIONS
YOU ARE AWARE OF ON THE STATE
LEVEL , WHETHER BY STATE AGENCY,
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE THAT WE ARE
AWARE OF AND WHAT
RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD YOU HAVE
AS SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL TO BE A
BETTER PARTNER OR WAYS WE CAN
WORK ON BREAKING DOWN SOME OF
THE SILOS AS WE NAVIGATE THIS
TOGETHER?
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
I'M TEMPTED TO JUST BORROW A
LINE I HEARD EARLIER WHICH WAS
SO POWERFUL AND IT WAS DOLLARS,
NOT DECLARATIONS BUT I DON'T
THINK THAT TELLS THE FULL STORY.
IN A SYSTEM WHEN WE ADDRESS
REALLY IMPOSSIBLE PROBLEMS, LIKE
THE SIZE OF IT IS IMPOSSIBLE,
THE COMPLEXITY OF IT IS
IMPOSSIBLE, THE NOTION THAT
ANYONE CAN DO IT BY THEMSELVES
REALLY IS FALSE, RIGHT? BUT TO
HAVE EVERYONE CROWD IN, YOU KNOW
IN A PANICKED REACTION, AND JUST
DIVE IN AND EVERYONE TRYING TO
DO IT, THAT'S ALSO NOT AN
ANSWER. AND SEATTLE COUNCIL HAS
A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY I THINK TO
BE A CONVENER BECAUSE THE FORCE
OF COUNCIL IS DIFFERENT THAN THE
FORCE OF ANY OTHER CONVENER. THE
WAY THAT I SEE IT IS THERE ARE
REALLY POWERFUL PLAYERS THAT ARE
TIED INTO THE SYSTEM AND ARE
NECESSARY PARTS OF THE ANSWER
AND THEN THERE ARE SMALL, LITTLE
GRASS ROOTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT
ARE BARELY SCRAPING BY THAT ARE
JUST AS IMPORTANT. TO BE ABLE TO
EQUALIZE THE POWER OF THESE TWO
INCREDIBLY VALUABLE AND
IMPORTANT PLAYERS IS SOMETHING
THAT I FEEL LIKE YOU ARE IN A
POSITION TO DO WITH THE RIGHT
CONVENING, RIGHT FACILITATION. I
THINK THE POSSIBILITY OF
ACTUALLY AVOIDING DUPLICATION
AND COVERING GAPS SO THAT PEOPLE
ARE DOING WHAT THEY ARE REALLY
GREAT AT, AND NAURT TRYING TO
COVER ALL OF THE OTHER GROUND.
PEOPLE STAYING IN THEIR LANE
WITH THE FAITH THAT SOMEBODY IS
GOING TO BE STANDING NEXT TO
THEM IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE
INTENTIONALLY CREATED AND
PLANNED. I MENTIONED THE THREE
GRAPHS WE SEE ALREADY,
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO MAKE
SURE THERE ARE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO
WORK DIRECTLY WITH CLIENTS. WE
KNOW THAT FOLKS ARE AFRAID OF
GOVERNMENT. WE KNOW THAT THEY
ARE AFRAID OF BEING TARGETED. SO
WHO BETTER, THAN TO INVEST IN
THE WORK FORCE THAT LOOKS LIKE
THEM, MAYBE THEY ARE COMING FROM
THE SAME STREET. THEY SPEAK THE
SAME LANGUAGE. THEY SHARE THE
SAME FOODS, RIGHT? THIS IS THE
KIND OF CONNECTION THAT CREATES
SAFETY AND THE ABILITY, I THINK
FOR PEOPLE TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE.
HARDLY ANYONE WANTS TO PAY FOR
THAT. SO I THINK IN THE ASPECT
OF BEING ABLE TO BRING PEOPLE
TOGETHER TO COORDINATE THE
EFFORT AND PUT RESOURCES BEHIND
GETTING PEOPLE ONTO THE CHIENT
CLIENT FACING LINES ARE TWO
IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER.
>> I'M NOT SURE IF I CAN TOP
THAT. I THINK I WILL JUST
MENTION FROM THE STATE
PERSPECTIVE THAT EDUCATION AND
AWARENESS ARE A GREAT FIRST
STEP. I APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORIA TO
SHARE WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE
STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL. I THINK
THERE ARE ADDITIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO SHARE
BILATERALY INFORMATION WHAT IS
HAPPENING WITH KING COUNTY AND
THE STATE, THOSE ARE
OPPORTUNITIES WE WOULD ANT TO
LEVERAGE AND WELCOME THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE.
>> THANK YOU, BOTH. AND HEARING
THAT CHARGE TOO OF BEING A
CONVENER, I THINK OUR WORK AS WE
NAVIGATE THE CHANGES, WE WILL BE
CONTINUING TOGETHER. COLLEAGUES,
WE WILL BE CONTINUING THE
DISCUSSION BECAUSE AS OUR TWO
PRESENTERS SPOKE HERE, THERE ARE
A NUMBER OF PROVIDER PARTNERS
DOING THE WORK ON THE GROUND. WE
WILL BE HEARING FROM THEM NEXT.
UNLESS THERE ARE ANY FINAL
QUESTIONS, LAST CALL? WONDERFUL.
I'M GOING TO KEEP US MOVING AND
THANK OUR PRESENTERS TODAY AND
THANK YOU FOR BEING IN
COMMITTEE.
>> NOW WE ARE GOING TO MOUFB
MOVE TO ITEM 2.
>> ITEM 2, ROUND TABLE
CONVERSATION, ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL
BILL ACT, HR1, IMPACT ON
HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS IN SEATTLE
AND WASHINGTON STATE, BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION.
>> ALL RIGHT. COLLEAGUES, WE
HAVE A FEW OF THE INCREDIBLE
PROVIDERS THAT WERE SPOKEN ABOUT
T ABOUT COMING UP TO THE TABLE
TODAY. AS FOLKS GET SETTLED IN,
I KNOW FAMILIAR FACES ARE
COMING. IF YOU COULD BE ON ONE
SIDE, THAT WOULD BE BETTER.
OTHERWISE, I'M LOOKING AT THE
BACK OF YOUR HEAD AND I WOULD
RATHER SEE YOUR FACE. WONDERFUL.
IF YOU GET SETTLED IN, TAKE A
MOMENT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF
BEFORE STARTING THE
PRESENTATION. PLEASE PROCEED.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU
FOR THE INVITATION TO JOIN THE
ROUND TABLE. I'M MARY PIERCEN,
DIRECTOR OF AGING AND DISABILITY
SUFBSS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M G. DE
CASTRO, HE/HIM PRONOUNCES WITH
ASIAN COUNSELING AND REFERRAL
SERVICES AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
>> SOMMER COWALLEY, I'M THE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AT
HARBOR VIEW MEDICAL CENTER.
>> GOOD DAY, GOOD TO SEE YOU,
CHAIR, AND MEMBERS OF THE
COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ESTHER
LUCERNO. IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
TO BE IN SOLIDARITY AT THIS
MOMENT. I ALSO IDENTIFY AS TWO
SPIRIT AND I'M SO PROUD OF OUR
TRANS RELATIVES IN HERE BECAUSE
THE FIRST STEP IN CREATING
CHANGE IS IDENTIFICATION AND
RESISTANCE. I'M SO PROUD OF
YOU. I KNOW HOW INTIMIDATING
ENVIRONMENTS LIKE THIS CAN BE.
SO KEEP RAISING YOUR VOICE AS WE
SEE YOU. I KNOW YOU GUYS, I
DON'T KNOW THEM. I'M SUPER
PROUD.
>> THANK YOU. I BELIEVE WE WILL
BE HEARING FROM AGING AND
DISABILITY SERVICES FIRST. LET
ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ANY TECH
SUPPORT TOO.
>> THANK YOU. AS I STATED, MY
NAME IS MARY PIERCEN, THE
DIVISION DIRECTOR FOR AGING AND
DISABILITY SERVICES WITH THE
HUME P SERVICES DEPARTMENT IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE. OPERATES AS
THE AREA AMGANCY ON AGING FOR
KING COUNTY AND THROUGH FEDERAL,
STATE, AND LOCAL DOLLARS WE FUND
A NETWORK OF SERVICES THAT MEET
THE NEEDS OF OVER 50,000 OLDER
ADULTS, PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES, AND FAMILY
CAREGIVERS EACH YEAR. WE ALSO
ADMINISTER THE MEDICAID LONGTERM
CARE CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM,
COORDINATING IN HOME CARE
SERVICES FOR OVER 16,000 ADULTS
EACH MONTH. MEDICAID LONGTERM
SERVICES AND SUPPORTS PROVIDE IN
HOME SERVICES AND SUPPORT FOR
PEOPLE WHO ARE ASSESSED AS
FINANCIALLY AND FUNCTIONALLY
ELIGIBLE. THE LATTER IS DEFINED
AS NEEDING SUPPORT WITH AT LEAST
THREE ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING
SUCH AS EATING, BATHING, OR
DRESSING. WASHINGTON'S STATE'S
LONGTERM SERVICES AND SUPPORT
PROGRAM IS CONSISTENTLY RANKED
AMONG THE TOP TWO IN THE NATION
FOR HIGH QUALITY AND COST
EFFECTIVE CARE. CLIENTS CAN
RECEIVE CARE IN THEIR HOMES AND
COMMUNITY BASED SETTINGS RATHER
THAN IN MORE COSTLY
INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS SUCH AS
NURSING HOMES AND ASSISTED
LIVING COMMUNITIES, THANK YOU.
>> FOR AGING COUNCIL AND
REFERRAL SERVICE WE PROVIDE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AND
ALSO SOCIAL SERVICES WITHIN KING
COUNTY AND WIDER STATE, BUT
PRIMARILY SERVICES ARE WITHIN
SEATTLE AREA, KING COUNTY AREA.
MOST OF OUR CLIENTS, FOLKS WE
SERVE ARE ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE
HAWAIIAN, PACIFIC ISLANDER
COMMUNITY.
>> FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE. I'M
ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO BE
INVITED TO A COUNCIL MEETING AND
AM SO PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO
REPRESENT THE INSTITUTION OF
HARBOR VIEW MEDICAL CENTER. I'M
ALSO PLEASED TO BE HERE WITH
SUCH ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES AND
EVERYONE WHO IS HERE, THANK YOU
SO MUCH. I WANTED TO TAKE A
MINUTE TO PROVIDE AN OVERSIGHT
OF WHO HARBOR VIEW IS. I KNOW
MOST KNOW BUT WHO HARBOR VIEW IS
IN PARTICULAR TO THE CITY AND
THE COUNTY AND THE REGION, WE
ARE IN, MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW
FEDERAL CHANGES LIKE HR1
DIRECTLY IMPACT HARBOR VIEW'S
MISSION AND THOSE WE ARE HERE TO
SERVE. SO, IF WE THINK ABOUT HAR
HARBOR VIEW'S MISSION BEING
HERE TO SERVE THE REGION, ALWAYS
OPEN TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE,
REGARDLESS OF PAYER STATUS,
DOESN'T MATTER, EVERYONE IS
WELCOME TO HARBOR VIEW. AS YOU
CAN IMAGINE, HR1 WILL HAVE A
VERY LARGE PROPORTIONATE T
IMPACT AS A PROVIDER, IN PATIENT
AND OUT PATIENT HEALTH SERVICES.
IF WE THINK OF WHERE HARBOR VIEW
IS RIGHT NOW, WE THINK OF WHERE
HEALTHCARE IS . HARBOR VIEW IS A
MICROCOSM OF WHAT'S HAPPENING
FEDERALLY TO THE HEALTH SYSTEM
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
REIMBURSEMENT CUTS ARE SET TO
HIT WITH HR1. HARBOR VIEW IS
ESTIMATING UP TO $700 MILLION IN
REDUCED NET REVENUE. REVENUE
THAT WE USE TO CARE FOR THE MOST
VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY AS
HR1 GETS IMPLEMENTED OVER THE
NEXT SEVERAL YEARS UNTIL 2031.
WE WILL SEE COVERAGE AND SERVICE
CHARGES THAT T WILL CHANGE. JUST
LIKE TRINITY TALKED ABOUT, THE
REALITY WILL BE INDIVIDUALS WILL
FALLOFF MEDICAID PLANS, WILL NOT
BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM.
WHEN WE ROLLED OUT THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, WE HAD A
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHO HELPED
GET PEOPLE ON MEDICAID. WE HAVE
THE OPPOSITE NOW. IT WILL BE
VERY HARD TO KEEP PEOPLE ON
MRNZ. MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE WILL
HAVE A DIFFICULTY WITH A LARGE
RISE IN INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL
HAVE NO COVERAGE AT ALL. THEY
WILL NO LONGER BE ELIGIBLE.
HARBOR VIEW IN ADDITION TO THAT
WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO SEE
CAPACITY T CONSTRAINTS. AS YOU
KNOW, WE ARE SO HONORED TO HAVE
KING COUNTY TAXPAYERS GIVE US A
BOND FOR NEW FACILITIES. THAT IS
GOING TO BE AN INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT PROJECT FOR US. WE
REMAIN IN A STATE POST COVID OF
HAVING WAY TOO MANY INDIVIDUALS
IN NONOPTIMAL SPACE. THESE ARE
ARE THE INDIVIDUALS WE ARE HERE
TO REPRESENT, WE ARE HERE TO
TALK ABOUT THE MOST VULNERABLE
IN THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S WHO
HARBOR VIEW SERVES. WE ARE
WORKING VERY HARD TO ENSURE WE
HAVE THE CAPACITY T AND ARE ABLE
TO EXECUTE ON WHAT THE TAXPAYERS
PROVIDED US. IF I THINK OF WHAT
TRINITY PRESENTED YOU GUYS, I
CAN PUT IT INTO A COUPLE OF
BUCKETS FOR HARBOR VIEW. IF YOU
THINK OF HR1 AND I DO NOT CALL
WHAT ITS OTHER NAME IS. I WILL
REFER TO IT AS HR1, FIRST STEP
FOR HARBOR VIEW IS WE WILL HAVE
NEW MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY. THERE
WILL BE A LOT MORE NEED FOR WRAP
AROUND SERVICES AND PARTNERSHIPS
WITH INDIVIDUALS AT THE TABLE
WITH ME TO ENSURE WE ARE ALL
WORKING TOGETHER. SO WHEN
INDIVIDUALS ARE SEEKING CARE,
THEY ARE ON PLANS OR WE CAN GET
THEM ON PLANS. THOSE THAT WILL
NOT BE ON PLANS, OBVIOUSLY,
HARBOR VIEW IS THE SAFETY NET,
NOT ONLY IN THE AREA BUT
REGIONALLY. ANOTHER BIG CHANGE
THAT WILL BE VERY CATASTROPHIC
TO OUR MEDICAID POPULATION AND
THOSE THAT WILL BE SEEKING TO
STAY ON MEDICAID IS THAT THEY
ONLY HAVE THAT 30 DAY WINDOW.
TYPICALLY, IF YOU THINK OF AN
INDIVIDUAL THAT COMES IN WITH A
CATASTROPHIC EVENT OR A VERY
SERIOUS ILLNESS INTO A HOSPITAL
T, PARTICULARLY HARBOR VIEW, YOU
HAVE 90 DAYS RETRO. EVEN IF IT
IS THE DAY BEFORE, 89th DAY, WE
CAN STILL GET THEM ON A PLAN
WHICH HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT.
OFTEN TIMES YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE
INCAPACITATED AND THEY ARE NOT
ABLE TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO
TO GET ON A PLAN. NOW WE WILL
ONLY HAVE 30 # DAYS. THAT IS NOT
ONLY CATASTROPHIC TO THE
INDIVIDUALS BUT IT WILL RESULT
IPA LOT MORE CHARITY CARE AND
UNCOMPEN STATED CARE TO HARBOR
VOW AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS. WE
ARE ALREADY STARTING TO SEE AN
IMPACT TO HARBOR VIEW OF MORE
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EITHER
UNDERINSURED OR UNDERINSURED,
MEDICAID BEING TRANSFERRED TO
HARBOR VIEW FROM OTHER HEALTH
SYSTEMS. I THINK THAT WILL
CONTINUE AS THERE IS A GRIT DEAL
OF FEAR ABOUT HEALTH SYSTEMS NOT
HAVING ENOUGH MONEY TO SERVE THE
MOST IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE TO
SERVE. THE SECOND PIECE THAT
TRINITY TALKED ABOUT THAT IS
CRUCIAL TO HARBOR VIEW WAS THE
IDEA OF THE DIRECTED PAYMENT
PROGRAMS. THESE WERE MADE,
CREATED DURING THE ACCOUNTABLE
CARE ACT FOR HOSPITALS LIKE
HARBOR VIEW, THE TRUE SUPER
SAFETY NET HOSPITALS, FEW IN THE
COUNTRY LEFT BUT HARBOR VIEW IS
ONE OF. THE DIRECTED PAYMENT
PROGRAMS WERE MADE TO PROVIDE A
SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING FOR
MEDICAID PATIENT REIMBURSEMENT.
IT ALLOWED PROVIDERS LIKE HARBOR
VIEW WHO HAVE LARGE PORTIONS OF
MEDICAID TO RECEIVE
REIMBURSEMENT THAT IS SOMEWHAT
CLOSER TO WHAT HOSPITALS WHO SEE
MORE COMMERCIAL PATIENTS
RECEIVE. IF YOU THINK OF
GOVERNMENT PAYERS LIKE MEDICARE
AND MEDICAID, THEY PAY UNDER
WHAT COST IS. SO THE ABILITY FOR
A HOSPITAL LIKE HARBOR VIEW TO
RECEIVE THE SUPPLEMENTAL
DIRECTED PAYMENT PROGRAMS AND TO
RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT, TO SEE
ALL OF THE MEDICAID PATIENTS AND
REINVEST IN THE PATIENTS,
THAT'S GOING AWAY. THAT IS
CATASTROPHIC TO A HOSPITAL LIKE
HARBOR VIEW. LASTLY I WOULD JUST
SAY THAT WE ARE INCREDIBLY
COMMITTED AT HARBOR VIEW TO
CONTINUING TO SERVE THE
COMMUNITY WE ARE HOAR TO SERVE.
WE DO NOT WAVE FROM OUR MISSION
OR OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH ALL OF
THE OTHER ENTITIES THAT ARE HERE
TO PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE.
BUT WE ARE READY TO FIGHT THE
GOOD FIGHT. AND FEGURE OUT WAYS
FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT WE CARE THE
MOST OF ARE PROTECTED FROM WHAT
IS HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I HAVE SO
MUCH RESPECT FOR MY COLLEAGUES
AT THE TABLE. THE SEATTLE INDIAN
HEALTH BOARD IS AN URBAN INDIAN
ORGANIZATION. WE ARE PART OF THE
INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE SYSTEM WE
RECOGNIZE WE HAVE A CARVE OUT
FOR NATIVE AMERICANS FOR THE
WORK REQUIREMENT. ABOUT 60% OF
THE RELATIVES WE SERVE, WE CALL
PATIENT RELATIVES, THAT IDENTIFY
AS AMERICAN INDIAN OR ALASKAN.
WE OPERATE THE URBAN HEALTH
INSTITUTE, ONE OF 12 TRIBAL
EPIDEMIOLOGY INSTITUTES AND ACT
AS PUBLIC HEALTH ARM. WE ARE A
PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITY JUST
LIKE THE COUNTY. WE ARE ALSO A
FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH
CENTER MEANING WE ARE PART OF
THE SAFETY NET. WOE SEE EVERYONE
REGARDLESS OF THEIR ABILITY TO
PAY. WE SEE THEM IN THE NATIVE
WAY. SO THE INFORMATION I WANT
TO HAVE WITH YOU ALL TODAY IS
BECAUSE I KNOW I HAVE SOME
CREATIVE THINKERS UP HERE, SOME
BRILLIANT POLICY MINDS.
SOMETHING YOU SAID EARLIER, WE
DON'T PAY FOR HEALTHCARE, CITY
OF SEATTLE DOESN'T PAY FOR
HEALTHCARE. AND I WILL TELL YOU
THAT YOU INDIRECTLY DO. YOU DO
IT THROUGH THE INTERLOCAL
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT OR
WHATEVER IT IS WITH THE COUNTY.
SO YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO PARTNER
WITH ONE ENTITY. I BRING THIS UP
BECAUSE YOU ALL FUNDED
THUNDERBIRD TREATMENT CENTER
BECAUSE YOU YOU RECOGNIZE THE
TREATMENT OF THOSE LIVING ON THE
STREETS OF SEATTLE. YOU
RECOGNIZE THE INTERSECTION OF
MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, PUBLIC
SAFETY. VICE CHAIR KETTLE, YOU
CARE ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND YOU
KNOW WE HAVE TO SOLVE THE
CHALLENGES TO GET THROUGH THE
PROBLEM. I KNOW YOU CAN THINK
CREATIVELY. I WILL DISTRIBUTE TO
REGIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY.
THESE ARE FUNDS THAT HAVE NOT
BEEN USED WELL. . I WOULD
CHALLENGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE
MEDICAID ISSUE. HERE'S WHY. HOW
DO YOU THINK WE GOT A CARVE OUT
FOR AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKAN
NATIVES? WE SAW THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION'S INITIATIVE TO
DISMANTLE D.E.I. PROGRAMS. WE
HAD TO GET AHEAD OF THAT
CONVERSATION TO HELP THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION UNDERSTAND THAT
AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKAN
NATIVES WITH A POLITICAL ENTITY.
WE HAD TO GET AHEAD OF THE
LEGISLATION. WHEN I HEAR
RHETORIC AND PASSION FOR
COMMUNITIES THAT DRAW OUR PEOPLE
HERE BECAUSE THEY ARE LOOKING
FOR SAFETY AND LOOKING FOR
RESOURCES AND THEY ARE LOOKING
FOR PROTECTION. WE CANNOT STOP
THAT RHETORIC. WE CANNOT STOP AT
A POLITICAL POSITION. BUT WE
HAVE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT A
PLAN AND GET RESOURCES AND
POLITICAL STRATEGIES ALIGNED SO
THAT WE CAN GET AHEAD OF THE
INITIATIVES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO
DESTROY US. THE CITY OF
SEATTLEAL WANTS TO BE A LEADER,
A TRUE LEADER. YOU MUST HAVE A
PLAN, A VISION, RIGHT, POSITION,
AND A MRN. WITHOUT A PLAN, YOU
ARE JUST DREAMING, YOU ARE
MAKING FALSE PROMISES TO FOLKS
SITTING HERE TODAY. WHAT I'M
TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW IS YOU
HAVE PARTNERS RIGHT HERE AT THE
TABLE THAT IF YOU RETHOUGHT THE
USE OF THOSE FUNDS, IF YOU
RETHOUGHT THE USE OF IF THE
FUNDS TO SUPPLEMENT THE MEDICAID
ISSUE, YOU WOULD HAVE MORE
IMPACT. YOU WOULD HAVE MORE
IMPACT. WE ARE SITTING IN A
POSITION FOR AN URBAN INDIAN
ORGANIZATION. WE WERE PROMISED
MEDICAID FUNDS FOR INDIAN HEALTH
SERVICES ALREADY. WHEN I THINK
ABOUT THE IDEA THAT ALL OF A
SUDDEN, YOU LOSE ELIGIBILITY,
THEN YOU HAVE TO WAIT SIX MONTHS
TO EVEN REAPPLY, THAT IS
ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. WE HAVE
LAWYERS ON THIS . WHEN YOU
RECEIVE WELFARE OR THE SORT OF
BENEFIT, IT BECOMES A PERSONAL
PROPERTY RIGHT, LET'S TAKE A
POSITION ON THAT. I DON'T WANT
TO HEAR THAT WE CAN'T DO
ANYTHING, THAT WE WILL SIT HERE
AND TALK ABOUT PARTNERSHIP OR
CONVENING. I DON'T CARE ABOUT
THAT. I CARE ABOUT RESOURCES AND
CREATIVITY AND ALLOCATING
RESOURCES. I'M HERE TO ASK YOU
ALL TO NOT JUST STAND WITH US
AND GIVE US LOOKS THAT SAY I'M
SO SORRY YOU ARE DEALING WITH
THIS BUT TO REALLY RISE UP AND
RETHINK THE WAY WE HAVE ALWAYS
DONE THINGS. ONLY THEN , ONLY
THEN. I DON'T KNOW CREATOR SAID
YES. PLEASE LISTEN.
>> JUST WANTED TO ADD TO WHAT MY
PARTNER HERE SAID AND TO ADD TO
INTRODUCE THE SERVICES WE
PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, THE INITIAL
CURRENT INTERNAL PROJECTIONS WE
HAVE ARE THAT ABOUT 500 #
INDIVIDUALS WE ARE CURRENTLY
SERVING WILL LOSE MEDICAID
ELIGIBILITY. 70 OF THEM AS SOON
AS OCTOBER 1. AND WE WAIT THE
MEANS AND THE FOLKS WHO WILL
LOSE THE COVERAGE COME OCTOBER
AND JANUARY 1 OF 2027. ABOUT 220
OF THOSE ARE SEATTLE RESIDENTS.
FOR US, YOU KNOW , WHAT T DO WE
DO? WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE
INFORMATION THAT IS BEING SHARED
THROUGH HCA. BUT FOR THE
PROVIDERS OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH,
THEIR HEALTHCARE, BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH NEEDS DON'T END WHEN
THEIR COVERAGE DOES. SO WE ARE
LEFT HOLDING, LIKE WE CAN'T
JUST LIKE SORRY WE CAN'T SERVE
YOU NOW. WHAT'S THE PLAN,
WHAT'S THE GUIDANCE FROM STATE,
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF HOW WE ARE
GOING TO HANDLE ALL OF THESE
FOLKS LOSING ACCESS TO MUCH
NEEDED PRIMARY AND BEHAVIORAL
HEALTHCARE. IT SEEMS LIKE THE
ONLY DOOR THAT WILL BE LEFT OPEN
WILL BE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS OF
THE LOCAL HOSPITAL WHICH IS NOT
AN ANSWER. SO WHAT DO WE DO? WE
HAVE BEEN THINKING THROUGH THIS
AND HAVE NOT HEARD ANY MAN ON
HOW WE TRANSITION CARE FOR THOSE
FOLKS WHO WILL LOSE COVERAGE. SO
THAT'S ONE PIECE WE ARE TRYING
TO THINK THROUGH. FOR THOSE
FOLKS WHO WILL HAVE NEW WORK
REQUIREMENTS, ALSO WE ARE
THINKING THROUGH HOW WE WILL
HELP THEM BE COMPLIANT WITH A
MONTH OR WORK REQUIREMENT. ARE
THERE OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH
OUR CITY, COUNTY, STATE
GOVERNMENT ON FINDING VOLUNTEER
OPPORTUNITIES LIKE FOR EXAMPLE
WORKING OR VOLUNTEERING WITH OUR
MANY, MANY PARKS IN THE CITY, IN
THE COUNTY AND STATE TO MAYBE
GET THOSE HOURS THAT THEY NEED
TO KEEP ON COVERAGE. SO THOSE
KINDS OF THINGS ARE SOME OF THE
THINGS WE ARE THINKING THROUGH.
FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDER
LIKE ASRS, PROVIDING CULTURALY
RESPONSIVE SERVICES, THE LOSS OF
THOSE FOLKS THAT WE SERVE WILL
ALSO MEAN A REDUCTION IN OUR
WORKFORCE, A LOSS IN THE
SPECIALIZED WORKFORCE THAT WILL
BE VERY HARD FOR US TO REBUILD
WHEN THE NEED RISES AGAIN. SO
THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT WE ARE WORKING THROUGH,
TRYING TO HOPEFULLY PARTNER WITH
OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT LIKE THE
CITY OF SEATTLE AND WITH OUR
PARTNERS IN THE AREA OF HOW TO
ADDRESS THIS. AS MUCH AS WE WANT
TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR FREE,
OUR DOORS WON'T STAY OPEN THAT
WAY. WE NEED RESOURCES TO ENSURE
THAT THE VITAL SERVICES CAN
CONTINUE WHEN THOSE REQUIREMENTS
HIT IN OCTOBER AND JANUARY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU ALL, TRULY. I WANT
TO SPECIFICALLY THANK ESTHER
JUST FOR THAT CALL TO ACTION AND
THAT CHALLENGE TO ALL OF US.
THIS WAS EXACTLY THE REASON WHY
WE WANTED TO AT LEAST HAVE THIS
COMMITTEE MEETING AS REALLY AN
INFLECTION POINT TO SAY WE HAVE
TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT A PLAN. I
WANT T TO THANK YOU FOR THE CALL
TO ACTION AND DEFINITELY
COMMITTED TO FOLLOW UP. I'M
GOING TO MOVE NEXT TO VICE CHAIR
KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I HAD ONE
STATEMENT, ONE COMMENT, AND ONE
QUESTION. I HEAR YOU, MISSION,
VISION, AND PLAN. THAT'S WHAT
WE DO WITH PUBLIC SAFETY AND
HAVING THAT CONSTRUCT IS ROLLY
IMPORTANT AND THEN DOING THE
WORK THAT GOES BEHIND THAT AS
WELL IS VERY IMPORTANT. SO LIKE
THE CHAIR, LOVE YOUR PASSION AS
WELL. ONE QUESTION I HAD WAS, IN
LOOKING AT THE SPACE AND AGAIN
WITH OUR PUBLIC COMMENTERS
EARLIER TODAY IS THAT HEALTHCARE
IN WASHINGTON STATE HAS CHANGED
DRAMATICALLY. IT HAS CHANGED
SINCE I RETIRED FROM THE NAVY AT
2012. FOR EXAMPLE, IT IS NO
LONGER VIRGINIA MASON, NO LONGER
SWEDISH. THOSE CHANGES HAVE HAD
BIG IMPACTS ON OUR HEALTHCARE.
THIS IS AN INSTANCE WHERE WE
DEFINITELY NEED AN ALL HANDS ON
DECK KIND OF APPROACH BUT
BECAUSE OF THESE CHANGES THOUGH,
THAT'S NOT REALLY POSSIBLE
BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES IN THE
HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN OUR STATE.
PARTICULARLY SOME OTHER AREAS AS
WELL THAT CAN BE PARTICULARLY
IMPACTED, CAN YOU SPEAK TO SOME
OF THOSE IMPACTS? BECAUSE THAT
JUST PUTS EXTRA PRESSURE ON YOU
AND BY THE WAY, THE IMPACTS ALSO
IMPACT WORLDWIDE , NOT ONLY DO
WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING FROM ALL
OVER THE COUNTRY, BUT WITHIN THE
STATE, WE HAVE THIS OTHER TYPE
OF HEALTHCARE MIGRATION WHICH
PUTS ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON THE
SYSTEM. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT?
>> VERY ASTUTE QUESTION, THANK
YOU. THE HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENT,
IT HAS DRASTICALLY CHANGED. AND
WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN IS A LOT OF
CONSOLIDATION. PARTICULARLY
ACQUISITIONS , HOSPITALS BY
OTHER SYSTEMS, SOME OF OF STATE,
SOME FROM IN-STATE, YOU ARE
SEEING A CONSOLIDATION OF THE
SYSTEM INTO A FEW LARGE SYSTEMS.
PUBLIC HOSPITALS , AS YOU
POINTED OUT, IN PARTICULAR, YOU
DID MEDICINE WHICH OPERATES
HARBORVIEW, IN COLLABORATION
WITH KING COUNTY IS VERY
DIFFERENT AS THE LARGEST PUBLIC
HOSPITAL, TWO HOSPITALS IN THE
STATE, RIGHT? WHAT WE ARE SEEING
, PARTICULARLY AT HARBORVIEW IS
ALREADY MOVEMENT WHERE OTHER ,
OTHERS WILL MAKE DIFFERENT
CHOICES AROUND WHO WILL BE SEEN
FOR PRIMARY CARE, ET CETERA,
WHICH WILL THEN PUT ADDITIONAL
NEED FOR AN INSTITUTION LIKE
HARBORVIEW. MOST STATES DO NOT
RELY ON ONE SINGLE INSTITUTION
LIKE HARBORVIEW, BUT WE REALLY
ARE THE STANDALONE LARGE SAFETY
NET , I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT HOW
MUCH MEDICAID WE DO, AND
MEDICARE, TOGETHER. IT IS WELL
OVER 60%, THAT IS TYPICALLY WHAT
MOST HOSPITALS DO . IF YOU TAKE
ABOUT HOW MANY MEDICAID
ENCOUNTERS WE HAVE EVERY YEAR,
129, ALMOST 130,000 THAT WE DO,
SO A VERY LARGE POPULATION
ALREADY , TO SERVE THE MOST
VULNERABLE. AS YOU POINTED OUT,
THAT TAKES A LOT OF RESOURCES
AND, AS OTHERS BEGIN TO NOT BE
IN THAT FIELD AS MUCH, IT IS
MORE STRESS ON THE SAFETY NET.
WHEN YOU HAVE MOSTLY
GOVERNMENTAL PAYERS,
GOVERNMENTAL PAYERS PAY AT LESS
THAN COST . YOU WILL SEE A
HOSPITAL LIKE HARBORVIEW GETTING
THE VERY SERIOUS FINANCIAL
CONSTRAINTS, WHEN THAT HAPPENS,
TO YOUR OTHER POINT, THE PEOPLE
MOST AT RISK ARE THOSE IN THE
COMMUNITY THAT ARE OFTEN THE
MOST VULNERABLE,
GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE, RIGHT?
GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE IS AT
RISK. HARBORVIEW MEDICAL REMAINS
A QUAYSIDE FOR GENDER-AFFIRMING
CARE THAT IS UNDER ATTACK.
WOMEN'S RIGHTS, REPRODUCTIVE
CARE, RIGHT? SO, AS YOU SEE
OTHER ENTITIES COMING IN TO THE
STATE, YOU SEE A LOSS OF THAT
PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU ALREADY
HAVE RURAL HOSPITALS THAT HAVE
DIFFICULTY PROVIDING THAT CARE.
THE OTHER THING HR ONE IS DOING
IS NOT ONLY PROVIDING LESS
RESOURCES TO A PLACE LIKE
HARBORVIEW WITH A VERY HIGH
MEDICAID POPULATION, OUR RURAL
HOSPITALS HAVE HIGH MEDICARE
POPULATIONS. THEY WILL TOPPLE
AND WHEN THEY COBBLE, THAT JUST
DID NOT MEAN THEY HAVE CARE FOR
THOSE THAT ARE POOR OR
UNDERINSURED, YOU DO NOT HAVE
CARE FOR ANYBODY IN THE AREA.
THE SERVICES THAT GO FIRST ARE
THINGS LIKE WOMEN'S HEALTH,
RIGHT? THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE
STARTING TO SEE. PEOPLE
TRAVELING WELL OVER AN HOUR TO
GET THAT, WE ARE IN A VERY
PRECARIOUS POSITION AS A
HEALTHCARE SYSTEM ACROSS THE
COUNTRY. AND , UNFORTUNATELY,
WHAT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING AT
THE FEDERAL LEVEL WILL
EXACERBATE THAT CRISIS, WAY
FASTER THAN ANYONE COULD HAVE
IMAGINED.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SPEAK TO
THE IMPACTS OF THE PAID AND
UNPAID CAREGIVERS AND THEIR
FAMILIES, FEAR, CONCERN OF THE
UNKNOWN, WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN
TO THEIR LOVED ONES IF THEY ARE
NOT ABLE TO RECEIVE PAY TO CARE
FOR THEIR FAMILY AND HAVING TO
MAKE THE DIFFICULT CHOICE OF
PROVIDING CARE, RIGHT? OR
PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE.
SORRY, I HAVE LOADS OF NOTES ,
RIGHT ? SERVICES, AS FAR AS,
LIKE PERSONAL CARE, MEDICATION
MANAGEMENT, PERSONAL EMERGENCY
RESPONSE SYSTEMS, ENVIRONMENTAL
MALIK KIT -- MODIFICATIONS TO
MAKE SURE THE HOMES ARE SAFE AND
ACCESSIBLE. ALSO, IMPACTS TO OUR
PARTNER AGENCIES , AND CARLIN IS
WELL-POSITIONED TO SPEAK ABOUT
IT. WE PARTNER WITH FOUR
COMMUNITY-BASED AGENCIES, ASIAN
CULTURING AND REFERRAL SERVICES,
LIFELONG NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE ,
THAT HELP TO PROVIDE THE IN-HOME
CASE MANAGEMENT CARE FOR CLIENTS
THAT ARE AT RISK OF LOSING
SERVICES . IS THERE ANYTHING
THAT YOU WANT TO ADD? OKAY. ONE
THING THAT WE DID FROM OUR
CONTACT DEPARTMENTS, THERE ARE A
LOT OF CLIENTS THAT ARE
QUALIFIED FOR CITIZENSHIP AND
HAVE BEEN ON THE WAITING LIST
FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR. THEY ARE
GOING TO BE CUT , WHERE THEY
WILL NOT HAVE RECEIVED
CITIZENSHIP STATUS AND WILL LOSE
THEIR COVERAGE. WE ARE REALLY
CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE
DOING EVERYTHING THEY HAVE BEEN
ASKED TO DO SOME OF THAT ARE
WAITING, BUT NOW ARE JUST CAUGHT
IN THE EXTENDED WAIT TIMES .
THAT IS ANOTHER SEGMENT OF THE
POPULATION THAT WE JUST WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT LOSE
SIGHT OF.
>> I THINK , I KNOW WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT MEDICAID
REIMBURSEMENT, MOSTLY. BUT I
DON'T WANT TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE
FACT THAT H.R. 1 SIGNIFICANTLY
IMPACTS LEFT BENEFITS, THAT IS
SOMETHING LOCAL COMMUNITIES CAN
BE RESPONSIVE TO, AND WORKFORCE
, HERE WE ARE LIVING IN A VERY
EXPENSIVE CITY, AND GETTING OUR
WORKFORCE, AND FOR EXAMPLE , IT
IS ALREADY REALLY CHALLENGING.
THERE ARE OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN
KIND OF SUPPORT THAT WORK. I CAN
TELL YOU THAT THE RESIDENCY
PROGRAM THROUGH SWEDISH
HOSPITAL, ONE OF THE SITES THAT
PARTICIPATE IN THAT, IS GOING TO
BE CHANGING DRAMATICALLY BECAUSE
THEY JUST CANNOT AFFORD TO RUN.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DISMANTLING
HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS COMPLETELY.
AND WE CANNOT GO BACKWARDS. WE
JUST CAN'T. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> I WANT TO INVITE YOU ALL TO
ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS. I
AM REALLY APPRECIATING THE
POSITIVITY. THAN YOU FOR RAISING
THE POINT, TOO, ON FOOD ACCESS.
WE IN THIS COMMITTEE HAD A FOCUS
SESSION TALKING ABOUT FOOD
ACCESS ALONE AND THE IMPACT OF
ALL BE CUTS TO STAFF, AND WHAT
IS GOING ON THAT IS AN
ENCOURAGEMENT , WE HAVE SOME
LOCAL PROVIDERS REALLY UNPACKING
THAT COMPONENT, THE IMPACT ARE
PROFOUND AND WE CANNOT GO BACK,
COLLEAGUES, ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS? I AM SEEING
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR.
THANK YOU TO OUR PRESENTERS, I
REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT
YOU DO, DAY IN AND DAY OUT, MY
QUESTION, FOR HARBORVIEW,
LOOKING AND THINKING ABOUT THE
$700 MILLION IN REIMBURSEMENT
LOSS THAT YOU MENTIONED THROUGH
THE END OF 2031. I KNOW THAT YOU
TALKED ABOUT HOW THE
DISENROLLMENT, AND LIKE, A MORE
HARSHER WORD WILL END UP WITH
FOLKS NEEDING TO ACCESS CHARITY
CARE AND OTHER COMPONENTS. IS
THAT 700 MILLION INCLUSIVE OF
THOSE OTHER COSTS THAT
HARBORVIEW EXPECTS TO INCUR AS
PEOPLE SORT OF SHIFT HOW THEY
ARE PAYING FOR THEIR CARE?
>> WE ARE REALLY GOING TO HAVE
TO JUST FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW ,
WE ARE EXPECTING INITIALLY THAT
WE WOULD MAYBE GO BACK TO
PRE-ACA , PRE-ACCOUNTABLE CARE
LEVEL OF CHARITY CARE , WHICH
WAS MORE AROUND 13, 14%.
HOWEVER, ONE OF THE THINGS, THAT
WE WERE INITIALLY LOOKING AT
THAT WE REALIZED IS, WE HAVE
THANKFULLY PROVIDED A MUCH MORE
GENEROUS CHARITY CARE ABILITY,
SO WE WERE ACTUALLY AT 300% OF
FPL , BACK THEN WE WERE MORE
LIKE 200, 250, THE SLIDING SCALE
UP TO 400 FPL MANY MORE
INDIVIDUALS ARE ABLE TO ACCESS
CHARITY CARE, WHICH MEANS FREE
CARE, FROM HARBORVIEW. I THINK
THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A GOOD
UNDERSTANDING YET OF WHAT THAT
WILL LOOK LIKE AND THAT IS A
VERY DAUNTING THING TO THINK
ABOUT, PARTICULARLY SINCE WE
KNOW THAT WILL BE A POPULATION
OF INDIVIDUALS THAT MAY ONLY
HAVE HARBORVIEW AS A CHOICE FOR
THEIR IN-PATIENT CARE. THAT IS A
BIG QUESTION MARK TO ME AND I
THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
>> I THINK THE NUMBER IS
STAGGERING IN AND OF ITSELF. AND
TO KNOW THAT IS NOT
COMPREHENSIVE, THANK YOU FOR
THAT , CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU , COLLEAGUES. WITH
THAT, I WILL KEEP US MOVING ON
THIS HEARING AND SAY THAT WE
HAVE WORK TO DO TOGETHER
FOLLOWING THIS MEETING. I JUST
GOT A CALL OUT FROM THE
AUDIENCE, I WOULD HUMBLY ASK,
AFTER THE PRESENTATION, I THINK
THERE IS INTEREST. WE DON'T TAKE
QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE
TURNING COMMITTEE MEETINGS BUT
MY TEAM WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER
THE MEETING TO HAVE THESE
DISCUSSIONS. I THANK YOU ALL FOR
THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND ARE
DOING AND FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP
AND THE COMMITMENT THAT WE ARE
GOING TO DO THE WORK TOGETHER
MOVING FORWARD BEYOND THIS
COMMITTEE MEETING. SO, THANK
YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] WONDERFUL! I
AM GOING TO MOVE US TO OUR THIRD
ITEM OF BUSINESS AND FINAL ITEM,
WILL THE CLERK READ ITEM 3 INTO
THE RECORD?
>> CIVIL RIGHTS, , BISEXUAL,
LGBTQ COMMUNITIES IN PRESENT
ALL, -- SEATTLE, BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU, GOING INTO THE
TRANSITION. WONDERFUL, WELCOME
TO OUR FINAL PANEL FOR THE DAY,
IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
INTRODUCE YOURSELVES FOR THE
RECORD BEFORE STARTING YOUR
PRESENTATION, THAT WOULD BE
GREAT.
>> IS THE MIC ON?
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? THERE IT
IS, THANKS FOR HAVING US,
COUNCIL CHAIR RINCK, THANK YOU
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. MY NAME IS
CHRIS, WE ARE GRATEFUL TO BE
HERE.
>> MY NAME IS CODY ALLEN, I USE
HE/HIM PRONOUNS, ANOTHER COCHAIR
OF THIS COMMISSION.
>> THE FEDERAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR
OF INTEROFFICE REGULATIONS, NICE
TO SEE YOU ALL.
>> DOMINIC STEVENS, SPECIAL
CHAIR FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, SEATTLE CITY
OFFICE, SHE/HER PRONOUNS .
>> SO, AS THE COMMISSION, WE
WANTED TO START OFF , FRAMING
OUR CONVERSATION AND WHAT WE
HAVE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY
THAT BROUGHT FORTH ACTIONS THAT
WE HAVE HERE, TODAY. SO WE HAVE
HIGHLIGHTED A FEW DIFFERENT
THINGS , WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITIES AT LARGE,
WE WANTED TO CENTER ON
TRANSGENDER AND GENDER
NONCONFORMING FOLKS WHO ARE
EXPERIENCING AN ONSLAUGHT OF
ATTACKS. FEDERALLY, -- TO, THE
COMMUNITY, TO OUR RIGHTS .
ESCALATING ANTI-TRANS
LEGISLATION, THAT IS NOT JUST
HAPPENING IN FEDERALLY BUT ALSO
A STATE LEVEL, DRIVING INTERNAL
DISPLACEMENT, FOLKS FROM OTHER
STATES ARE COMING TO OUR CITY,
OUR REGION, OUR STATE, AND
LOOKING FOR THE PROTECTIONS THAT
WE HAVE, AS A PLACE OF REFUGE.
THIS IS PLACING GROWING PRESSURE
ON OUR COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ALREADY
PROVIDING THE KIND OF WRAPAROUND
SERVICES, WHETHER WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT FOOD ASSISTANCE,
HEALTHCARE SUPPORT, LEGAL
NAVIGATION , WHO ARE FEELING
STRAPPED TO BE ABLE TO HELP, NOT
JUST PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS
TRANSGENDER, GENDER
NONCONFORMING, THOSE WHO ARE
RELOCATING TO A REGION A CALL AT
HOME AS A PLACE OF SAFETY AND
REFUGE . AS A COMMISSION, WE
HAVE BEEN IN INDICATION WITH
SOME OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT
HAVE ASKED US, WHAT CAN WE DO TO
HELP AND THE INCREASED DEMAND,
THE HIGHER OPERATING COSTS, THE
SHIFTING AND THE FUNDING
LANDSCAPE, THE ATTACKS AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL ON SOME OF THESE
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE CREATED NEW
AND COMPLEX AND CHALLENGING
PRESSURES THAT BROUGHT WHAT WAS
ONCE A CRITICAL ISSUE INTO NOW
BEING AN URGENT ISSUE, A MATTER
OF CRISIS , NOT JUST FOR OUR
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS,
BUT THOSE WHO ARE DIRECTLY
RECEIVING THEIR SERVICES. THE
COMMUNITY ASK HAS BEEN TO REALLY
START WITH IMMEDIATE
STABILIZATION, WHILE ALL OF
THESE CHANGES ARE HAPPENING .
PARTICULARLY, BY WAY OF FOUNDING
RESOURCES TO PRESERVE THE GOOD
WORK THAT IS ALREADY HAPPENING
WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATIONS , WHILE
WE ARE ALSO WORKING TO CREATE
MORE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS THROUGH
NOT JUST LOOKING AT THE
BUDGETARY CYCLE BUT ALSO LOOKING
BEYOND, INTO THE INFRASTRUCTURAL
SUPPORT THAT WILL CONTINUE TO
WELCOME VALUES. AND CODY IS
GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT
THAT HAS LOOKED LIKE DEALING
WITH NGOs AND OUR
COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERS.
>> I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
FRAME WHAT THE COMMISSION IS IN
AND WHAT WE DO. WE ARE A
VOLUNTEER-BASED COMMISSION. WE
ARE MADE UP OF MEMBERS OF THE
LGBTQ COMMUNITY, MANY WORK IN
NONPROFITS BUT ALSO RECEIVED
SERVICES FROM THESE
ORGANIZATIONS OURSELVES. SO, ONE
OF OUR BIGGEST ROLES IS TO BE A
BRIDGE BETWEEN OUR COMMUNITY AND
THE CITY, THIS BODY. IN THE LAST
SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS, WHAT WE
HAVE SEEN, WHAT WE HAVE HEARD,
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS COMING
TO US AND RAISING RED FLAGS THAT
THEY DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDING AND
THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO CONTINUE
THESE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT
SERVICES FOR OUR COMMUNITY,
SPECIFICALLY HEALTHCARE, TRANS
-SPECIFIC HEALTHCARE, WRAPAROUND
CASE MANAGEMENT, HOUSING AND
EMERGENCY SHELTER SERVICES . AND
THIS ISN'T, WE DON'T HAVE THE
FUNDING FOR THIS YEAR BUT WE CAN
FIGURE OUT NEXT YEAR, WE DO NOT
HAVE THE FUNDING TO STAY OPEN
UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR.
EMERGENCY. AND SO, WHILE THESE
ORGANIZATIONS ARE DEALING WITH
AN INCREASE IN CLIENTELE , WHEN
THEY SHOULD BE INCREASING
STAFFING AND INCREASING
PROGRAMMING , INSTEAD, THEY ARE
FIGURING OUT WHERE TO CUT MONEY
FROM THESE PIVOTAL SERVICES ,
JUST TO KEEP THEIR DOORS OPEN.
AND THE IMPACT THAT THESE
ORGANIZATIONS CLOSING WOULD HAVE
ON OUR COMMUNITIES , IS ALMOST
IMPOSSIBLE TO QUANTIFY.
>> AND IS ALREADY CREATING A
STRAINER ON ORGANIZATIONS, IN MY
DAY JOB , I AM A PROGRAM MANAGER
FOR A HOMELESS SHELTER AND WE
HAVE SEEN A MASSIVE INCREASE IN
TRANS, SPECIFICALLY , YOUNG
ADULTS WHO ARE COMING HERE FROM
OTHER STATES . AND I CAN TELL
YOU, 100%, THE MEMBER WE HURT
EARLIER [ INAUDIBLE - STATIC ]
WE HAVE SEEN THAT IN OUR SHELTER
ALONE, WE ARE TURNING AWAY AT
LEAST 10 YOUNG ADULTS PER NIGHT
AND WE ARE THE BIGGEST SHELTER
IN THE CITY . AND MANY, MANY,
MANY OF OUR TRIADS ARE --
CLIENTS ARE TRANS REFUGEES WHO
HAVE COME HERE. IF THESE
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY FOR QUEER
PEOPLE CLOSE, THE IMPACT THAT
WOULD HAVE, OBVIOUSLY, ON PEOPLE
WHO USE OUR SERVICES BUT EVERY
OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATION IN THE CITY YOU ARE
EXPERIENCING DECREASED FUNDING
BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL
ADMINISTRATION, WOULD PUT A HUGE
STRAIN ON THE SYSTEM . SO, AS
CHRIS SAID , WHAT WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING ON, WHAT WE ARE ASKING
IS BOTH SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM
SOLUTIONS AT THE SAME TIME.
LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS ARE SO
IMPORTANT TO SET OUR COMMUNITY
UP FOR SUCCESS. BUT , THEY
DON'T MATTER, IF WE DON'T HAVE
SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS TO ENSURE
THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS
SURVIVE, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE
FUTURE ALL WE WANT. IF THEY DO
NOT HAVE A FUTURE, THEN IT IS A
MOOT POINT. SO , WE ARE ASKING
THE CITY COUNCIL , THE MAYOR, TO
CONTINUE -- WE NEED HELP. OUR
COMMUNITY NEEDS HELP. AND THIS
IS THE ONLY PLACE THAT WE CAN
GET IT FROM. DO YOU HAVE
SOMETHING TO ADD?
>> AWESOME . WELL, I THINK AS WE
CAN TELL TAKE , THERE IS A LOT
HAPPENING AROUND LGBTQIA+ AT THE
NATIONAL LEVEL . WE COULD SPEND
QUITE SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT
IT, FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, I AM
REALLY HERE TO PROVIDE A FEW
CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF HARMFUL
ACTIONS THE FEDERAL
ADMINISTRATION HAS TAKEN.
REITERATING THE NEED FOR WHAT
YOU ARE DISCUSSING. AND ALSO
SHARE SOME INSIGHTS INTO WHAT
HAPPENED DURING OUR LAST STATE
LEGISLATIVE SESSION. STARTING
WITH THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION,
YOU MAY RECALL THAT WHEN TRUMP
FIRST TOOK OFFICE, THERE WAS A
SLEW OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS, MANY
OF THEM FOCUSED ON DEI AND QUEER
RIGHTS, ONE OF THE INITIAL
ORDERS THAT CAME OUT WAS A
RESCINDING OF PRESIDENT BIDEN'S
ORDER, MAINLY FOCUSED AROUND
LGBTQIA+ EQUITIES AND INCLUDED
WAS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE
WHITE HOUSE GENDER POLICY
COUNCIL, SO THAT NO LONGER
EXISTS. WE ALSO SAW SOME
CONCERNING ORDERS, 147, 1490,
WHICH BOTH TARGETED TRANS YOUTH.
OUTSIDE OF THOSE WE SAW
EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT IMPACT
FEDERAL FUNDING. 4151, REALLY
AIMED TO PUT RESTRICTIONS ON
FEDERAL FUNDING RECIPIENTS ,
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND
INCLUSION. EXPENSIVE LITIGATION
ON THESE ORDERS, I THINK IT
REALLY DEMONSTRATES THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION HAS AND REALLY
WILL CONTINUE TO ATTACK EQUITY ,
AND SPECIFICALLY, TRANS RIGHTS.
WE HAVE ALSO SEEN THE SUPREME
COURT HERE A NUMBER OF CASES
RELATED TO TRANS RIGHTS , THIS
YEAR ORAL ARGUMENTS WERE HELD
FOR WEST VIRGINIA BP J, BOTH
FOCUSED ON BANNING TRANSGENDER
YOUTH FROM PARTICIPATING IN
SPORTS. THERE WAS A MAJOR
DECISION AROUND THE THERAPY AND
[ INDISCERNIBLE ]. THESE ARE
BOTH ISSUES THAT REMAIN
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO OUR
COMMUNITY MEMBERS SO I JUST
WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE.
BEFORE HOPPING OVER TO THE STATE
SIDE, I WANTED TO FLAG A HIGHLY
PROBLEMATIC PROPOSED RULE COMING
FROM THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT
AND BUDGET. JUST LAST THIS
MONTH, THE RULE WAS TO REWORK
THE FEDERAL FUNDING PROCESS,
ESSENTIALLY GIVING AUTHORITY TO
HALT AWARDS BASED ON DEI
POLICIES AND GENDER TRANSITION
SERVICES AND ALSO GIVE THE
ADMINISTRATION THE AUTHORITY TO
ALTER, BASED ON NATIONAL
INTERESTS . THIS REMAINS A HUGE
CONCERN, WITH BOTH PRIVATE AND
PUBLIC AND THIS WILL QUICKLY
ELEVATE TO A LEGAL CHALLENGE IF
ENACTED. WITH ALL OF THAT BEING
SAID, THE WASHINGTON STATE
LEGISLATURE DID TAKE ACTIONS TO
PROTECT THE QUEER COMMUNITY, THE
SENATE BILL THAT PREVENTS THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE
PERMIT OF LICENSING [ INAUDIBLE
- STATIC ], SENATE BILL 6183,
WILL INCREASE ACCESS TO EARLY
TREATMENT TO PREVENT HIV . WE
ALSO SAW HOSPITAL 1604, WHICH
PROVIDES PARAMETERS FOR
CONDUCTING SEARCHES OF TRANSCEND
-- TRANSGENDER AND INTERSEX
INDIVIDUALS CAN FIND A LOCAL
JAIL, CONDUCTING THE SEARCH. SO,
AS YOU CAN SEE, OBVIOUSLY A LOT
HAPPENING BOTH ON THE NATIONAL
LEVEL AND HERE AT HOME. YOU
KNOW? THIS SLIDE IS TRULY THE
TIP OF THE ICEBERG. I THINK THAT
WE HAVE SEEN THROUGH THE
PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENT
TODAY, SO, IN A, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK, WE APPRECIATE YOU RAISING
THIS ISSUE AND HAPPY TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS AND ON A PERSONAL
NOTE, WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY. ALSO A
MEMBER OF THE QUEER COMMUNITY
THIS IS SUCH A VERY DIFFICULT
TIME. I HOPE FOLKS CAN CELEBRATE
AND FIND SOME QUEER JOY THIS
WEEKEND, WITHOUT I WILL PASS IT
TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE .
>> AGAIN, GOOD AFTERNOON, GLAD
TO BE WITH YOU ALL. REALLY
HONORED, FIRST , THIS ROLE THEN
I SIT IN HAS NEVER EXISTED IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE. THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE, BEING
INTENTIONAL ABOUT HAVING A
SPECIAL ADVISER, IS A VERY BIG
THING. AND THEN THE NEXT STEP
IS, WE RECENTLY STOOD UP , AS
YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN, A
TRANS AND QUEER INTERDEPARTMENTA
L TEAM, THAT HAS NEVER EXISTED
IN THE CITY. HERE WE ARE, WE
UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY OF THE
MATTER OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT
NOW. THE CALL OF ACTION TO FOLKS
MOVING INTO SEATTLE, WELCOME TO
SEATTLE, AND THE LONG TERM,
LONG-STANDING NEEDS OF OUR
COMMUNITY. THIS IDT , IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF
CIVIL RIGHTS AND COMMISSION AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WHICH IS
GREAT, WILL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS
THE CITYWIDE, IMMEDIATE NEEDS,
RIGHT? FORTIFY THE LONG-TERM
SERVICES, OF QUESTIONS, ASKS ,
AND DEMANDS, EVEN OF FOLKS , WHO
ARE QUEER IDENTIFIED AND WORK IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE. THERE HAVE
BEEN A BUNCH OF REQUESTS FOR
THEM THAT HAVE BEEN UNADDRESSED
, UNANSWERED, THIS WILL HELP US
STABILIZE AND START TO
OPERATIONALIZE ACROSS-THE-BOARD
WHAT WOULD BE IMMEDIATELY ENDING
LONG-TERM NEEDS. THIS GOES TO
BOTH WHAT CHRIS AND TRYING TO DO
WERE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT CAN BE
DONE TO STABILIZE AND WHAT DOES
IT LOOK LIKE TO HAVE MAYBE LOW
BARRIER ACCESS TO SOME OF THIS
FUNDING . SOME OF THESE
ORGANIZATIONS WORK WITH
SENSITIVE INFORMATION, WE DON'T
WANT TO FURTHER HARM THE
COMMUNITY. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THIS
IS COMMUNITY -FORMED IN TERMS OF
HOUSING, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH,
FOOD, LEGAL NAVIGATION, SURVIVOR
CENTER VIOLENCE PREVENTION. PART
OF THAT, TOO, WOULD SAY, AS WE
ARE TAKING THE COMMUNITY
-INFORMED INFORMATION , THE
QUESTIONS, THE FACTS , AND WE
ARE TRYING TO FORMALIZE WHAT
WOULD HAPPEN NEXT. WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING THIS
IN A VERY INTENTIONAL WAY. FOR
EXAMPLE, WE CAN GET INTO THIS
DEEPER AT ANOTHER TIME. WE KNOW
THAT, IN OUR SHELTER EXPANSION,
THERE WILL BE A TRANS-SPECIFIC
SITE THAT WILL BE SET UP . THAT
IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD GO
AHEAD AND SAY. SIMULTANEOUSLY,
THROUGH THE IDT , WHAT WE DO IN
TERMS OF FOLKS WHO ARE MIGRATING
HERE. YOU MIGHT BE MIGRATING
WITH SOME RESOURCES, THAT IS
SOMETHING I THINK I HEARD AT THE
TABLE, TOO. HOW DO WE MAKE SURE
THAT YOU DO NOT DEPLETE ALL OF
THE RESOURCES TO GET SERVICES,
RIGHT ? WE HAVE A BAD HABIT OF
MAKING PEOPLE GO TO ZERO TO GET
SERVICES AND I THINK WE CAN BE
ON THE PRECIPICE OF MAKING SURE
THAT WE DO NOT DEPLETE
SOMEONE'S RESOURCES AS WE MOVE
TO SEATTLE FOR THEIR SAFETY. WE
ARE GOING TO DO THIS AS AN
INTERSECTIONAL LYSED APPROACH,
WE WILL NEED ALL IDENTITIES TO
TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU NEED,
WHETHER YOU ARE A YOUNG PERSON,
OLD PERSON, OLDER PERSON, I
SHOULD SAY, WISDOM. [ LAUGHTER ]
I WAS NOT LOOKING AT YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER ROBERT KETTLE.
SHE'S LIKE , HOW DID I GET INTO
THIS? ACROSS THE BOARD, WE
STABILIZE , AND WE ARE NOT
ALWAYS AT THE STARTING LINE. WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS
ONGOING FOR OUR FOLKS AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AS A PROUD L,
IN LGBTQ, WE HAD THIS
CONVERSATION EARLIER TODAY, WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE
IS SINGING , IDENTIFIED, AND
LIFTED UP IN A NONHOSTILE WAY TO
GET THE SERVICES AND NEEDS THAT
THEY WANT AND SO DESIRE AS THEY
LIVE IN DESIRE -- SEATTLE, PLAY
IN SEATTLE, THE IDT, WE HAVE
ONLY HAD A FEW MEETINGS. THANK
YOU FOR EVERYONE ON THE DAIS,
YOU WILL HAVE GREAT
REPRESENTATION IN THIS IDT. WE
WILL BE ADDING MORE ENGAGEMENT,
AS OUR ENGAGEMENT ROLLS OUT, WE
WILL HAVE WAY MORE ENGAGEMENT
FROM VARIOUS COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT IS A
BROAD APPROACH AS WELL, THANK
YOU. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, TODAY I WOULD
LIKE TO COVER AN OVERVIEW OF HOW
THE SEATTLE OFFICE FOR CIVIL
RIGHTS APPROACHES CIVIL RIGHTS
PROMOTION AND DETECTION BUT WITH
A SPECIAL FOCUS ON 2SLGBTQIA+
COMMUNITIES, THE FIRST AREA OF
WORK IS ON CIVIL RIGHTS POLICY
AND ENFORCEMENT, WE ENFORCE THE
ALL-GENDER RESTROOMS ORDINANCE,
CONVERSION THERAPY ON MINORS, WE
MONITOR AND ENFORCE 21 PROTECTED
CLASSES THAT INCLUDE GENDER
IDENTITY, SEXUAL IDENTITY,
MARITAL STATUS , IN ADDITION,
WHEN WE CONDUCT OUR POLICY
ANALYSIS WE NOT ONLY TAKE A
DATA-INFORMED AND SCIENTIFIC
APPROACH, WE HAVE APPLIED AN
INTERSECTIONAL LENS SO WE PAY
CLOSER POLICY ATTENTION,
PARTICULARLY THOSE ON THE
MARGINS OF SOCIETY. AND WE
CONSIDER VERY CLOSELY HOW A
RANGE OF POLICIES AFFECTS THIS.
OF LGBTQIA COMMUNITIES IN
PARTICULAR, ALONG WITH POLICY
AND ENFORCEMENT, WE ENGAGE
COMMUNITIES DIRECTLY TO OUR
COMMISSION. WE ARE COLLABORATING
WITH THE LGBTQ COMMISSION ON THE
STABILIZATION IDT. WE ALSO HAVE
OUR WOMEN'S COMMISSION,
DISABILITY COMMISSION, AND HUMAN
RIGHTS COMMISSION THAT WE ENGAGE
WITH AS WELL. FINALLY, I WOULD
LIKE TO GIVE A PREVIEW OF WHAT
OUR RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE WILL
BE ROLLING OUT IN THE NEAR
FUTURE, THEY WILL BE WORKING ON
TRAININGS FOR TRAININGS ON
CONSIDERING GENDER IDENTITY, HOW
THEY OVERLAP IN SIGNIFICANT WAYS
AND SHAPE HOW WE CAN BETTER
SUPPORT THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU
ALL . [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THOUGHTFUL , THANK YOU ALL
FOR WALKING THROUGH ALL OF THIS.
COLLEAGUES, I AM GOING TO OPEN
IT UP TO QUESTIONS FROM YOU ALL,
FIRST.
>> I KNOW THAT WE HAVE HAD A LOT
THROWN AT US TODAY, DON'T BE
SHY.
>> I WILL GO FIRST.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS
TOGETHER, THANK YOU ALL. EXCUSE
ME, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK
ON THIS, I KNOW IT TAKES A LOT
OF COORDINATION, EFFORT, AND
GETTING INFORMATION FROM THE
COMMUNITY AND ALSO BRIDGING WHAT
WE HEAR FROM COMMUNITY AND
FIGURING IT OUT HOW WE PUT IT
INTO CONCRETE PIECES , THROUGH
WHATEVER PROCESSES, EXECUTIVE,
LEGISLATIVE, THE DEPARTMENTAL
PIECE. THE BUREAUCRACY THAT
OFTEN PEOPLE DO NOT SEE.
HOWEVER, TRYING TO MOVE WITH A
SENSE OF URGENCY TO MEET THE
NEED AND ALSO THE MOMENT IN
TIME, IT IS A DELICATE DANCE.
NUMBER ONE, I WANT TO THANK YOU
ALL FOR THAT. THE SECOND THING I
WANTED TO KNOW AND I HAVE HEARD
IT FROM A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO
SPOKE TODAY, RESOURCES.
IMMEDIATE RESOURCES FOR THE
COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN
STABILIZE WHAT WE HAVE SEEN
ALONG OUR STREETS, HOUSING,
RESOURCES, FOOD, MENTAL HEALTH.
PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT, HEY, WE
NEED JOBS , THESE PIECES. WANTED
TO KNOW FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE,
IF WE ARE THINKING . I KNOW
THERE ARE IMMEDIATE NEEDS AND
LONG-TERM PIECES AND WHAT WE ARE
FOCUSING ON, WHAT I AM TRYING TO
FOCUS ON , PARTICULARLY, WHAT
ARE THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS RIGHT
NOW. OFTEN, IN A MOMENT OF
CRISIS, YOU KNOW, IT IS HARD TO
FIGURE THAT OUT. WHAT I HAVE
HEARD, HOUSING, FOOD ACCESS ,
BUILDING UP A LOT OF THE GROUPS
, THAT INFRASTRUCTURE PIECE.
COULD YOU ALL TALK ABOUT, HERE
ARE THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS? YOU ALL
TALKED ABOUT THEM TODAY. BUT
HEY, HERE IS HOW WE ARE
APPROACHING IMMEDIATE NEEDS
RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVE SEEN, YOU
KNOW, ABOUT COMMUNITY NEEDS ?
>> I THINK THAT FUNDING IS THE
BIGGEST ONE. MANY OF OUR
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE GROWN TO BE
VERY SCRAPPY WITH THE WRAPAROUND
CARE THAT THEY OFFER. ONE STOP
SHOPS FOR ALL SORTS OF RESOURCES
. AND BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME
OF THAT FUNDING SUPPORT TO HELP
KEEP THEM AFLOAT . PARTICULARLY
AT A TIME WHERE THERE IS A LOT
OF TREPIDATION FROM PREVIOUS
DONORS WHO DO NOT WANT TO BE
FLAGGED IN THE FEDERAL
ADMINISTRATION'S CROSSHAIRS. IN
TIMES THEY ARE SEEING
LEGISLATION ROLLOUT FROM THE
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, CALLING
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION
SUPPORTING QUEER FOLK, CALLING
THEM DOMESTIC TERRORISTS . THERE
IS A LOT OF TREPIDATION ABOUT --
[ APPLAUSE ] -- A LOT OF
UNDERSTANDABLE TREPIDATION ABOUT
WHAT IT MEANS TO SUPPORT
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS RIGHT
NOW. WE ALSO WANT TO ENDORSE
THAT THEY ARE DOING THE REALLY
GOOD WORK, OUT IN THE COMMUNITY
RIGHT NOW AND DON'T WANT TO
STOP THEM DOING THAT GOOD WORK.
IN FACT, WE WANT TO BUILD THEM
UP. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> YEAH. I THINK IT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT, SEATTLE
DOES HAVE AN HISTORIC AND REALLY
ROBUST SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR LGBTQ
COMMUNITIES. WE SIMPLY DON'T
HAVE THE FUNDING IN ORDER FOR
THEM TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
AND SO, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE
ALWAYS MORE PROGRAMS AND MORE
GROWTH. I DON'T THINK THE
QUESTION IS WHAT , WHAT MORE
PROGRAMMING CAN WE DO RIGHT NOW?
THE PROGRAMMING IS THERE. IT
JUST DOES NOT HAVE THE FUNDING
FOR IT TO REACH THE LEVEL IT
NEEDS TO REACH, IN ORDER TO HELP
THE COMMUNITY THE WAY THE
COMMUNITY NEEDS HELP. SO, IT IS
FUNDING.
>> IF I MAY , I THINK THAT ONE
OF THE MAJOR BARRIERS TO A LOT
OF THESE ESSENTIAL RESOURCES AND
SERVICES IS DISCRIMINATION. SO,
FOR THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS,
WE HAVE A PUBLIC-FACING OFFICE.
WE DO INTAKE WITH FOLKS WHO HAVE
EXPERIENCED DISCRIMINATION
WEATHER WITH EMPLOYMENT OR
HOUSING OR CONTRACTING, SO, ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, WE DO
INTAKE'S, INVESTIGATE, MEDIATE,
OR COME TO A SOLUTION TO REMEDY
THE DISCRIMINATION. THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT THE CITY DOES
RIGHT NOW TO TRY TO HELP FOLKS
GET PEOPLE ACCESS AND EQUAL
OPPORTUNITIES.
>> I THINK I'M A ALSO, WE HAVE
HEARD A LOT ABOUT HAVING A
SYSTEM NAVIGATOR. SOMEONE IN OUR
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION
THAT CAN HELP OUR NEW NEIGHBORS
NAVIGATE WHERE THE RESOURCES
ARE. SOMETIMES IT IS JUST HARD
TO FIND OUT WHERE THE BASIC
RESOURCES ARE , EVEN IF THERE IS
ACCESSIBILITY FOR THAT. WE ARE
REALLY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE
ASK FOR FUNDING IN THE SYSTEM
NAVIGATOR. WE KNOW THERE IS A
QUESTION ABOUT AN OFFICE AS WELL
BUT WE REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON
THE SHORT TERM. CAN WE FIND THE
FUNDING, CAN WE STABILIZE THE
FUNDING INTO 2027, 2028, AND
SIMULTANEOUSLY FIGURE OUT THE
SYSTEM NAVIGATOR. AS PEOPLE ARE
MOVING TO SEATTLE , THE COUNTY,
WASHINGTON, BUT SPECIFICALLY
SEATTLE, THAT THERE IS ACCESS
FOR PEOPLE TO FIND WHAT THEY
NEED AS THEY MOVE HERE . I
THINK, THROUGH THE IDT, WHAT WE
CAN EXPLORE OUR MODELS THAT WE
HAVE USED ANOTHER DEPARTMENTS
AND IN OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT
THOSE. FOR EXAMPLE, WE CAME UP
WITH A SERIES OF FUNDING. AND WE
WERE ABLE TO PUT THAT FUNDING IN
A PHILANTHROPIC GROUP, LOW
BARRIER ACCESS, HOW DO WE
CONTINUE THOSE KINDS OF MODELS .
AND WHILE WE ARE TAKING CARE OF
FOLKS CHRONICALLY UNSHELTERED ON
THE GROUND, ARE THERE IN MODELS
THAT WE CAN USE , AND THINGS
LIKE THAT, SO WHAT GIVES YOU
AGAIN ACCESS TO HOUSING AND
BEING SHELTERED, WHILE YOU
FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET ON YOUR
FEET WHILE YOU MOVE TO SEATTLE?
WE ARE NOT PUTTING YOU IN
FURTHER, FURTHER HARM IS YOU ARE
TRYING TO FIND YOUR FOOTING. WE
ARE TRYING, THOSE ARE THE
IMMEDIATE THINGS WE HAVE HEARD ,
RIGHT OFF THE BAT. THANK YOU,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT BAIRD
>> I WILL JUST SAY PART OF THE
WORK IS AROUND ADVOCACY AND
POLICY ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
SO, YOU KNOW, IN HAND WITH THAT,
THERE IS A LOT ON THE LEGAL SIDE
RIGHT NOW, PROTECTING COMMUNITY,
HAPPY TO PARKER, AROUND SOME
NATIONAL ADVOCACY AND I THINK A
CONTINUATION OF JUST PROTECTING,
FROM THE LEGAL SIDE IS NEEDED
OUTSIDE OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES.
>> AWESOME, THANKS. THANK YOU
FOR THAT. THIS IS JUST A COMMENT
. THIS IS HELPFUL TO KNOW WHAT
YOU ALL HAVE BEEN HEARING, I
THINK THERE IS A UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE OF THE
GROUP THAT HAS BEEN STOOD UP
WITH ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS ,
BECAUSE RESOURCES , I ALSO HERE,
LET'S HAVE A PLAN . BEING ABLE
TO SET UP A PLAN AND BEING VERY,
VERY INTENTIONAL, THESE GROUPS
ARE DOING THE HOUSING, THESE
GROUPS ARE DOING THE FOOD
ACCESS, THESE GROUPS ARE DOING
THE RESOURCE MAPPING. WHEN
SOMEONE COMES TO SEATTLE, OR
PEOPLE ARE HERE, THEY ARE ABLE
TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO GO IN A
SYSTEM THAT IS EASILY
ACCESSIBLE, WITH THIS . INSTEAD
OF FUND THIS, FUND THIS , I
THINK THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
PLAN OUT, A POINT OF PRIVILEGE.
I THINK IT IS REALLY COOL. I DID
COACH ANNIE. TO SEE HOW SHE HAS
GROWN UP INTO A GREAT YOUNG
WOMAN AND ADVOCATING FOR THIS.
THIS IS A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT.
POINT OF PRIVILEGE , IT IS GREAT
TO SEE HOW WELL YOU HAVE GROWN
UP AND ARE NOW ABLE TO ADVOCATE
FOR THIS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. AND
SHOUT OUT FOR THE SEATTLE YOUTH
COMMISSION. IT IS QUITE A
PRIVILEGE TO BE AT THIS TABLE
TODAY, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU . I WANTED TO BUILD
ON A POINT THAT THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT HAD, AS SHE WAS ASKING
ABOUT THE NEED. WE TALKED A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT DATA AND THE
CHALLENGES AROUND DATA. WE HEARD
ABOUT DATA POINTS RAISED BY
PUBLIC COMMENT , SO DATA IS A
POWERFUL THING AND DATA ALSO CAN
BE REALLY COMPLICATED IN TERMS
OF HOW WE COLLECT DATA AND
PARTICULARLY, RIGHT NOW, WITH
SUCH A CONCERTED , JUST
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST TRANS
PEOPLE . THERE IS REAL TROUBLE
THAT COMES FROM DATA COLLECTION.
HOW ARE WE BALANCING THE NEED,
UNDERSTANDING THE DATA BEHIND
SCALE , LOOKING AT INVESTING
RESOURCES BUT WHAT DO WE NEED TO
BE MINDFUL OF WHEN IT COMES TO
DATA PRIVACY AND PROTECTION? A
LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GETTING BY BY
STAYING INVISIBLE. I WANT TO BE
REALLY MINDFUL AND CAREFUL ABOUT
THAT REALITY.
>> I THINK THAT IS A GREAT
QUESTION . I THINK FOR US RIGHT
NOW, WE REALLY NEED THE DATA
POINTS ON FOLKS MOVING TO
SEATTLE. WE HAVE HEARD A LOT OF
ANECDOTES ABOUT HOW MANY FOLKS
ARE MOVING TO WASHINGTON BUT WE
HAVE NOT SEEN ANY REAL NUMBERS
ON PEOPLE MOVING TO SEATTLE, WE
ARE KIND OF FIGURING THAT
PORTION OUT , TOO , SO WE CAN
FIGURE OUT HOW TO SCALE UP INTO
THE PLAN. AND THEN, FOR HOW WE,
LET ME THINK ABOUT THE REST OF
YOUR QUESTION FOR A SECOND.
BECAUSE WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT AS WE ARE GETTING
INFORMATION, WE WANT TO DO IT
MINDFULLY. WE HAVE HEARD IT ,
TIME AND TIME AGAIN, SOME OF THE
NEW ORGANIZATIONS, THEY JUST
BECAME 501(C)(3)'S, IF WE ARE
EVER ABLE TO FIND FUNDING, DO WE
PUT THE FUNDING SOMEWHERE ELSE?
AGAIN, IT IS LIKE A LOW BARRIER
SYSTEM SO THEY ARE NOT HAVING TO
DISCLOSE A BUNCH OF INFORMATION
THAT MAY NOT FIT WELL. SO, WE
ARE BEING MINDFUL OF HOW WE WANT
TO BE ABLE TO COLLECT THAT DATA
AND AGAIN WE WANT TO MOVE
OURSELVES OUT OF THE WAY OF
GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE WE ARE STILL
GOVERNMENT, RIGHT? WE DO NOT
AGAIN WANT TO CREATE ANY MORE
HARM AS WE ARE TRYING TO COLLECT
THIS DATA OR WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO
BE ABLE TO GET TO RECEIVE THE
FUNDING. WE ARE ROAD MAPPING
THAT OUT IN THE IDT AS WELL. SO,
THERE IS A BUNCH MORE THERE.
>> THANK YOU, TIA YAZZIE.
COUNCILMEMBER, AS FAR AS DATED
COLLECTION -- DATA COLLECTION, I
THINK WE ARE LOOKING AT THE
QUALITATIVE APPROACH WHICH
ALLOWS US TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
LIVED EXPERIENCE, AND DO
EXPERIENCE RESEARCH,
ESSENTIALLY. WE ARE LEARNING
FROM FOLKS MOST IMPACTED , THEN
WHAT IS IT LIKE TO NAVIGATE THE
SEATTLE ENVIRONMENT WHEN IT
COMES TO ACCESSING RESOURCES,
SERVICES, OR COMING ACROSS
BARRIERS. ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF
DOING A QUALITATIVE APPROACH,
WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE HEADED,
PRIVACY, WE ARE NOT COLLECTING
SENSITIVE DATA, YOU CAN
ANONYMIZE THE DATA . YOU CAN
PROTECT PEOPLE AND OFFER THEM A
DEGREE OF COVER WHILE ALSO
LEARNING FROM THEM AND THEIR
EXPERIENCES. AS FAR AS IDT,
OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT GOES, WE
SHOULD OFFER A DEGREE OF
PROTECTION AROUND PRIVACY.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE THE
RESPONSES. I LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUED DISCUSSIONS WITH IDT .
AND ON THAT NOTE , I WANT TO
THANK THE MAYOR FOR CONVENING
THIS IDT AND BRINGING SO MANY
PARTNERS TO THE TABLE TO PUT
THIS TOGETHER AND TAKING A
CITYWIDE APPROACH ON HOW WE
REALLY TACKLE THE CHALLENGES
THAT WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT TODAY.
IN THAT SAME SPIRIT, WE HAVE
HEARD IT ARTICULATED THAT
SEATTLE CANNOT DO THINGS ALONE,
WE NEVER CAN. AND I BRING THAT
UP , TO THE POINT THAT I AM
WONDERING HOW WE CAN REALLY
BUILD UP THIS , PARTNERING
ACROSS JURISDICTIONS, KNOWING
THAT SEATTLE IS NOT ALONE IN
THIS AND I KNOW THERE IS REAL
OPPORTUNITY TO BE PARTNERING
WITH OTHER CITIES AROUND THE
COUNTY, LOOKING TO THE COUNTY
LEVEL AND THE STATE LEVEL. I
WANT TO ADD SOME THINKING, HOW
ARE WE THINKING ABOUT ENGAGING
WITH OUR OTHER JURISDICTIONAL
PARTNERS IN THIS PARTICULAR
WORK?
>> WELL, I WILL LET THE
COMMISSIONERS SPEAK, THEY HAVE
DONE A LOT OF LEGWORK, THERE IS
INTEREST FROM THE PORT, WE
STARTED A CONVERSATION WITH THE
KING COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE,
ABOUT WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE, IN
TERMS OF STABILIZING AND
SUPPORTING LGBTQIA COMMUNITIES,
ALSO IN THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN, IT
IS EXTREMELY ROBUST ON OUR
REGIONAL PARTNERS, AND WHO WE
ARE GOING TO BE CALLING IN TO
THE TABLE. RESOURCES WE REALLY
WANT PEOPLE TO COME IN AND HELP
US MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN SUPPORT
THE COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS. WHEN WE ARE AT
THAT STAGE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO
CALL IN AS MANY ORGANIZATIONS
THAT ALIGN TO THIS , IF THAT
MAKES SENSE, SO WE CAN DO THIS
IN A MORE COMPREHENSIVE WAY. A
BUNCH OF FOLKS ARE IN THIS, OF
WHO WE ARE GOING TO BE CALLING
ON , FOR THE IDT AND THE
STABILIZING WORK.
>> MAYBE ADDING ONTO THAT OR
EMPHASIZING DOMINIQUE'S POINT ,
WE HAVE HAD REALLY PRODUCTIVE
CONVERSATIONS WITH CREATIVE
COMMUNITY PARTNERS ACROSS
JURISDICTIONS WHO ALSO WANT TO
STAY WITH US AT THE TABLE. AND I
THINK THAT HAS BEEN REALLY
ENCOURAGING TO SEE AND I HOPE TO
SEE THAT SNOWBALL STILL ROLLING,
ESPECIALLY AT A TIME WHEN OUR
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS
ARE FEELING LIKE THE CLOCK IS
TICKING. WE CAN COME UP WITH
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS WITH MORE
PEOPLE AT THE TABLE TO BE ABLE
TO DO THE THINGS THAT HELP, FOR
THE STABILIZATION. NOT JUST NOW,
BUT ALSO THINKING LONG-TERM. SO,
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU. COLLEAGUES, ANY
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR
PANEL TODAY? ALL RIGHT, I AM NOT
SEEING ANY HANDS. I WANT TO
THANK THE PANELISTS . THE WORK
AHEAD IS VERY IMPORTANT. I LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE IDT,
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE LAST
POINT AROUND ALL THE FOLKS WE
CAN BRING INTO THIS WORK. THANK
YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE
TODAY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
WORK.
>> THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> WONDERFUL ! WE HAVE A
STANDING OVATION. COLLEAGUES, WE
HAVE REACHED THE END OF TODAY'S
AGENDA. A LOT OF INFORMATION
THAT I WANT TO GET THROUGH THESE
PROCEDURAL NOTES. I WANT TO
CORRECT THE RECORD THAT
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA IS EXCUSED
FROM THE MEETING, I MISSPOKE
EARLIER AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT
ERROR. FINALLY, JUST AS A QUICK
UPDATE, TOMORROW IS TRANS PRIDE,
THAT FEELS PARTICULARLY TIMELY.
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES, FOR
SIGNING ONTO THE TRANS PRIDE
INITIATIVE. ALONGSIDE THIS, A
REALLY INCREDIBLE EVENT. AND WE
HAVE REACHED THE END OF TODAY'S
AGENDA. DOES ANY -- ANYONE HAVE
ANYTHING FURTHER? ALL RIGHT,
NOTING NO FURTHER BUSINESS
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE. THE NEXT
COMMITTEE MEETING