Monday, the Washington State Department of Health announced the launching of the first of what is expected to be a number of ‘equity zones.’
Legislature passed this concept in 2021
According to the Department of Health, this program was passed by the legislature in 2021, and will now be implemented. According to DOH:
“Some Washington communities have lower life expectancies, struggle with air pollution and other environmental concerns, or have fewer doctors or medical facilities. To help people facing health barriers, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is proud to announce nominations are now open for the state’s new Health Equity Zones (HEZ) initiative. HEZ gives people an opportunity to share their ideas and create a model for collaborative solutions.”
The DOH says the funding will be allocated for these health equity zones, and the DOH is ‘inviting’ citizens to nominate their area for consideration.
The DOH website says the following:
“During the pilot of the Initiative, the Washington State Department of Health will invest in three geographic communities across the state that are most impacted by health inequities.”
The program does include rural areas for consideration. No specific information was listed as to exactly what kind of assistance will be given to the three final places in the pilot program.
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