Monday, June 19, 2023

UPDATED, EvergreenHealth Levy

EvergreenHealth Community Hospital

EvergreenHealth's current levy is  ~2% of King County's property tax.  An increase may be proposed November of 2024.

EvergreenHealth's Board of Seven Commissioners has the final say on the distribution of levy funds each year with the recommendations of a standing levy committee.

30% of the Levy is allocated to "programs." The remaining 70% is allocated to "capital expenditures."  Many of the levy-supported programs specifically address the special needs of under-served and high-risk community members, most of the programs are for use by the entire community.  Capital expenditures go towards instruments, labs, EPIC "My Chart," infrastructure and the like.  

Levy Program Directory:

Supporting Students in Crisis

EvergreenHealth provides social workers to Lake Washington School District high schools to assess students with high-risk behaviors and mental health concerns for free. The EvergreenHealth social workers meet with students 1:1, conduct groups, provide support to parents, and coordinate with school officials to keep students safe and connected to community providers. In 2021, our social workers helped 401 high school students during mental health crises.

High School Mental Health Therapists

Community funds also help the Northshore School District provide students access to mental health counselors. They meet individually and in small groups to address student needs. Supportive resources are also made available to students grieving the loss of a loved one. In 2021, our therapists served 1,264 students and responded to 47 crisis visits.

Youth Mental Health First Aid

EvergreenHealth's free Youth Mental Health First Aid training provides educators, coaches and other volunteers who work with students the tools to help adolescents experiencing a mental health crisis or addiction challenge.

Participants are taught how to recognize signs and symptoms of mental health challenges and crises, what to say and how to talk with someone, and how to refer to professional resources for help.

[NAMI Eastside and LWSD also provide free Youth Mental Health First Aid training.  I took it - great program]

STEM Global Health Education Partnership

EvergreenHealth partners with our local school districts to give students the opportunity to learn about global health initiatives through job shadowing, attending Grand Rounds and hearing from guest speakers. These kinds of partnerships give students the opportunity to immerse themselves early on in learning about careers in science, health care and so many other industries.

Community Health Needs

EvergreenHealth Nurse Navigator & Healthline

In 2021, our 24/7 Nurse Navigator & Healthline served more than 108,000 calls from our community for free, helping you with scheduling, referrals and answering those health-related questions even Google can't help with.

Healthline played a pivotal role in 2021, connecting thousands of neighbors with accurate information on COVID-19 and pandemic resources. More than 50,000 callers received nursing triage advice, getting help with home remedies for common ailments as well as diagnostic support for various illnesses.

Call (425) 899-3000 to be connected to the Healthline.

Community Health Education Services

EvergreenHealth's Community Health Education Services provided more than 790 community-funded classes and programs in 2021. Roughly 4,300 community members participated, taking the opportunity to enrich their lives with the kind of lessons only we can teach. As a community-owned health system, our curriculum and programs look to address the diverse needs of our region while building a sense of community for you and your neighbors around common interests.

Find a health class 

Hospice Care Center

The Gene & Irene Wockner freestanding hospice center has 15 beds and serves hospice patients in King and Snohomish counties. It is the only hospice center in both counties and provides you or your loved ones with short-term acute care, with the goal of discharging home once symptoms have been stabilized.

For more information, call (425) 899-3300.

Palliative Medicine

Our Palliative Medicine program uses levy funds to support a team that serves you and your family if any of your loved ones is facing a serious illness. In 2021, these providers helped patients and their families overcome physical and emotional challenges following a concerning diagnosis.

For more information, call (425) 899-3224.

Breaking Barriers to Health and Social Services

Community Healthcare Access Team (CHAT)

The Community Healthcare Access Team focuses on assessing and assisting community members in accessing healthcare resources, including long term care solutions, financial assistance, referrals to primary and specialty providers, and connecting members with insurance options. CHAT works in partnership with many community organizations to assist low-income and uninsured community residents who face barriers in accessing affordable health and social services.

Contact CHAT at (425) 899-3200 or send a referral to CHAT@evergreenhealth.com.

Health Services for Seniors

EvergreenHealth Geriatric Care

EvergreenHealth Geriatric Care is a dedicated team that develops specialized treatment plans for older adults with complex health needs. This includes expert assessment and treatment of dementia with behavioral health problems.

The transitional care management program provides expanded support and resources for patients as they transition from the hospital to home, or between clinic visits. The goal of this program is to reduce hospital readmission rates by addressing health issues as they arise.

The Chronic Care Management program is a vital part of the services provided by EvergreenHealth Geriatric Care. It is recognized by Medicare as a program that provides comprehensive and individualized care planning and management of chronic conditions.

Contact Geriatric Care at (425) 899-6800.

Northshore Senior Center

Community funds allow us to provide health and wellness programs to older adults in the local community through the Northshore Senior Center (NSC) and the Adult Day Health Center. The funding includes seven evidence-based programs such as NSC's Enhance® Wellness program, designed to decrease the length of participants' hospital stays, alleviate symptoms of mood disorders and encourage older adults to maintain control of their lives through a participant-centered approach.

At the Northshore Senior Center in 2021, more than 230 seniors participated in programs that helped improve their physical and cognitive functioning despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Additionally, the community-funded NSC Adult Day Health program offered 84 virtual health and wellness classes to encourage movement, fine motor skills, strengthening and other mental and physical rehabilitation services in 2021.

Community funds also allowed us to serve 245 family caregivers via programming, consultations and other services.

-- Posted by Bob Yoder,  Updated 4/24/2024 
Sources:  EvergreenHealth website; Board of Commission Educational sessions

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