…..a new beginning | Washington Health Foundation

The Washington Health Foundation (WHF) has a rich history of innovative programs and projects that changed the lives of people and the futures of communities across our state. Whether through direct service programs, policy development, engagement strategies, education, research or the more than 14 million dollars WHF awarded in grants over the past 20 years – the Foundation has designed, developed and implemented more than 160 projects to improve people’s health. We don’t just talk about change – we drive it. And have been doing so since 1992. You may be surprised to know of the some of the programs we established. Below are just a few examples. The Washington Health Foundation has been a longtime advocate for meaningful health reform at both the state and national levels. In fact - WHF has been an active policy voice for health reform throughout its 20 year history, including the 2009 debate that led to the passage of the Affordable Care Act. The Foundation’s position was that reform should be about improving health and not just medical care, and that its fundamental design principle should be to build a system that works for people, not just for providers, insurers or government. The federal act was imperfect in achieving these things, but did include a Prevention Fund and several projects that at least provide initial lip service to empowering people- including our call for “health homes”.

What’s more, the Foundation’s larger health reform efforts were always more about trying to put the need for reform on to the national and state policy stage- when politicians, providers and bureaucrats were unwilling to take it on. Through its “Transforming Health Care” Project in 2002-2004, the Foundation convened community roundtable meetings across the state to identify shared public values and got various interest groups to pledge to work together on health reform solutions for people. The Healthiest State in the Nation Campaign grew out of this pledge, and was our forum for calling for federal action in 2007.

It has always been our intent to advance our mission and vision by stimulating local action, not by taking credit for our accomplishments. History frequently forgets who was really responsible for achievements, and that is just fine. Many have no doubt long since forgotten the important role WHF played in putting health reform back on the state and federal map, or our insistence that it speak to improving health and putting people first (while others ignored these issues). But the progress we have made in unconventionally moving health reform forward serves as an excellent example of how our organization's ability to take action will help us one day achieve our goal of making Washington the Healthiest State in the Nation.

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