A Closer Look At The Affordable Care Act | 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. Healthy Communities is a phrase describing the successful national movement designed to organize action and improve health by focusing attention on key social determinants of health such as housing, income, the environment and personal behavior. Research has clearly shown that these factors are what create health for people, while medical care contributes less than 10% (yet it consumes more than 90% of our health expenses!). Did you know that the Washington Health Foundation was a big part of forming and pushing this widely recognized national movement? WHF staff members Katharine Sanders and Greg Vigdor, and long-time WHF partner and supporter Jeff Mero were all recognized as early advocates and participants in the movement.

What’s more, the Foundation chose to prove the merits of the movement by investing major resources into stimulating a “healthy communities movement” in Washington state. We funded major healthy communities demonstration programs across the state, some of which are still in place. We convened the first “statewide healthy communities coalition” in 1995, held 11 wildly successful statewide Healthy Communities leadership conferences, and even housed the current Department of Health effort to build a Healthy Communities policy coalition. National leaders also recognize our Healthiest State in the Nation Campaign as one of the best national examples of a statewide Healthy Communities coalition.

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 starting up and stimulating this movement. But the reality that it is now a recognized, ongoing, and maturing movement serves as an excellent example of how our organization's approach to health leadership will help us one day achieve our goal of making Washington the Healthiest State in the Nation.

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