The Department of Health (DOH) invites community partners to share feedback pertaining to the Preventative Health and Health Services Block Grant funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The purpose of the grant is to address public health needs through innovative and locally defined programs.
The grant currently funds three programs:
- Birth Equity Project: This project seeks to improve maternal and birth outcomes in communities including: American Indian and Alaska Native, Black and African American, and Pacific Islander communities. The birth equity project invests in community-rooted services and expertise. Currently the project funds three local birth equity programs across the state.
- Health Literacy: It is the responsibility of the organization delivering the health services to provide easy-to-understand and accessible information. The goal of this program is to improve the health literacy of the population. Program activities are focused on developing the skills of the public health workforce, such as teaching DOH staff to plan, implement and evaluate health interventions promoting health literacy.
- Sexual Violence Prevention: The objective of this program is to reduce sexual violence. Primary prevention activities include skill-building and social norming to foster environments where sexual violence is unacceptable. This program includes a social marketing campaign that has been implemented in 13 middle schools in six counties to date.
Community members are invited to share their feedback on the program activities planned for the upcoming grant cycle, as well as how DOH can better inform this work through local solutions and with a wider range of community partners. The feedback provided in these meetings will help guide the programs that are funded by this grant and identify how best to engage with the community throughout the grant cycle.
Two meeting times are offered to accommodate partners’ schedules: May 10 from 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. (PDT) and May 18 from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. (PDT). These meetings will be held via Zoom, and attendees will receive a $30 gift card in appreciation of their time and expertise.
Please RSVP to Emma Wolf at emma.wolf@doh.wa.gov or 564.999.3217 and specify which date you will attend. Once your spot is confirmed, Emma will e-mail you the Zoom meeting link and call-in information.
DOH can provide language accommodation for this meeting. Please contact Emma Wolf with your access needs at least 10 business days before the meeting date: emma.wolf@doh.wa.gov or 564.999.3217. DOH may not be able to honor requests with less than 72 hours notice before the event.
Copies of the draft grant application are available from the Department of Health by phone: 564-999-3217 or email: emma.wolf@doh.wa.gov. DOH will accept written comments until 5:00 p.m. on May 18, 2022. If you prefer, DOH can also arrange time for you to provide feedback over the phone.