The Spokane chapter of the HEC brings together students from EWU, WSU, UW and Gonzaga. We are a member of the Spokane Alliance and have teams working on the following issues
Lead Organizers
Child Health
Leads: Kavya Magham, Alex Dullea
The Child Health Team hopes to better understand factors that can contribute to a child’s overall wellness. Currently we know that education plays a big role in the health of a child and we are looking to get involved with community centers and schools in the greater Spokane area. Right now we are still in the research phase but have identified some actionable projects such as working with the MLK Center in the East Central community to ensure that they have the resources they need to help the people that visit the center. We are also looking forward to learning more about child health and hope to put on events educating ourselves and our peers about this very important topic! Please contact Kavya (kavya.magham@wsu.edu) or Alex (alexandra.dullea@wsu.edu) to learn more and find out how to become a part of the team.
Correctional Medicine
Lead: Jessica Trujillo
The correctional medicine action team is focused on researching, analyzing, and drawing light to the inadequate health care system in place at the Spokane County Detention, Geiger, and Airway Heights Prison. Multiple lawsuits have been filed against the correction centers, prison and health care system in response to inadequate health care, from inmates not receiving timely medication and surgeries. Given this, the action team is researching and gleaning the issues from the legal complaints, the private health care system currently employed, and the numbers present such as inmate to nurse ratio, first responders, medical staff, etc. The action team intends to disclose these inadequacies and to locate the source. Correctional medicine, from a social justice standpoint, is imperative to ensure all individuals receive necessary health care, providing each individual (inmate or not) with dignity. If you are interested in getting involved or have any questions please email Jessica Trujillo (jtrujillo3@lawschool.gonzaga.edu)
Environmental Health
Lead: Brittany Bear
The Environmental Health Action Team is a recent addition to the Health Equity Circle and is focused on coupling improvements in environment health and health equity here in Spokane. Our current efforts are focused on assisting the City of Spokane to develop a Sustainability and Climate Action Plan—working to ensure that an environmental justice/public health/health equity framework is used throughout the development. If we are successful in ensuring that the City of Spokane makes recommendations that we support, then future actions will include informing students and the public about the importance of addressing climate change and sustainability here in Spokane and lobbying educational and health institutions to come out and support report recommendations. We are always looking for more members to get involved and would love to see how your contributions will help shape this fun and exciting team! If you are interested in getting involved please email Brittany Bear (Brittany.Bear@wsu.edu)
Healthcare
Lead: Taylor Bozich
The Healthcare Research Action Team is a branch of the Spokane Alliance dedicated to supporting, planning, and conducting listening campaigns to elucidate the most salient barriers to health equity in Spokane. The work of these listening campaigns helps to inform our research and subsequent actions that broaden and support health equity in our community. Currently, the HRAT is reflecting on and researching the findings of a listening campaign completed last year that highlighted system complexity/navigability, affordability, and mental health as the three major barriers to accessing healthcare for members of our community. The work of the HRAT lies at the intersection of research and advocacy, and we strongly encourage anyone passionate about health equity and community organizing to join! If you are interested in getting involved or have any questions email Taylor Bozich (tbozich@uw.edu)
Homelessness
Lead: Whitney Wood
The Homelessness Action Team aims to address the very complex issue of homelessness in Spokane through tangible and meaningful action. While a newer team within HEC Spokane, we have many passionate members and have dived into meeting with community members to learn more about the issue, how people experience it and how they are trying to address it. We have identified a few actionable projects (focusing on sit and lie ordinances, intervening in child and family housing insecurity) and are excited to make a decision and move forward in the organizing cycle soon. We also commit to educating ourselves and others interested in the complexities of homelessness, with upcoming events on the intersection of homelessness and substance use disorder and mental health, as well as tours of shelters in town. Stay tuned and email Whitney Wood (whitney.wood@wsu.edu) to find out more and/or join the team!