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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPacket Health Board Oct 6 2020Whatcom County Council as the Health Board COUNTY COURTHOUSE 311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105 Bellingham, WA 98225-4038 (360) 778-5010 Meeting Agenda Tuesday, October 6, 2020 10:45 AM Virtual Meeting VIRTUAL MEETING - VIEW ONLINE COUNCILMEMBERS Rud Browne Barry Buchanan Tyler Byrd Todd Donovan Ben Elenbaas Carol Frazey Kathy Kershner CLERK OF THE COUNCIL Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C. Council as the Health Board Meeting Agenda October 6, 2020 Call To Order Roll Call Public Session Ordinance: Creating a Child and Family Task Force Resolution: Racism as a Public Health Crisis AB2020-431 Resolution affirming racism as a Public Health Crisis Public Health Advisory Board (PHAB) Update Director/Health Officer Report Other Business Adjournment Whatcom County Page 2 Printed on 211912025 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING AS THE HEALTH BOARD 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, October 6, 2020 Virtual Meeting AGENDA Meeting Topics 1. Public Session 2. Ordinance: Creating a Child and Family Task Force 3. Resolution: Racism as a Public Health Crisis 4. Public Health Advisory Board (PHAB) Update 5. Director/Health Officer Report Whatcom County HEALTH i17L Department Pages Time no ppr 10:45-11:00 1 - 5 11:00-11:20 6 - 20 11:20-11:50 no ppr 11:50-11:55 no ppr 11:55-Noon AGENDA ITEM #2: BOARD ACTION: SUMMARY Health Board Discussion Form October 6, 2020 Ordinance Creating Whatcom County Child and Family Well-being Task Force Sterling Chick, Vice Chair Public Health Advisory Board Q Action Item Discussion FYI - Only In April 2019, the County Health Board adopted a resolution "affirming commitment to Whatcom County's young children and families". In February 2020, the County Health Board officially adopted a child and family action plan. Part of the action plan called for an ordinance creating a "county task force to ensure diverse community partners are informed, coordinated with and included in the implementation of the of the action plan; make additional recommendations; and regularly report the progress". The Public Health Advisory Board working with Health Department staff and community partners have drafted the attached ordinance for consideration. The ordinance outlines the initial tasks of the Task Force as follows: A. Develop processes and procedures to ensure that all the work of the Task Force is embedded in the principles of equity, family engagement, and results -based approaches B. Develop recommendations for County infrastructure to promote child and family wellbeing C. Develop recommendations for adoption of "children and families first" approach for County policy and funding decisions across all departments D. Develop recommendations to promote shared government and community accountability for child and family results E. Develop recommendations for coordination and enhancement of existing county initiatives focused on issues impacting young children and their families F. Develop recommendations for new, or enhancement of existing funding streams to support child and family programs and services that align with desired results. Tasks will be accomplished in three phases with reports due June 1, 2021; March 1, 2022; and October 1, 2022. The Task Force will be comprised of 15 designated members from a variety of entities, including representatives from existing collaborative groups, school systems, local government, and tribes. The County Council will appoint 10-15 members, focused on the following areas: health care; non -profits; business, philanthropy, and community members, especially members from under -represented communities. The Task Force will report to the County Council and the County Executive. BOARD ROLE/ACTION REQUESTED • Review ordinance and recommend modifications, if any • Recommend advancement to County Council for adoption ATTACHMENT(S) • Draft Ordinance Whatcom County ' f HEALTH Department October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 1 ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING WHATCOM COUNTY CODE , AND CREATING A WHATCOM COUNTY CHILD AND FAMILY WELL-BEING TASK FORCE WHEREAS, in April 2019, the County Health Board adopted Resolution 2019-020 affirming commitment to Whatcom County's Young Children and Families; and WHEREAS, in February 2020, the County Health Board officially adopted a child and family action plan entitled: "Whatcom Working Towards Well-being: An Action Plan for County Government" (Action Plan); and WHEREAS, the Action Plan calls for the development of an ordinance to create a county task force, or other official county committee, with high level staffing and resources to ensure that diverse community partners are informed, coordinated and included in the implementation of the action plan, make additional recommendations, and regularly report progress to County Council and County Executive; and WHEREAS, the Action Plan recommends using the County Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force as a model, including representatives from government, community organizations, and families; and WHEREAS, the Action Plan also specifies that the task force will focus on tracking and furthering progress of community efforts to achieve the desired results for children and families; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Whatcom County Council that Whatcom County Code Chapter is hereby established, creating a Whatcom County Child and Family Well-being Task Force as outlined in Exhibit A to this ordinance. BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that the initial tasks to be accomplished by the Task Force are as follows: A. Develop processes and procedures to ensure that all work of the Task Force is embedded in principles of: a. Equity, with specific attention to racial equity b. Family engagement c. Results -based approaches B. Develop recommendations for County infrastructure to promote child and family wellbeing a. Clarify scope and purpose of infrastructure b. Identify and evaluate infrastructure models such as a County Office of Child and Family Well- being c. Recommend funding approaches to build and sustain infrastructure d. Recommend policies and practices that increase accountability to parents, caregivers, and stakeholders from under -represented communities in county committees and workgroups. e. Propose strategies to adopt trauma -informed practices across County government, including staff training and development C. Develop recommendations for adoption of a "children and families first" approach for County policy and funding decisions across all departments a. Recommend policy and program review process b. Recommend ways to fully integrate parents, caregivers, and stakeholders from underrepresented communities in county committees and workgroups, including compensation for time October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 2 c. Recommend processes to ensure consideration and prioritization of child and family needs in county funding decisions D. Develop recommendations to promote shared governmental and community accountability for child and family results a. Review results approaches in other communities and recommend strategies for County adoption b. Identify mechanisms for government and community stakeholders to agree on and work together toward desired results, including identification of key strategies and actions c. Identify mechanisms to track and share progress on key indicators aligned with desired results E. Develop recommendations for coordination and enhancement of existing county initiatives focused on issues impacting young children and their families a. Review existing County initiatives and groups focused on issues such as racial equity, housing, behavioral health, economic development, and incarceration prevention, and recommend ways to incorporate focus on young children and their families into these initiatives and groups. b. Review existing community initiatives addressing high priority concerns such as child/family homelessness, lack of access to affordable child care and early learning opportunities, and need for child/family behavioral health supports and identify opportunities for additional County support and coordination. F. Develop recommendations for new, or enhancement of existing, funding streams to support child and family programs and services that are aligned with desired results a. Recommend scope and process of fiscal analysis b. Review and recommend options for new or enhanced funding streams BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that the initial work of the Task Force for the above tasks shall be accomplished and reported to the County Council and County Executive in the following phases: PHASE I — Establish Task Force processes and procedures. Clarify goals and metrics. Establish processes for shared accountability for results. Evaluate and recommend infrastructure model for County adoption. Propose scope and approach for County fiscal analysis to identify existing and potential funding streams for child and family programs. Review and identify existing child and family serving collaborative resources and initiatives, and infrastructure. Recommend strategies to fill the gaps identified. Deliver the initial Phase I report by June 1, 2021 PHASE II -- Develop and establish methods to increase and stabilize funding streams for child and family programs, services, and infrastructure. Deliver the initial Phase 11 report as completed no later than March 2022 PHASE III — Develop specific operational plans and budgets leading to implementation of appropriate programs, services and infrastructure. Include details on assignment of responsibilities, and projected outcomes anticipated. Deliver the initial Phase III report with sufficient details to proceed with programs and infrastructure no later than October 1, 2022. October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 3 EXHIBIT A Chapter 2. CHILD AND FAMILY WELL-BEING TASK FORCE Sections: 2.. Established 2.. Purpose 2.. Function 2.. Permanent Members 2.. Additional Appointed Members 2.. Term of Office 2.. Organization — Meetings 2.. Staff and Funding Support 2.. Reporting 2.. Established There is hereby established a Whatcom County Child and Family Well-being Task Force. 2.. Purpose The purpose of the Whatcom County Child and Family Well-being Task Force is to continually review Whatcom governmental impact on children and families and make specific recommendations for improvements for all departments 2.. Function The Task Force will consider input from diverse families throughout Whatcom County and evidence -based and promising practices and report on and make recommendations to County Council, Executive, and other appropriate officials regarding implementation of recommendations in the Whatcom Working Toward Well-being: An Action Plan for County Government (Action Plan) as adopted on February 4, 2020. 2.. Permanent Members of the Child and Family Well-being Task Force shall include the following 15 designated officials or their representative: A. Three representatives from families selected by Generations Forward Family Council B. One representative from Whatcom Early Learning Alliance C. One representative from Whatcom Taking Action for Children/Youth with Special Health Needs D. One representative from School Superintendents (selected by Superintendents) E. One representative from DCYF (Child Welfare) -local office F. One representative from the Whatcom County Health Department (selected by Health Director) G. One representative from Public Health Advisory Board (selected by PHAB) H. One member of the Whatcom County Council/Health Board I. Whatcom County Executive or alternate J. One representative from City of Bellingham K. One representative from small cities (selected by small cities) L. One representative from Lummi Nation (selected by Lummi Nation) October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 4 M. One representative from Nooksack Tribe (selected by Nooksack Tribe) 2.. Additional Appointed Members In addition to officials designated above, the Child and Family Well-being Task Force shall include the following 10-15 members appointed by the Whatcom County Council: ❑ Community Members from Under -Represented Communities: Hispanic/Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native, Black/African American, Immigrant, Rural (up to 5 members) ❑ Community Action ❑ Non -Profit Housing and Social Services ❑ Child Care/Early Learning ❑ Higher Education ❑ Health Care Agency (serving young children and families) ❑ Behavioral Health Agency (serving young children and families) ❑ Philanthropy ❑ Private business or corporation 2.. Terms of office for appointed members. The term of office for appointed members shall be two years; members may apply for membership renewal only once. Appointment of members shall comply with Chapter 2.03 WCC. 2.. Organization — Meetings. A. Meetings of the task force shall be open and accessible to the public and shall be subject to the Open Public Meetings Act. B. At every meeting, the task force will schedule an open session to take public comment. C. Written records of meetings, resolutions, research, findings and recommendations shall be kept and such records shall be submitted to county staff and shall be made public, including posting on the county website. D. The task force shall adopt its own rules and procedures for the conduct of business. E. The task force shall elect co-chairs (including at least one representing family perspective) from among its members who shall preside at its meetings. F. The task force shall determine its meeting schedule and agenda, but shall meet at least quarterly. G. The task force may form and appoint ad hoc committees to work on specific issues, so long as at least two committee members are also members of each ad hoc committee. 2.. Staff and Funding Support The Task Force will have full support from the Council, the County Executive's Office, Health Department staff, and locally delivered paid consultant assistance to conduct and complete its tasks in an efficient and effective manner. 2.. Reporting As outlined in the Phases of the Ordinance and at least biannually thereafter, no later than March 30 and September 30 of each year, the Task Force will provide a report and recommendations to the County Council and County Executive on progress. October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 5 'oM COG P y A Health Board Discussion Form October 6, 2020 AGENDA ITEM #3: Racism as a Public Health Crisis PRESENTERS: Steve Bennett, PhD, Public Health Advisory Board member BOARDACTION: ■ Action Item ❑Discussion ❑FYI - Only SIGNIFICANT POINTS OR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Recognizing the historical and ongoing impacts of racism on health and well-being, cities and counties across the nation and in Washington State are declaring racism as a public health crisis, and are committing to take steps toward racial equity. On September 3, 2020, the Public Health Advisory Board voted to advance a resolution declaring racism as a public health crisis to the County Health Board for adoption. On September 22, 2020, the PHAB met again to review some requested edits and consider community feedback. After discussion and some additional edits, PHAB voted to advance the revised version to the Health Board. BOARD ROLE/ACTION REQUESTED • Review and adopt resolution declaring Racism as a Public Health Crisis • Support County membership in the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARS), a national network of governments working to achieve racial equity • Approve allocation of resources within County budget process to address race equity issues, including staff training and outreach and engagement with communities of color ATTACHMENTS • Slide Presentation: Addressing Racism as a Public Health Crisis Draft Resolution of the Whatcom County Health Board Affirming That Racism is a Public Health Crisis Whatcom County HEALTH Department October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 6 Addressing Racism as a Public Health Crisis Steve Bennett, PhD, WWU Public Health Advisnry Bnard (PHAB) October 6, 2020 Whatcom County HEALTH IV Department Definitic ns y ll�l wna«om�o��ty HEALTH Department Racism: The marginalization and/or oppression of people of color based on a socially constructed racial hierarchy that privileges white people. Systemic racism: A combination of systems, institutions and factors that advantage white people and for people of color, cause widespread harm and disadvantages in access and opportunity. Public Health: The science of protecting and improving health of people and their communities. Crisis: A situation that has reached a critical phase. October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 7 +rrxgrGvmunm/+inkvmm:n s._..sn;raewav, i::,,o-...r, hrtNv.N 4wrrt�nAvNmvaA'.IM�i M16 In WhatC.?m Cr-unt ... y HEALTH Department The County • Call for Compassionate Community Approach to Public Health Services M, Health Board has laid the ' Committing Whatcom County to Adopt a 'Healthy Planning" Approach foundation for Health Protection for Immigrant Families taking action to address the ' A16rmingCommitmenttoWhatcomCounty'sYoungChildrenandTheirFamilies sources and t ,•ReducinglncarcerationofYoungAdults impacts of racism locally Et •ChildandFamily Action Plan IV October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 8 2013-038- C mpass�� HateWh HEALTH Depftment Community Appm, ach • "Compelling research... points out the negative impacts of adverse childhood experiences ("ACEs") and early trauma on population health" • "The impact that early trauma has on children, families and the general population is on par with, or greater than, biological or infectious disease" • "The Health Board will seek opportunities to increase awareness and promote the concept of a "compassionate" or "trauma sensitive" approach" 2015-038- Healthy Planning wnat�om�o��ty HEALTH Department • "Health is influenced by the 3 interaction of many factors, and POO not simply genetics, Individual behavior or access to medical care" _ "Health is also determined by social and economic factors and opportunities" • "Data show that people ... who experience racial or ethnic discrimination or other social stresses are more likely to report poor health status and have lower life expectancy" October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 9 ii 2019 020Y2ung Children & WM - county HEALTH Department Their Families Photo from Generations Forward Future Search Conference: Envisioning a Future where All Whatcom County Children Thrive, Oct 2017 • "Indigenous children and children of color ... are more likely to experience adversity due to historical and persistent patterns of discrimination, oppression and lack of equitable opportunities" • "Disproportionate levels of adversity contribute to health and social disparities and inequities" 2020 Child & Family Actirn Plan HEALTH Wh [com County Department Recommended Action "Commit resources to facilitate the adoption of equity and trauma - informed policies and practices across county government" Support countywide training... Conduct policy reviews ... and explore changes to existing policies to support equity broadly and race equity specifically Become a member of Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARS) htto:/Iwhatcomcounty. usIDocu m entCenterNiew/49297/Chi l d-and-Family-Action-Plan --- January-2020 (Page 19) October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 10 Racism Impacts individual health & p HEALTH leads tc health disparities Department Ethnicity -based maltreatment & racism Acute & enduring changes in cognition, affect, behavior, and physiology Stress - associated behaviors & health conditions October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 11 ii Racism Impacts the Seoul w�tomcoty HEALTH Determinants ,af Health Department Healthy People 2030 Social Determinants of Health Racial disparities in all FIVE areas of SDOH Education Amass and 0.14y Economic Sesbility Bacialend Community Context Racism impacts children and families H-1th Cara Aeaeasand puality F Neighborhood and Built Environment Alm WM[Com county HEALTH Department • Black wamen 3 X as likely to die in childbirth • Black newborns mare than 2X as likely to die as White babies October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 12 Racism ass�clated with chlldh?cd W ,y HEALTH adversity Department Children in families experiencing racial discrimination are more likely to have other Adverse Childhood Experiences" (ACEs) Table 2. ACEs by Individual Discrimination ❑ White ■ Black, No Discrimination ■ Black, Yes Discrimination Famlly Memher w h Drug or Ak hol Problem 21,8 Parental Mental Illness 20-9 Witn-s JVWm &Neighborhood VbI— 274 4YRnea9ed oomebtitviol— 242 Parent or Guardian W lall/P, on 27.5 Paren[ ,S—dian Died 102 OMorce/separatlon - 423 Poverty h 91] 0 In 2D 30 90 s0 https: //jordaninstituteforfamities.org/2020/racism-is- an-adverse-childhood-experience-ace/ Racism 'impacts child develr ment p p nm �o HEALTH Department Percent ofchildren entering kindergarten ready for school Whatccw County,2017-2018 •• Wha[com wg-46%-WA avg-9M la betta'Nen lV6aloom eug fYl•lolal taunt or alWmLS In calegory sok � Worse Uan Wralcom avg aax ]a& wx 64% Sax .................... 47%... ...................................................... Wt rox 27% z3% o< AIANhsl Assn h7l Nlsparvc heal MWIi ISU WM11le16") Data Notes Data includes Bellingham School District SD, Blaine SD, Ferndale SD, Lummi Tribal Agency, Lynden SD, Meridian SD, Mount Baker SD, and Nooksack Valley SD. October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 13 Racism impacts mental Percent of 10th graders reporting feeling depression Whatcom County, 2018 Source: Healthy Youth Survey, Washington State Department of Health ii WM[Com CCunty health HEALTH Department 100 stansttianv v,al.,. a. hette. tw,n Whalcwn �r9 •• VN1ntCcm —WA :staestKanvw«u uwn Wl.aec«n avg 90 so 68 70 43 60 44 so 30 0 10 0 36 3540 27 MAN Asian RI—k Hispanic White Multi Data Notes Healthy Youth Survey Question: During the past 12 months, did you ever feel so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row that you stopped doing some usual activities? Racism impacts educatic-n WM[Com County HEALTH Department On -time graduation rates W hatcom County, 2017-2018 percent of Whatmm County high school seniorswho graduate high school within four years wax • • Wha[com avg • 70% avg • Bi% � getter Than Whalcam ar 9 tkt.wulceunie(studensYrralep,y �x ■worse1 Wnalccm wg 85% ez% 72% rox 63% rx s� wx mz z� ,oz ax AIAN f941 Asian l90Y Hispanicl24* Multi 0141 White(1108) October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 14 ii Racism Impacts ecan--mic stability HEALTH Department Median Household Income 2010-2015, 5-year estimates Source: American Community Survey, US Census Bureau $80,000 • • Whatcom average ■ StatisticaLLy similar to Whatcom avg $70.000 ■ StatisticaLLy lower than Whatcom avg $60.000 $5 ,652 $5-,tg8 $50,000....................................•• $4 .514 $40.000 $3 379 53 655 $3 A03 $30,000 $2 6g0 $20,000 $�o,000 Asian White Hispanic Multi AIAN NHPI Black Racism assrcIt ii WM[Com COunty iated with CPVID-19 HEALTH Department Percentage of Confirmed Cases by Race & Ethnicity Data updated through 0912812020 Race/Ethnicity known 96 of Cases % of Total Whatcom Population White NH 56.6 % 78.7 % Hispanic as Race 30.3 % 9.5 % AIAN NH 5 0 % 2.5 % Asian NH 2.4 % 4.3 % Multiracial NH 2-3 % 3.6 % Other Race NH 2.1 % 0.0 % Black NH 0.9 % 1.0 % NHOPI NH Suppressed 03 % KPt�r�atAYTI%dmsas hate MLivMll ra[de7l.idx I :nuns an= ben.een 1-9, data are suppressed to comply wN Wachirgk n 5— Up —of Health —1 numbers guitlelir,er. Nk nqn-HiynnK /yW; gmetlran l,dan a�.aasta Hence NHOPtNmtt+HdwdiNu ur fmc. Peak lsl0nfk+' ONer: RerpaMent r•ERyreR'Olhpr nacx October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 15 Racism assrciated with premature wi't dHEALTH death Department Premature death by race and ethnicity, 2011-2016 T.UI years of Potential fife lost (VPLL) before age 65 by nce and ethdcity 0AMMMMIINOMW 0 wwrt ♦ASIANIPACIFIC ALASKAN NATFVE 15LANDER ■ BLACK Q HISPARIC AS RACE io,om sago da0o abm aom =I SbSR d 13 2IIIa xiu ]•la Racism is a public health crisisii p HEALTH De Aartment Time tn act is new. Therefore, be it resnIved— This Health Board... • Declares that racism is a public health crisis • Commits to making Whatcom County a welcoming, safe community for everyone • Endorses policies and practices for employee conduct and equitable treatment of all people • Commits to actively participate in dismantling of systemic racism and impacts • Will evaluate and support policies consistent with principles of equity • Will facilitate keeping data and monitoring progress October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 16 ii Health Ma-ard suppa-rts these WM[Com CCunty HEALTH actIDepartment • Implement annual training for elected officials and staff • Assess and revise department policies and procedures • Ensure hiring practices provide greater opportunities for people of color to be employed • Ensure diversity of race within County commissions • Support community efforts to amplify issues of racism and engage with communities of color • Build alliances with other organizations including other local governments through entities such as Government Alliance on Race and Equity (CARE) WM[Com County HEALTH Department Thank ynu fnr ynur commitment tr the health and well-being of all penple in Whatcnm Cnunty October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 17 PROPOSED BY: PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD INTRODUCED: RESOLUTION NO AFFIRMING THAT RACISM IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS WHEREAS, racism is rooted in the foundation of America as Indigenous peoples were forcefully removed from ancestral homelands, familial kinship systems, natural resources, cultural ways of life, and language resulting in generational hardships including social, economic, and political disadvantages, as well as physical, psychological, and spiritual trauma, - WHEREAS, although the public health community is aware that Native Americans and Alaska Natives have a higher burden of illness, injury, and premature mortality than non -Hispanic Whites, the health care needs of this population are often excluded from policy discussions and these populations are routinely excluded from data sets expressed by race causing a form of ethnic erasure; WHEREAS, beginning with slavery in 1619, most of the Black experience in America has been endured under slavery and Jim Crow which allowed preferential opportunities for White Americans while subjecting people of color to hardships, disadvantages, and violence in every area of life and creating a legacy of inherited trauma across generations; and WHEREAS, throughout the history of the United States systemic racism has manifested by acts of discrimination and oppression directed towards Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) and their communities resulting in fear, anxiety, trauma, terror, and long-term physical and mental health impairments, as well as causing economic oppression for the targets of racism, their communities, and subsequent generations; and WHEREAS, in response to the killing of George Floyd and the death of countless others, previously and subsequently, under similar or other such circumstances, people across the country have risen to protest against historic acts of systemic racism and the resulting historic economic, environmental, and social injustices occurring towards people of various races and ethnicities, which continues to disproportionately affect the Black community; and WHEREAS, systemic racism has resulted in race as a social determinant of health, with persistent racial disparities in all aspects of health including housing, education, healthcare, employment, worker protections, criminal justice, climate impacts, food access, and technology, and Center for Health Progress has reported that data shows race, income, and ZIP Code have a bigger impact on health than behavior or medical care; and WHEREAS, BIPOC individuals and communities are disproportionately suffering in part due to long standing, unaddressed health disparities as well as systemic racism and other socioeconomic inequities, and these persistent disparities in health outcomes are not due to genetic or biological differences between the races, but to the entrenched racism in American society; and WHEREAS, the current COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the racial disparities within our nation's BIPOC communities ranging from health care access to risk exposure, and there is a clear correlation October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 18 between maps showing rates of COVID-19 hospitalizations and neighborhoods with high social vulnerability; and WHEREAS, lack of culturally and linguistically competent healthcare has resulted in less utilization of services and poorer health outcomes among BIPOC individuals; and National Academy of Medicine (NAM) found "racial and ethnic minorities receive lower -quality health care than white people —even when insurance status, income, age, and severity of conditions are comparable" and evidence from social psychological and health disparities research suggests that clinician —patient racial/ethnic concordance may improve minority patient health outcomes. WHEREAS Black women are at least three times as likely to die in childbirth as White mothers, and Black newborns are more than twice as likely to die as White newborns, a disparity that is wider today than it was in 1850 when the majority of Black Americans were enslaved, and one that is not related to the economic or educational status of the mother; and WHEREAS, Black Americans also have higher levels of low birth weights, and Black children are more likely to endure asthma and have more severe symptoms than White children; and WHEREAS, disparities in health outcomes and determinants of health by race are clearly evident in Whatcom County where life expectancy for American Indian/Alaska Native populations is 69 years compared with 81 years for White population; where 2 out of 3 American Indian/Alaska Native youth experience depression compared with 1 out of 3 White youth; where median income is significantly lower for American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, Black, and Multi -Racial populations than for White and Asian populations; where children who are American Indian/Alaska Native or Hispanic are half as likely to enter kindergarten with skills needed to succeed in school and are also significantly less likely to graduate from high school on time; and WHEREAS, more than 100 studies have linked racism to negative health outcomes, including research supporting that the cumulative experience of racism throughout one's life can induce chronic stress making BIPOC communities particularly susceptible to chronic health conditions like kidney, cardiovascular, and lung disease that lead to otherwise preventable deaths. WHEREAS, the American Public Health Association, National Association of County and City Health Officials, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have declared racism as a public health crisis. The disparities caused by racism that we have outlined in this resolution represent a public health crisis which affects us all. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED this Health Board will advocate that Whatcom County government implement, with intent and fidelity, policies and practices that reflect a conscious effort to ensure racial equity, equity of access and service and further to ensure the equitable treatment of all people, regardless of race or ethnicity. Section 1. This Health Board declares that racism is a public health crisis. Section 2. This Health Board is committed to making Whatcom County a welcoming, inclusive, and safe community for everyone. While we promote free thought and speech, we condemn racism and brutality, hate speech, bigotry, violence and prejudice in any form. October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 19 Section 3. This Health Board endorses the continued implementation and use of policies and practices for employee conduct and equitable treatment of all people and honors, by approval of this Resolution, the common humanity of all people, regardless of race or ethnicity. Section 4. This Health Board commits to actively participating in the dismantling of systemic racism and the impacts of racism in Whatcom County by: A. Implementing annual training on the following topics for all elected officials, County staff and members of boards, commissions and committees: implicit bias, trauma informed practices, and review of health disparities. B. Assessing and revising County department policies, procedures, and ordinances to ensure racial equity and transparency are core elements. C. Ensuring that hiring practices provide greater opportunities for people of color to be employed to further diversify our workforce. D. Ensuring diversity of race within the county commissions. E. Supporting community efforts to amplify issues of racism and engaging actively and authentically with communities of color wherever they live. F. Building and strengthening alliances with other organizations that are confronting racism, and encouraging other agencies to recognize racism as a crisis, including considering County membership in the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), which is a national network of local government agencies working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. Additionally, involve community representation and input in matters of historic and continued racial injustice. Section 5. This Health Board will continue to, through its goodwill, dialogue, and decision -making efforts and powers, evaluate and support policies that are consistent with the principles of equity of access, services, and treatment of all people regardless of race, color, or ethnicity and ensure that such policies do not perpetuate or exacerbate racial disparities within the county. Section 6. This Health Board shall facilitate keeping data and monitoring progress on the goals set up on the resolution. APPROVED this day of , 20. OF THE WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH BOARD ATTEST: WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Dana Brown -Davis, Clerk of the Council Barry Buchanan, Council Chair APPROVED AS TO FORM: /s/ Royce Buckingham Civil Deputy Prosecutor October 6, 2020 Health Board Agenda Packet Page 20 • Whatcom County COUNTY COURTHOUSE 311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105 Bellingham, WA 98225-4038 (360)778-5010 • Agenda Bill Master Report File Number: AB2020-431 File ID: AB2020-431 Version: 1 Status: Substitute Approved File Created: 09/30/2020 Entered by: TAxlund@co.whatcom.wa.us Department: Health Department File Type: Resolution Assigned to: Council Public Works & Health Committee Final Action: 11/24/2020 Agenda Date: 11/24/2020 Enactment #: RES 2020-054 Primary Contact Email: taxlund@co.whatcom.wa.us TITLE FOR AGENDA ITEM: Resolution affirming racism as a Public Health Crisis SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE: See Attachment HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE FILE Date: Acting Body: Action: Sent To: 10/06/2020 Council as the Health Board REFERRED TO Council Committee of the Whole COMMITTEE Aye: 5 Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Frazey, and Elenbaas Nay: 1 Kershner emp Absent: 1 Browne 10/27/2020 Council REFERRED TO Council Public Works & Health COMMITTEE Committee 11/10/2020 Council Public Works & Health HELD IN COMMITTEE Council Public Works & Health Committee Committee Aye: 3 Frazey, Donovan, and Kershner Nay: 0 11/10/2020 Council HELD IN COMMITTEE Council Public Works & Health Committee Whatcom County Page 1 Printed on 2/19/2025 Agenda Bill Master Report Continued (AB2020-431) 11/24/2020 Council Public Works & Health RECOMMENDED FOR Committee APPROVAL WITH PROPOSED AMENDMENT(S) Aye: 3 Frazey, Donovan, and Kershner Nay: 0 11/24/2020 Council SUBSTITUTE APPROVED Aye: 6 Browne, Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner Nay: 1 Elenbaas Attachments: Agenda Bill Master Report, Approved Resolution 2020-054, Health Board Discussion Form, PowerPoint for 10.6.2020, Proposed Resolution, AGENDA REVISION WITH PAPERWORK FOR 10.27.2020, Revised Resolution for 11.24.2020, Resolution as Revised in Committee 11.24.2020 Whatcom County Page 2 Printed on 2/19/2025 • Whatcom County COUNTY COURTHOUSE 311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105 Bellingham, WA 98225-4038 (360)778-5010 • Agenda Bill Master Report File Number: AB2020-431 File ID: AB2020-431 Version: 1 Status: Substitute Approved File Created: 09/30/2020 Entered by: TAxlund@co.whatcom.wa.us Department: Health Department File Type: Resolution Assigned to: Council Public Works & Health Committee Final Action: 11/24/2020 Agenda Date: 11/24/2020 Enactment #: RES 2020-054 Primary Contact Email: taxlund@co.whatcom.wa.us TITLE FOR AGENDA ITEM: Resolution affirming racism as a Public Health Crisis SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE: See Attachment HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE FILE Date: Acting Body: Action: Sent To: 10/06/2020 Council as the Health Board REFERRED TO Council Committee of the Whole COMMITTEE Aye: 5 Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Frazey, and Elenbaas Nay: 1 Kershner Absent: 0 emp Absent: 1 Browne 10/27/2020 Council REFERRED TO Council Public Works & Health COMMITTEE Committee 11/10/2020 Council Public Works & Health HELD IN COMMITTEE Council Public Works & Health Committee Committee Aye: 3 Frazey, Donovan, and Kershner Nay: 0 Absent: 0 11/10/2020 Council HELD IN COMMITTEE Council Public Works & Health Committee Whatcom County Page 1 Printed on 1112512020 Agenda Bill Master Report Continued (AB2020-431) 11/24/2020 Council Public Works & Health RECOMMENDED FOR Committee APPROVAL WITH PROPOSED AMENDMENT 11/24/2020 Council SUBSTITUTE APPROVED Aye: 6 Browne, Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner Nay: 1 Elenbaas Absent: 0 Attachments: Revised Resolution for 11.24.2020, Resolution as Revised in Committee 11.24.2020 Whatcom County Page 2 Printed on 1112512020 • Whatcom County COUNTY COURTHOUSE ff 311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105 ILJ.. Bellingham, WA 98225-4038 (360) 778-5010 Agenda Bill Master Report File Number: AB2020-431 File ID: AB2020-431 Version: 1 Status: Substitute Approved File Created: 09/30/2020 Entered by: TAxlund@co.whatcom.wa.us Department: Health Department File Type: Resolution Assigned to: Council Public Works & Health Committee Final Action: 11/24/2020 Agenda Date: 11/24/2020 Enactment#: RES 2020-054 Primary Contact Email: taxiund@co.whatcom.wa.us TITLE FOR AGENDA ITEM: Resolution affirming racism as a Public Health Crisis SUMMARY STATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE: See Attachment HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE FILE Date: Acting Body: Action: Sent To: 10/06/2020 Council as the Health Board REFERRED TO Council Committee of the Whole COMMITTEE Aye: 5 Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Frazey, and Elenbaas Nay: 1 Kershner Absent: 0 emp Absent: 1 Browne 10/27/2020 Council REFERRED TO Council Public Works & Health COMMITTEE Committee 11/10/2020 Council Public Works & Health HELD IN COMMITTEE Council Public Works & Health Committee Committee Aye: 3 Frazey, Donovan, and Kershner Nay: 0 Absent: 0 11/10/2020 Council HELD IN COMMITTEE Council Public Works & Health Committee Whatcom County Page 1 Printed on 1112512020 Agenda Bill Master Report Continued (AB2020-431) 11/24/2020 Council Public Works & Health RECOMMENDED FOR Committee APPROVAL WITH PROPOSED AMENDMENT 11/24/2020 Council SUBSTITUTE APPROVED Aye: 6 Browne, Buchanan, Byrd, Donovan, Frazey, and Kershner Nay: 1 Elenbaas Absent: 0 Attachments: Agenda Bill Master Report, Revised Resolution for 11.24.2020, Resolution as Revised in Committee 11.24.2020 Whatcom County Page 2 Printed on 1112512020 PROPOSED BY: PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD INTRODUCED: NOVEMBER 24, 2020 RESOLUTION NO. 2020-054 AFFIRMING THAT RACISM IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS WHEREAS, even before the foundation of America's colonies, racism has existed in America. Examples of this are many, including Indigenous people being forcefully removed from ancestral homelands, familial kinship systems, natural resources, cultural ways of life, and language resulting in generational hardships including social, and economic, and political disadvantages as well as physical, psychological and spiritual trauma; and WHEREAS, the public health community is aware that Native Americans and Alaska Natives have a higher burden of illness, injury, and premature mortality than non -Hispanic Whites; and WHEREAS, the Black experience in America beginning with slavery, Jim Crow laws, Grandfather Clause, and the long delayed recognition of the 14t" Amendment -and other violations of the 14th Amendment, redlining & other forms of housing discrimination all of which have allowed preferential opportunities for White Americans for generations while subjecting people of color to hardships, disadvantages and violence in every area of life and created a legacy of inherited trauma and economic oppression across generations; and WHEREAS, systemic racism refers to how large-scale, political and economic forces, which are historically deep and play out over generations, result in deep-seated and often ignored social, economic, and power inequities which then shape the distribution of health risks and inequitable access to resources for health, resulting in the disparate social and spatial clustering of negative health outcomes; and WHEREAS, throughout the history of the United States systemic racism and inequality has manifested itself by acts of discrimination and oppression directed towards Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) and their communities resulting in fear, anxiety, trauma, terror, and long-term physical and mental health impairments, as well as causing economic oppression for the targets of racism, their communities and subsequent generations; and WHEREAS, in response to the killing of George Floyd and the unnecessary death of countless others in the same pointless fashion, people across the country have risen up to protest the historic economic, environmental, and social injustices occurring towards people of various races and ethnicities, which continues to disproportionately affect the Black community; and WHEREAS, systemic racism has resulted in race as a social determinant of health, with persistent racial disparities in all aspects of health including housing, education, healthcare, employment, worker protections, criminal justice, climate impacts, food access, and technology, and Center for Health Progress has reported that data shows, race, income, and ZIP Code have a bigger impact on health than behavior or medical care; and WHEREAS, BIPOC individuals and communities are disproportionately suffering in part due to long standing, unaddressed health disparities as well as systemic racism and other socioeconomic inequities, and these persistent disparities in health outcomes are not due to genetic or biological differences between the races, but to the entrenched systemic racism in American society; and WHEREAS, BIPOC residents of Whatcom county are not immune or separate from the significant trends of health disparities that we see in national and state public health data; and WHEREAS, the current COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the racial disparities within our nation's BIPOC communities ranging from health care access to risk exposure, and there is a clear correlation between maps showing rates of COVID-19 hospitalizations and neighborhoods with high social vulnerability; and WHEREAS, lack of culturally and ►inguistically competent healthcare has resulted in less utilization of services and poorer health outcomes among BIPOC individuals; and National Academy of Medicine (NAM) found "racial and ethnic minorities receive lower - quality health care than white people —even when insurance status, income, age, and severity of conditions are comparable" and evidence from social psychological and health disparities research suggests that clinician -patient racial/ethnic concordance may improve minority patient health outcomes; and WHEREAS Black women are at least three times as likely to die in childbirth as White mothers, and Black newborns are more than twice as likely to die as White newborns, a disparity that is wider today than it was in 1850 when the majority of Black Americans were enslaved, and one that is not related to the economic or educational status of the mother; and WHEREAS, Black Americans also have higher levels of low birth weights, and Black children are more likely to endure asthma and have more severe symptoms than White children; and WHEREAS, while the health disparities faced by indigenous and black populations are often the most reported, Whatcom county has multiple minority populations that face negative health consequences as a result of systemic racism; and WHEREAS, racism impacts child development, and in Whatcom County only 23% of AI/AN children and only 27% of Hispanic children entering kindergarten were ready for school, as opposed to 54% of White children; and WHEREAS, racism impacts mental health, and in Whatcom County 66% of AI/AN 10th graders, 43% of Black 10th graders and 44% of multi -racial 10th graders reported feeling depression, as opposed to 36% of White 10th graders; and WHEREAS, racism impacts education, a determinant of health, and in Whatcom County 63% of AI/AN and 71% of Hispanic young people graduate on time, as opposed to 82% of White young people; and WHEREAS, racism impacts economic stability, a determinant of health, with the median household income of Black families in Whatcom County being less than half of that of White or Asian families, and Multi -racial, AI/AN, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders have a median household income over $20,000 less than White or Asian families; and WHEREAS, disparities in health outcomes and determinants of health by race are clearly evident in Whatcom County where life expectancy for American Indian/Alaska Native populations is 69 years compared with 81 years for White population; where 2 out of 3 American Indian/Alaska Native youth experience depression compared with 1 out of 3 White youth; where median income is significantly lower for American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, Black, and Multi -Racial populations than for White and Asian populations; where children who are American Indian/Alaska Native or Hispanic are half as likely to enter kindergarten with skills needed to succeed in school and are also significantly less likely to graduate from high school on time; and WHEREAS, a just public health system would hold all of our individual choices to the fundamental principles of social equity and public welfare that were built into the very foundation of that system. It would not permit individual bias to persist on the policy or operational level. While it would not, and could never, eliminate racial bias in individuals, it would neuter its effects, by holding each of us to the standards of equity and fairness upon which our metrics are based; and WHEREAS, we are concerned with public policy. Policy is the province of governance. As individuals, and as representatives of our institution, we identify racism as a systemic flaw, and an enemy to the public, wherever we encounter it. We commit to evaluating and reforming our policies, our practices, and our leadership, to reflect our commitment to this mission; and WHEREAS, the American Public Health Association, National Association of County and City Health Officials, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have declared racism as a public health crisis. The disparities caused by systemic racism that we have outlined in this resolution represent a public health crisis which affects us all. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED this Health Board will advocate that Whatcom County government implement, with intent and fidelity, policies and practices that reflect a conscious effort to ensure racial equity, equity of access and service, and further to ensure the equitable treatment of all people, regardless of race or ethnicity. Section 1. This Health Board declares that racism is a public health crisis. Section 2. This Health Board is committed to making Whatcom County a welcoming, inclusive, and safe community for everyone. While we promote free thought and speech, we condemn racism and brutality, hate speech, bigotry, violence and prejudice in any form. Section 3. This Health Board endorses the continued implementation and use of policies and practices for employee conduct and equitable treatment of all people and honors, by approval of this Resolution, the common humanity of all people, regardless of race or ethnicity. Section 4. This Health Board commits to actively participating in the dismantling of systemic racism and its impacts in Whatcom County by: A. Implementing training on the following topics for all elected officials, County staff and members of boards, commissions and committees: implicit bias, trauma informed practices, and review of health disparities. B. Assessing and revising County department policies, procedures, and ordinances to ensure racial equity and transparency are core elements. C. Ensuring that hiring practices provide equitable opportunities for people of color to be employed to help ensure the diversity in our workforce represents the diversity in our community. D. Promote diversity of race within county boards and commissions. E. Supporting community efforts to alleviate issues of racism and bias and engaging actively and authentically with communities of color wherever they live. F. Building and strengthening alliances with other organizations that are confronting racism, and encouraging other agencies to recognize racism as a crisis, including considering County membership in the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), which is a national network of local government agencies working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. Additionally, involve community representation and input in matters of historic and continued racial injustice. Section 5. This Health Board will continue to, through its goodwill, dialogue, and decision - making efforts and powers, evaluate and support policies that are consistent with the principles of equity of access, services, and treatment of all people regardless of race, color, or ethnicity and ensure that such policies do not perpetuate or exacerbate racial disparities within the county. Section 6. This Health Board shall facilitate keeping data and monitoring progress on the goals set up on the resolution. APPRC1F Ye.g 16174y, of 24th of November !®� ��• �� t©W ®m cs cscC��"� ®''o' `�' AT3E Dana=Brown-Da�1@kotheuncil APPP,O,VED A f t ifi'$ 1�3ta /s/ Rovice 14U6ki!n2ham.l.. Civil Deputy Prosecutor 2020. WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH BOARD CHAIR WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON �A rp-wc Barry Bu hanan, Council Chair 'oM COG P y A Health Board Discussion Form October 6, 2020 AGENDA ITEM #3: Racism as a Public Health Crisis PRESENTERS: Steve Bennett, PhD, Public Health Advisory Board member BOARDACTION: ■ Action Item ❑Discussion ❑FYI - Only SIGNIFICANT POINTS OR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Recognizing the historical and ongoing impacts of racism on health and well-being, cities and counties across the nation and in Washington State are declaring racism as a public health crisis, and are committing to take steps toward racial equity. On September 3, 2020, the Public Health Advisory Board voted to advance a resolution declaring racism as a public health crisis to the County Health Board for adoption. On September 22, 2020, the PHAB met again to review some requested edits and consider community feedback. After discussion and some additional edits, PHAB voted to advance the revised version to the Health Board. BOARD ROLE/ACTION REQUESTED • Review and adopt resolution declaring Racism as a Public Health Crisis • Support County membership in the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARS), a national network of governments working to achieve racial equity • Approve allocation of resources within County budget process to address race equity issues, including staff training and outreach and engagement with communities of color ATTACHMENTS • Slide Presentation: Addressing Racism as a Public Health Crisis Draft Resolution of the Whatcom County Health Board Affirming That Racism is a Public Health Crisis Whatcom County HEALTH Department Addressing Racism as a Public Health Crisis Steve Bennett, PhD, WWU Public Health Advisnry Bnard (PHAB) October 6, 2020 Whatcom County eN HEALTH Department Definitions y ll�i HE wna.�omA�o��ty LTH Department Racism: The marginalization and/or oppression of people of color based on a socially constructed racial hierarchy that privileges white people. Systemic racism: A combination of systems, institutions and factors that advantage white people and for people of color, cause widespread harm and disadvantages in access and opportunity. Public Health: The science of protecting and improving health of people and their communities. Crisis: A situation that has reached a critical phase. 1 +rrxgrGvmunm/+inkvmm:n s._..sn;raewav, i::,,o-...r, hrtNv.N 4wrrt�nAvNmvaA'.IM�i M16 In WhatC.?m Cr-unt ... y HEALTH Department The County Health Board has laid the foundation for taking action to address the sources and impacts of racism locally M, • Call for Compassionate Community Approach to Public Health Services • Committing Whatcom County to Adopt "Healthy Planning" Approach Health Protection for Immigrant Families • Affirming Commitment to Whatcom County's Young Children and Their Families t , • Reducing Incarceration of Young Adults E t • Child and FamilyAction Plan IV 2013-038- C mpass�� HateWh NEALTN Depftment Community Appm, ach "Compelling research... points out the negative impacts of adverse childhood experiences ("ACEs") and early trauma on population health" • "The impact that early trauma has on children, families and the general population is on par with, or greater than, biological or infectious disease" "The Health Board will seek opportunities to increase awareness and promote the concept of a "compassionate" or "trauma sensitive" approach" 2015-038- Healthy Planning wnat�om�o��ty HEALTH Department "Health is influenced by the interaction of many factors, and not simply genetics, individual behavior or access to medical care" "Health is also determined by social and economic factors and opportunities" "Data show that people ... who experience racial or ethnic discrimination or other social stresses are more likely to report poor health status and have lower life expectancy" ii 2019 020Y2ung Children & WM - county HEALTH Department Their Families Photo from Generations Forward Future Search Conference: Envisioning a Future where All Whatcom County Children Thrive, Oct 2017 • "Indigenous children and children of color ... are more likely to experience adversity due to historical and persistent patterns of discrimination, oppression and lack of equitable opportunities" • "Disproportionate levels of adversity contribute to health and social disparities and inequities" 2020 Child & Family Actirn Plan HEALTH Wh [com County Department Recommended Action "Commit resources to facilitate the adoption of equity and trauma - informed policies and practices across county government" Support countywide training... Conduct policy reviews ... and explore changes to existing policies to support equity broadly and race equity specifically Become a member of Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARS) htto:/Iwhatcomcounty. usIDocu m entCenterNiew/49297/Chi l d-and-Family-Action-Plan --- January-2020 (Page 19) 4 Racism Impacts individual health & p HEALTH leads tc health disparities Department Ethnicity -based maltreatment & racism Acute & enduring changes in cognition, affect, behavior, and physiology Stress - associated behaviors & health conditions ii Racism Impacts the Social w�tomoty HEALTH Determinants ,af Health Department Healthy People 2030 Social Determinants of Health Racial disparities in all FIVE areas of SDOH Education Amass and 0.14y Economic Sesbility smialend Community Context Racism impacts children and families H-1th Cara Aeaeasand puality F Neighborhood and Built Environment Alm WM[Com c—ty HEALTH Department • Black wamen 3 X as likely to die in childbirth • Black newborns mare than 2X as likely to die as White babies 21 Racism ass�clated with childhcad W ,y HEALTH adversity Department Children in families experiencing racial discrimination are more likely to have other Adverse Childhood Experiences" (ACEs) Table 2. ACEs by Individual Discrimination ❑ White ■ Black, No Discrimination ■ Black, Yes Discrimination Famlly Memher w h Drug or Ak hol Problem 21,8 Parental Mental Illness 20-9 Witn-s JVWm &Neighborhood VbI— 274 4YRnea9ed oomebtitviol— 242 Parent or Guardian W lall/P, on 27.5 Paren[ ,S—dian Died 102 OMorce/separatlon - 423 Poverty h 91] 0 In 2D 30 90 s0 https: //jordaninstituteforfamities.org/2020/racism-is- an-adverse-childhood-experience-ace/ Racism 'impacts child develr ment p p nm �o HEALTH Department Percent ofchildren entering kindergarten ready for school Whatccw County,2017-2018 •• Wha[com wg-46%-WA avg-9M la betta'Nen lV6aloom eug fYl•lolal taunt or alWmLS In calegory sok � Worse Uan Wralcom avg aax ]a& wx 64% Sax .................... 47%... ...................................................... Wt rox 27% z3% o< AIANhsl Assn h7l Nlsparvc heal MWIi ISU WM11le16") Data Notes Data includes Bellingham School District SD, Blaine SD, Ferndale SD, Lummi Tribal Agency, Lynden SD, Meridian SD, Mount Baker SD, and Nooksack Valley SD. 7 Racism impacts mental Percent of 10th graders reporting feeling depression Whatcom County, 2018 Source: Healthy Youth Survey, Washington State Department of Health ii WM[Com CCunty health HEALTH Department 100°� stanst y v,al.,. a. hette. tw,n Whalcwn�r9 —WA �StaestKanvw«u uwn Wl.aec«n avg 90 so 68 70 43 60 44 so 40 30 0 10 0 35 36 27 MAN Asian Black Hispanic White Multi Data Notes Healthy Youth Survey Question: During the past 12 months, did you ever feel so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a to that you stopped doing some usual activities? Racism impacts educatic-n WM[Com County HEALTH Department On -time graduation rates W hatcom County, 2017-2018 percent of Whatmm County high school seniorswho graduate high school within four years wax • • Wha[com avg • 70% avg • Bi% � getter Than Whalcam ar 9 tkt.wulceunie(studensYrralep,y �x ■worse1 Wnakcm wg 85% ez% 72% rox 63% rx s� wx mz ,oz ax AIAN f941 Asian l90Y Hispanicl24* Multi 0141 White(1108) ,� ii Racism Impacts ecan--mic stability HEALTH Department Median Household Income 2010-2015, 5-year estimates Source: American Community Survey, US Census Bureau $80,000 • • Whatcom average ■ StatisticaLLy similar to Whatcom avg $70.000 ■ StatisticaLLy lower than Whatcom avg $60.000 $5-,tg8 $50,000....................................•• $4 .514 $40.000 $3 379 53 655 $3 A03 $30,000 $2 690 $20,000 $�o,000 Asian White Hispanic Multi AIAN NHPI Black Racism assrcIt ii iated with CPVID-19 WM[Com COunty HEALTH Department Percentage of Confirmed Cases by Race & Ethnicity Data updated through 0912812020 Race/Rhnicity known 96 of Cases % of Total Whatcom Population White NH 56.6 % 78.7 % Hispanic as Race 30.3 % 9.5 % AIAN NH 5 0 % 2.5 % Asian NH 2.4 % 4.3 % Multiracial NH 2-3 % 3.6 % Other Race NH 2.1 % 0.0 % Black NH 0.9 % 1.0 % NHOPI NH Suppressed 03 % +ewt�+r�tAr Tl%dmsas bare �hh�m recdell•id% f :nun s an= ben.een 1-9, data are suppressed to —ply wN W,,hirgk n 5— Up —of Health —1 numbers guitlelir,er. Nk Nan-HiynnK AM: gmetlran l,,dn, v Msta Hence NHOPt NM, . N,1W,--r Oft Penh, lslOnfk+' Other. Re�anne�,t s•ERy reR'Olhpr nacx Racism assrciated with premature wi't dHEALTH death Department Premature death by race and ethnicity, 2011-2016 T.UI years of Potential fife lost (VPLL) b-, a- age 65 by nce and ethdcity 0AMMMMIINOMW 0 wwrt ♦ASIANIPACIFIC ALASKAN NATFVE 15LANDER ■ BLACK Q HISPARIC AS RACE io,om sago da0o abm aom =I SbSR d 13 2IIIa xiu ]•la Racism is a public health crisisii p HEALTH De Aart.a.t Time tn act is new. Therefore, be it resnlved— This Health Board... • Declares that racism is a public health crisis • Commits to making Whatcom County a welcoming, safe community for everyone • Endorses policies and practices for employee conduct and equitable treatment of all people • Commits to actively participate in dismantling of systemic racism and impacts • Will evaluate and support policies consistent with principles of equity • Will facilitate keeping data and monitoring progress 10 ik Health Bard suppa-rts these --county HEALTH actIDepartment • Implement annual training for elected officials and staff • Assess and revise department policies and procedures • Ensure hiring practices provide greater opportunities for people of color to be employed • Ensure diversity of race within County commissions • Support community efforts to amplify issues of racism and engage with communities of color • Build alliances with other organizations including other local governments through entities such as Government Alliance on Race and Equity (CARE) 11 PROPOSED BY: PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD INTRODUCED: RESOLUTION NO AFFIRMING THAT RACISM IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS WHEREAS, racism is rooted in the foundation of America as Indigenous peoples were forcefully removed from ancestral homelands, familial kinship systems, natural resources, cultural ways of life, and language resulting in generational hardships including social, economic, and political disadvantages, as well as physical, psychological, and spiritual trauma, - WHEREAS, although the public health community is aware that Native Americans and Alaska Natives have a higher burden of illness, injury, and premature mortality than non -Hispanic Whites, the health care needs of this population are often excluded from policy discussions and these populations are routinely excluded from data sets expressed by race causing a form of ethnic erasure; WHEREAS, beginning with slavery in 1619, most of the Black experience in America has been endured under slavery and Jim Crow which allowed preferential opportunities for White Americans while subjecting people of color to hardships, disadvantages, and violence in every area of life and creating a legacy of inherited trauma across generations; and WHEREAS, throughout the history of the United States systemic racism has manifested by acts of discrimination and oppression directed towards Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) and their communities resulting in fear, anxiety, trauma, terror, and long-term physical and mental health impairments, as well as causing economic oppression for the targets of racism, their communities, and subsequent generations; and WHEREAS, in response to the killing of George Floyd and the death of countless others, previously and subsequently, under similar or other such circumstances, people across the country have risen to protest against historic acts of systemic racism and the resulting historic economic, environmental, and social injustices occurring towards people of various races and ethnicities, which continues to disproportionately affect the Black community; and WHEREAS, systemic racism has resulted in race as a social determinant of health, with persistent racial disparities in all aspects of health including housing, education, healthcare, employment, worker protections, criminal justice, climate impacts, food access, and technology, and Center for Health Progress has reported that data shows race, income, and ZIP Code have a bigger impact on health than behavior or medical care; and WHEREAS, BIPOC individuals and communities are disproportionately suffering in part due to long standing, unaddressed health disparities as well as systemic racism and other socioeconomic inequities, and these persistent disparities in health outcomes are not due to genetic or biological differences between the races, but to the entrenched racism in American society; and WHEREAS, the current COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the racial disparities within our nation's BIPOC communities ranging from health care access to risk exposure, and there is a clear correlation between maps showing rates of COVID-19 hospitalizations and neighborhoods with high social vulnerability; and WHEREAS, lack of culturally and linguistically competent healthcare has resulted in less utilization of services and poorer health outcomes among BIPOC individuals; and National Academy of Medicine (NAM) found "racial and ethnic minorities receive lower -quality health care than white people —even when insurance status, income, age, and severity of conditions are comparable" and evidence from social psychological and health disparities research suggests that clinician —patient racial/ethnic concordance may improve minority patient health outcomes. WHEREAS Black women are at least three times as likely to die in childbirth as White mothers, and Black newborns are more than twice as likely to die as White newborns, a disparity that is wider today than it was in 1850 when the majority of Black Americans were enslaved, and one that is not related to the economic or educational status of the mother; and WHEREAS, Black Americans also have higher levels of low birth weights, and Black children are more likely to endure asthma and have more severe symptoms than White children; and WHEREAS, disparities in health outcomes and determinants of health by race are clearly evident in Whatcom County where life expectancy for American Indian/Alaska Native populations is 69 years compared with 81 years for White population; where 2 out of 3 American Indian/Alaska Native youth experience depression compared with 1 out of 3 White youth; where median income is significantly lower for American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, Black, and Multi -Racial populations than for White and Asian populations; where children who are American Indian/Alaska Native or Hispanic are half as likely to enter kindergarten with skills needed to succeed in school and are also significantly less likely to graduate from high school on time; and WHEREAS, more than 100 studies have linked racism to negative health outcomes, including research supporting that the cumulative experience of racism throughout one's life can induce chronic stress making BIPOC communities particularly susceptible to chronic health conditions like kidney, cardiovascular, and lung disease that lead to otherwise preventable deaths. WHEREAS, the American Public Health Association, National Association of County and City Health Officials, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have declared racism as a public health crisis. The disparities caused by racism that we have outlined in this resolution represent a public health crisis which affects us all. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED this Health Board will advocate that Whatcom County government implement, with intent and fidelity, policies and practices that reflect a conscious effort to ensure racial equity, equity of access and service and further to ensure the equitable treatment of all people, regardless of race or ethnicity. Section 1. This Health Board declares that racism is a public health crisis. Section 2. This Health Board is committed to making Whatcom County a welcoming, inclusive, and safe community for everyone. While we promote free thought and speech, we condemn racism and brutality, hate speech, bigotry, violence and prejudice in any form. Section 3. This Health Board endorses the continued implementation and use of policies and practices for employee conduct and equitable treatment of all people and honors, by approval of this Resolution, the common humanity of all people, regardless of race or ethnicity. Section 4. This Health Board commits to actively participating in the dismantling of systemic racism and the impacts of racism in Whatcom County by: A. Implementing annual training on the following topics for all elected officials, County staff and members of boards, commissions and committees: implicit bias, trauma informed practices, and review of health disparities. B. Assessing and revising County department policies, procedures, and ordinances to ensure racial equity and transparency are core elements. C. Ensuring that hiring practices provide greater opportunities for people of color to be employed to further diversify our workforce. D. Ensuring diversity of race within the county commissions. E. Supporting community efforts to amplify issues of racism and engaging actively and authentically with communities of color wherever they live. F. Building and strengthening alliances with other organizations that are confronting racism, and encouraging other agencies to recognize racism as a crisis, including considering County membership in the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), which is a national network of local government agencies working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. Additionally, involve community representation and input in matters of historic and continued racial injustice. Section 5. This Health Board will continue to, through its goodwill, dialogue, and decision -making efforts and powers, evaluate and support policies that are consistent with the principles of equity of access, services, and treatment of all people regardless of race, color, or ethnicity and ensure that such policies do not perpetuate or exacerbate racial disparities within the county. Section 6. This Health Board shall facilitate keeping data and monitoring progress on the goals set up on the resolution. APPROVED this day of , 20_. OF THE WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH BOARD ATTEST: WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Dana Brown -Davis, Clerk of the Council Barry Buchanan, Council Chair APPROVED AS TO FORM: /s/ Royce Buckingham Civil Deputy Prosecutor cop CLERK OF THE COUNCIL P4GOM Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C. COUNTY COURTHOUSE 311 Grand Avenue, Suite #105 Bellingham, WA 98225-4038 0 aSN1IN (360) 778-5010 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA REVISION NOTICE FOR SEPTEMBER 29, 2020 ADDED TO FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE: Items Added by Revision COUNCILMEMBERS Rud Browne Barry Buchanan Tyler Byrd Todd Donovan Ben Elenbaas CarolFrazey Kathy Kershner 1. AB2020-486 Discussion of proposed ordinance amending Whatcom County Code 8.10, Solid Waste and Residential Recycling Collection, regarding solid waste collection in Point Roberts, WA (proposed ordinance attached) ITEM ADDED 10.26.2020 (FOR DISCUSSION) ADDED TO PUBLIC WORKS AND HEALTH COMMITTEE Items Added by Revision 1. AB2020-486 Discussion of proposed ordinance amending Whatcom County Code 8.10, Solid Waste and Residential Recycling Collection, regarding solid waste collection in Point Roberts, WA (proposed ordinance attached) ITEM ADDED 10.26.2020 (FOR DISCUSSION, IF NEEDED) ADDED TO COUNCIL Items Added by Revision 1. AB2020-485 Approval to send letter of support for the Washington State Parks Winter Recreation Program sno-parks and trails maintenance grant application (draft letter attached) ITEM ADDED 10.26.2020 (FOR COUNCIL ACTION) 2. AB2020-431 Resolution affirming racism as a Public Health Crisis (proposed resolution attached) ITEM ADDED 10.26.2020 (FOR COUNCIL ACTION) 3. AB2020-487 Ordinance amending Whatcom County Code 8.10, Solid Waste and Residential Recycling Collection, regarding solid waste collection in Point Roberts, WA (proposed ordinance attached) ITEM ADDED 10.26.2020 (FOR INTRODUCTION) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 PROPOSED BY: BYRD INTRODUCTION DATE: OCTOBER 27, 2020 ORDINANCE NO. AMENDING WHATCOM COUNTY CODE 8.10, SOLID WASTE AND RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING COLLECTION, REGARDING SOLID WASTE COLLECTION IN POINT ROBERTS, WA WHEREAS, as per RCW 81. 77, Solid Waste Collection Companies and WAC 480-70, Solid Waste and /or Refuse Collection Companies, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC) is the jurisdictional regulatory authority for all solid waste collection companies in Washington State; and WHEREAS, WUTC by law regulates solid waste collection companies as 'investor - owned utilities' subject to rigorous tariff -based services and rate structure oversight, with annual financial reporting and targeted fixed rates of return; and WHEREAS, as per WCC 8.10.010 A, Policies expressed in Whatcom County's 2008 Comprehensive Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Plan ("plan") make waste reduction and recycling the preferred methods of handling solid waste. The purpose of this chapter is to specify service levels and rate structures for recycling and solid waste collection that encourage recycling and waste reduction, that protect the public health and safety, and to ensure that, to the maximum extent practicable, only the remainder after separation should be incinerated or landfilled; and WHEREAS, as per WCC 8. 11, Solid Waste Recycling and Collection District, the Whatcom County Council is the governing body of the recycling and collection district; and, WHEREAS, the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee (PRCAC) is the body appointed to advise the Executive and County Council on behalf of the Point Roberts community, and WHEREAS, in May 2016 staff engaged with the PRCAC to conduct a review of solid waste collection in Point Roberts; and WHEREAS, as a result of the review the PRCAC recommended the County Council require participation in collection services at a minimum service level of twice monthly pickup of a 32 gallon can; and WHEREAS, the County Council approved ordinance #2018-031 on September 25, 2018 which implemented the recommended minimum level of service to be charged and collected by the County; and WHEREAS, upon approval the County Council agreed to review the required number of picks after one full year of implementation; and WHEREAS, the County is directly collecting the minimum service amount and corresponding tax revenue on behalf of the vendor; and WHEREAS, WCC 8.13.030 authorizes the County to charge a tax rate of $8.50 per ton for solid waste; and Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 WHEREAS, the Point Roberts garbage was charged a tax rate of $22.88 per ton for the first year of mandatory service; and WHEREAS, the County, as the organization responsible for charging and collecting fees for the service, collected an extra $14.38 per ton of solid waste; and WHEREAS, this puts the burden and responsibility for calculating and refunding the additional tax revenue to homeowners; and WHEREAS, the County does not provide billing and accounts receivable as a service to any other private organization; and WHEREAS, the County does not have the ability to track the correct tonnage of waste collected by the service provider per year; and WHEREAS, without knowing the correct amount of annual tonnage collect each year the County is unable to calculate and refund the excess tax revenue; and WHEREAS, 18 months of service have been completed; and WHEREAS, Exhibit B is an updated recommendation from the PRCAC requesting the minimum level of service be reduce to one can per month charged directly by the service provider; and WHEREAS, implementing this recommendation would satisfy all parties within Point Roberts; and WHEREAS, implementing this service would remove the burden of collecting and refunding revenue on behalf of the service provider; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Whatcom County Council that WCC 8. 10, Solid Waste and Residential Recycling Collection is amended as shown in Exhibit A attached hereto ADOPTED this day of 2020. WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL ATTEST: WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Dana Brown -Davis, Clerk of the Council WHATCOM COUNTY EXECUTIVE APPROVED AS TO FORM: Civil Deputy Prosecutor Page 2 Barry Buchanan, Council Chair WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON (Current Executive's Name), County Executive ( ) Approved ( ) Denied Date Signed: EXIHIBIT A Chapter 8.10 SOLID WASTE AND RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING COLLECTION1 Sections: 8.10.010 Purpose. 8.10.020 Findings. 8.10.030 Definitions. 8.10.040 Single-family residential garbage collection. 8.10.050 Residential recycling collection. 8.10.060 Nonresidential and multifamily garbage collection. 8.10.070 Submittal of documents and notices. 8.10.080 Notice to Utilities and Transportation Commission. 8.10.090 Modification of collection schedules. 8.10.100 Severability. 8.10.010 Purpose. A. Policies expressed in Whatcom County's 2008 Comprehensive Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Plan ("plan") make waste reduction and recycling the preferred methods of handling solid waste. The purpose of this chapter is to specify service levels and rate structures for recycling and solid waste collection that encourage recycling and waste reduction, that protect the public health and safety, and to ensure that, to the maximum extent practicable, only the remainder after separation should be incinerated or landfilled. B. Certain service levels and rate structures for solid waste and recycling collection are hereby established in Whatcom County to further the objectives of the plan, including a high level of waste reduction and recycling; to ensure the provision of such solid waste collection and disposal systems and services as are in the public interest; and to secure a healthful environment for all citizens of Whatcom County. (Ord. 2018-031 Exh. B; Ord. 2014-035 Exh. A; Ord. 2003-018; Ord. 2001-041; Ord. 2001-34; Ord. 97-067; Ord. 95-045). Page 3 8.10.020 Findings. The county council, in establishing service levels and rate structure principles, determines and finds: A. Waste reduction and recycling measures contemplated by the plan promote the health, safety, and welfare of residents by encouraging the reuse of products and reducing the use of incineration and landfill facilities. B. State and federal laws and regulations have increased the responsibility of local governments to manage solid waste systems in a manner that protects public health and safety C. The state and the county have set waste reduction and recycling as the highest priorities in managing solid waste. In order to make programs for waste reduction, curbside recycling and other source separation feasible, rate structures must make it cost-effective for residents and businesses who generate small amounts of waste to participate in such programs, and all nonresidential accounts must be offered the option of subscribing to recycling service. D. It is the policy of the county that collected recyclable materials be processed locally whenever practicable and that they be utilized according to the following priorities: (1) reuse intact materials in their original form for their original purposes; (2) recycle materials back into their original form for their original purpose; (3) recycle materials for other uses and preserve the future ease of recyclability; and (4) reuse materials for single end uses that do not allow or that inhibit further recycling. E. Adoption of the ordinance codified in this chapter is necessary for the protection of natural resources and the environment, the immediate preservation of the public health and welfare and the support of governmental activities. (Ord. 2018-031 Exh. B; Ord. 2014-035 Exh. A; Ord. 2003-018; Ord. 2001-041; Ord. 2001-34; Ord. 97-067; Ord. 95-045). 8.10.030 Definitions As used in this chapter: A. "Carrier" means a common, contract or private carrier as defined by RCW 81.80.010. B. "Certificated hauler" means solid waste collection companies. C. "Executive committee" means the group of seven mayors and the county executive as established and governed by interlocal agreements between the county and cities in July 1989. D. "Multifamily dwelling" means a residential dwelling containing five or more units on one lot or parcel. Page 4 E. "Nonresidential account" means a building or facility that is not occupied as a permanent residence including, but not limited to, commercial and industrial businesses, schools, hospitals, government buildings, recreation facilities, and transportation facilities. F. "Recyclables" and "recyclable materials" mean those solid wastes that are separated for recycling or reuse as identified in this chapter. G. "Single-family residence" means a residential dwelling containing four or fewer dwelling units on one lot or parcel. Where two, three, or four units are on one lot or parcel, each lot or parcel shall be considered as an individual single-family residence. H. "Solid waste" shall have the meaning given to it by RCW 70.95.030 I. "Solid waste collection companies" means those entities defined by Chapter 81.77 RCW and certified by the UTC to operate in Whatcom County. Solid waste collection companies are Sanitary Services Company (UTC No. G-14); Nooksack Valley Disposal, Inc. (UTC No. G-166); Waste Management of Washington, Inc. (No. G-237); and Freedom 2000 LLC, dba Cando Recycling and Disposal (UTC G063819). (Ord. 2018-031 Exh. B; Ord. 2014-035 Exh. A; Ord. 2003-018; Ord. 2001-041; Ord. 2001-34; Ord. 97-067; Ord. 95-045). 8.10.040 Single-family residential garbage collection. A. Solid waste collection companies shall perform collection and hauling of garbage from single-family residences that request collection service in unincorporated portions of Whatcom County. Service to single-family residences shall be provided on a schedule of either weekly, every -other -week or monthly collection. B. Garbage containers provided by and for single-family residences shall be 30 to 32 gallons and 15 to 20 gallons. Solid waste collection companies may also offer 60- or 90-gallon containers. A specific size within the 15- to 20-gallon "mini -can" range shall be approved by each company and shall be consistent within its certified service area. Ninety -gallon can service shall be available only on a weekly or every - other -week basis. The design of all containers within each service area shall be subject to approval by the solid waste collection company certified for that area. C. Collection rate structures shall be designed to encourage waste reduction and recycling and to comply with the plan. D PffQr-Affive january 1, 2019, single family Fesidenres ler-tated in Peffint Reherts, with 9R site sewage Page 5 .. .. .. M. .. .. .. .. , .. ._ .. D. Improved single family residences located in Point Roberts, shall no longer be exempt from mandatory curbside collection services. As a minimum level of service, the minimum required curbside collection service shall be 12 annual pickups, to occur at the discretion of the customer on any day of the approved every other week garbage collection schedule, of a 32-gallon can and three -bin source separated recyclables. The cost of the minimum level of service, as per the approved UTC tariff, shall be billed at the rate of one minimum level of service per single-family residence, invoiced directly by the service provider per WAC 480-70-396. Service levels above the minimum level of service, as may be requested of the service provider, for larger cans, increased frequency of pickup, carry out or other services, as per the approved UTC tariff. (Ord. 2018-031 Exh. B; Ord. 2014-035 Exh. A; Ord. 2003-018; Ord. 2001-041; Ord. 2001-34; Ord. 97-067; Ord. 95-045). 8.10.050 Residential recycling collection. A. Solid waste collection companies shall collect source -separated recyclables from all residences in unincorporated portions of Whatcom County that receive regularly scheduled garbage collection. All single-family residences shall be provided with recycling collection at least every other week and on the same day of the week as garbage collection. Service to multifamily residences shall be provided at least every other week. The solid waste collection company shall provide residents who have completed the garbage exemption process the opportunity to subscribe to recycling -only collection service without subscribing to garbage collection. Recycling -only customers will be charged the full cost of recycling collection service plus an appropriate administrative/billing fee. B. The solid waste collection company shall provide recycling containers to each residence at the customer's request. Container design and use shall be subject to the prior administrative approval of the county. The Utilities and Transportation Commission, by law, will establish fair, just, reasonable, and sufficient rates for solid waste collection companies under Chapter 81.77 RCW. The company shall deliver all containers to the dwelling unit unless otherwise directed by the county. Page 6 C. 1. Solid waste collection companies shall collect, and recycling containers shall be designed to hold, the following materials: a. Newspaper; b. Mixed waste paper; c. Aluminum containers; d. Tin-plated steel containers; e. Glass containers; f. All plastic bottles; all remaining plastic containers are eligible as approved by the county and the solid waste collection company; g. Yard Waste. Collection of this material is deferred pending further amendments to this chapter. 2. The following materials shall also be collected when placed adjacent to set -out containers: a. Corrugated cardboard; b. Scrap metal no longer than 24 inches in any dimension or heavier than 35 pounds per piece; c. Lead -acid batteries that show no signs of leakage; d. Used motor oil in sealed containers; e. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the solid waste collection company from picking up additional items at the company's discretion. D. Materials shall be collected on the improved public road nearest to the residence (or mutually agreed upon location) when properly set out on the designated collection day. The solid waste collection company is not required to collect materials at any particular hour. The collector is not required to enter private property to collect material while an animal considered or feared to be vicious is loose. The resident shall confine such an animal on collection day. E. In case of missed collection, the solid waste collection company shall investigate and, if the missed collection is verified, shall arrange for the collection of the uncollected recyclable material within one business day after the complaint is received, unless otherwise agreed by the company and customer. All Page 7 solid waste collection companies shall add staff as needed to answer questions and respond to complaints from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on collection days. F. A solid waste collection company subject to regulation by the UTC as to rates and service shall not charge, demand, collect, or receive a different compensation from its customers than the applicable UTC- established rates (Chapter 81.28 RCW) G. Solid waste collection companies and recycling companies shall take reasonable actions in marketing recyclable materials to implement the county's policies regarding local processing and priorities of use. All materials collected shall be processed and marketed such that no recyclable material is landfilled, incinerated, or disposed of in any way other than recycling. The companies shall adopt collection procedures and technologies to minimize the cross -contamination or nonrecyclability of collected materials. H. The county, in consultation with solid waste collection companies and purchasers of recyclable materials, shall establish promotional strategies by which the companies shall inform the public about recycling collection service. The county may adopt, and pay for, additional promotional strategies if they wish. Requirements imposed by the UTC are not promotional strategies for purposes of this section. I. It is unlawful for any person, other than the solid waste collection companies as authorized by this chapter, to collect, remove, haul, or dispose of recyclable materials set out for collection pursuant to this section without first obtaining the consent of the occupant or owner of the premises. Any violation of this subsection shall constitute a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, violators shall be punished by a fine of not less than $500.00. Each day of such violation, and violation at each dwelling unit, shall be deemed a separate and independent offense. (RCW 70.95.235) J. The business name and telephone number of the collector shall be clearly visible on each side of each vehicle used to provide residential recycling service. The collector shall contain, tie, or enclose all collected materials to prevent leaking, spilling, or littering K. If the county executive determines that a solid waste collection company has materially failed to comply with the requirements or policies of this chapter, the county executive shall provide the company with a written notice specifying the noncompliance and affording the company 60 days to cure the noncompliance; provided, however, that the solid waste collection company shall not be required to cure any noncompliance that is caused by an event or condition, including a threat to the public health or safety, that is beyond the company's control. At the discretion of the county executive, the period for cure may be extended. If the solid waste collection company fails to cure, the county may contract for the provision of residential recycling service pursuant to RCW 36.58.040 in the area served by the company. Page 8 L. Should the county or the solid waste collection company determine that there is no reasonable market for a material and/or the cost of recycling that material is unreasonable, they can petition the executive to eliminate the requirement for that material to be collected as a recyclable. The executive has full discretion whether to accept or deny the request. The executive must state the period of time the exemption will be allowed. (Ord. 2018-031 Exh. B; Ord. 2014-035 Exh. A; Ord. 2003-018; Ord. 2001-041; Ord. 2001-34; Ord. 97-067; Ord. 95-045). 8.10.060 Nonresidential and multifamily garbage collection A. Solid waste collection companies shall perform collection and hauling of garbage from nonresidential and multifamily accounts in Whatcom County. B. Container sizes for nonresidential and multifamily accounts shall be approved by the solid waste collection company. C. Rate structures for multifamily garbage collection shall be designed to encourage waste reduction and recycling and to comply with the plan. D. Solid waste collection companies shall bill each customer at least once every three months. (Ord. 2018-031 Exh. B; Ord. 2014-035 Exh. A; Ord. 2003-018; Ord. 2001-041; Ord. 2001-34; Ord. 97-067; Ord. 95-045) 8.10.070 Submittal of documents and notices. A. Whenever a solid waste collection company files a proposed tariff revision with the UTC, the company shall simultaneously provide the county with copies of the proposed tariff and all nonproprietary supporting materials submitted to the UTC any time prior to approval of the tariff. Such materials include but are not limited to any correspondence or other information concerning rate calculation parameters and details, tariff sheet application and adjustments, and annual reports. B. 1. All solid waste collection companies, recycling collectors and processors, transfer facilities, and disposal facilities shall provide the county with the following quarterly information on April 20th, July 20th, October 20th, and January 20th for each of the previous three months and, where appropriate and practical, separately listed for each city and unincorporated area of the county: a. Daily disposal tonnages to and from municipal disposal facilities for each primary disposal or processing method, transfer stations, and convenience centers; b. Monthly disposal tonnages from industrial and other private landfills; c. Monthly recycling tonnages per material from all recycling collectors and processors; Page 9 d. Solid waste collection, disposal, and recycling collection and processing service contracts 1 and amendments within incorporated and unincorporated areas of the county; and e. A log of all customer complaints about recycling, specifying the date, nature of complaint and resolution for each complaint. 2. In addition, all solid waste collection companies shall provide the county with the following information regarding residential recycling and, where appropriate and practical, separately listed for single-family and multifamily residences broken out by city/county: a. Monthly tonnages and, if available, volumes of materials collected by type of material collected, and revenues/costs by type of material; b. Number of eligible customers and number of set -outs per month. (Ord. 2018-031 Exh. B; Ord. 2014-035 Exh. A; Ord. 2003-018; Ord. 2001-041; Ord. 2001-34; Ord. 97-067; Ord. 95- 045). 8.10.080 Notice to Utilities and Transportation Commission. The Whatcom County council, pursuant to RCW 36.58.040, hereby notifies and requests the Utilities and Transportation Commission to carry out and implement the policies and programs specified in this chapter and in the plan in coordination with solid waste collection companies and common carriers through the Commission's rate setting and oversight authority. (Ord. 2018-031 Exh. B; Ord. 2014-035 Exh. A; Ord. 2003-018; Ord. 2001-041; Ord. 2001-34; Ord. 97-067; Ord. 95-045). 8.10.090 Modification of collection schedules. The provisions of this chapter concerning (A) the frequency of collection of recyclable materials and garbage; (B) service levels in rural areas; and (C) rate structures in the event that the UTC issues an inconsistent order may be modified by agreement of the county executive and all solid waste collection companies, subject to approval by the county council. (Ord. 2018-031 Exh. B; Ord. 2014-035 Exh. A; Ord. 2003-018; Ord. 2001-041; Ord. 2001-34; Ord. 97-067; Ord. 95-045). 8.10.100 Severability. If any portion or section of this chapter or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the chapter or the application of the section to other persons or circumstances is not affected. (Ord. 2018-031 Exh. B; Ord. 2014-035 Exh. A; Ord. 2003-018; Ord. 2001-041; Ord. 2001-34; Ord. 97-067; Ord. 95-045). Page 10 EXHIBIT B October 16, 2020 Whatcom County Council 311 Grande Avenue Suite 105 Bellingham WA 98281 Sent via E-mail council@co.whatcom.wa.us Re: Mandatory Curbside Service Levels Dear Council: On Thursday October 15, 2020, the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee (PRCAC) voted at its regularly scheduled meeting (3-1 -1 (absent)) in favor of the following Motion: The PRCAC hereby requests council to amend the current ordinance which mandates curbside residential garbage collection to reflect a change from 26 32-gallon cans variable to 12 32-gallon cans variable on an annual basis to better meet the needs of our community. We ask that WCC 8.10.040, subsection D, be amended to: D. Effective January 1, 2021, single-family residences located in Point Roberts, with on -site sewage systems, shall no longer be exempt from mandatory curbside collection services. As a minimum level of service, the minimum required curbside collection service shall be 12 annual pickups, to occur at the discretion of the customer on any day of the approved every other week garbage collection schedule, of a 32-gallon can and three -bin source separated recyclables. The cost of the minimum level of service, as per the approved UTC tariff, shall be billed as an annual fee on the property tax bill, at the rate of one minimum level of service per single-family residence. Service levels above the minimum level of service, as may be requested of the service provider, for larger cans, increased frequency of pickup, carry out or other services, will be invoiced directly by the service provider as per the approved UTC tariff. We note that Whatcom County policy, as expressed in its 2008 Comprehensive Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Plan, makes waste reduction and recycling the preferred methods of handling solid waste. To quote from Whatcom County Code on Solid Waste and Residential Recycling Collection, Chapter 8.10.010B "Certain service levels and rate structures for solid waste and recycling collection are hereby established in Whatcom County to further the objectives of the plan, including a high level of waste reduction and recycling; to ensure the provision of such solid waste collection and disposal systems and services as are in the public interest; and to secure a healthful environment for all citizens of Whatcom County" The PRCAC will continue to discuss these issues within our community and work to further these shared goals in solid waste management. To that end, we currently are working with Beth Chisholm of WSU Extension in a series of online workshops which start October 22, 2020. Thank you, step, T . FaLk, Stephen T. Falk Chair, PRCAC CLERK OF THE COUNCIL Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C. COUNTY COURTHOUSE 311 Grand Avenue, Suite #105 Bellingham, WA 98225-4038 (360)778-5010 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL October 28, 2020 Pamela McConkey, Program Manager Winter Recreation Program Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission 1111 Israel Road SW Olympia, WA 98504 RE: Sno-Park and Trails Maintenance Grant Support Dear Pamela McConkey: COUNCILMEMBERS Rud Browne Barry Buchanan Tyler Byrd Todd Donovan Ben Elenbaas CarolFrazey Kathy Kershner SENT VIA EMAIL The Whatcom County Council supports the Washington State Parks Winter Recreation Program grant application for sno-parks and trails maintenance being submitted for funding to the Recreational and Conservation Office - Recreational Trails Program. The winter parks and trails on US Forest Service lands around Mt. Baker in Whatcom and Skagit Counties provide valuable recreational opportunities to thousands of residents and visitors annually. Funding for proper maintenance and trail grooming is essential to maintaining these areas for public use. Respectfully, Barry Buchanan Whatcom County Council Chair c: Dana Brown -Davis, Clerk of the Council Correspondence file Satpal Sidhu, Whatcom County Executive Michael McFarlane, Whatcom County Parks & Recreation PROPOSED BY: PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD INTRODUCED: RESOLUTION NO AFFIRMING THAT RACISM IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS WHEREAS, racism is rooted in the foundation of America as Indigenous peoples were forcefully removed from ancestral homelands, familial kinship systems, natural resources, cultural ways of life, and language resulting in generational hardships including social, economic, and political disadvantages, as well as physical, psychological, and spiritual trauma, - WHEREAS, although the public health community is aware that Native Americans and Alaska Natives have a higher burden of illness, injury, and premature mortality than non -Hispanic Whites, the health care needs of this population are often excluded from policy discussions and these populations are routinely excluded from data sets expressed by race causing a form of ethnic erasure; WHEREAS, beginning with slavery in 1619, most of the Black experience in America has been endured under slavery and Jim Crow which allowed preferential opportunities for White Americans while subjecting people of color to hardships, disadvantages, and violence in every area of life and creating a legacy of inherited trauma across generations; and WHEREAS, throughout the history of the United States systemic racism has manifested by acts of discrimination and oppression directed towards Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) and their communities resulting in fear, anxiety, trauma, terror, and long-term physical and mental health impairments, as well as causing economic oppression for the targets of racism, their communities, and subsequent generations; and WHEREAS, in response to the killing of George Floyd and the death of countless others, previously and subsequently, under similar or other such circumstances, people across the country have risen to protest against historic acts of systemic racism and the resulting historic economic, environmental, and social injustices occurring towards people of various races and ethnicities, which continues to disproportionately affect the Black community; and WHEREAS, systemic racism has resulted in race as a social determinant of health, with persistent racial disparities in all aspects of health including housing, education, healthcare, employment, worker protections, criminal justice, climate impacts, food access, and technology, and Center for Health Progress has reported that data shows race, income, and ZIP Code have a bigger impact on health than behavior or medical care; and WHEREAS, BIPOC individuals and communities are disproportionately suffering in part due to long standing, unaddressed health disparities as well as systemic racism and other socioeconomic inequities, and these persistent disparities in health outcomes are not due to genetic or biological differences between the races, but to the entrenched racism in American society; and WHEREAS, the current COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the racial disparities within our nation's BIPOC communities ranging from health care access to risk exposure, and there is a clear correlation between maps showing rates of COVID-19 hospitalizations and neighborhoods with high social vulnerability; and WHEREAS, lack of culturally and linguistically competent healthcare has resulted in less utilization of services and poorer health outcomes among BIPOC individuals; and National Academy of Medicine (NAM) found "racial and ethnic minorities receive lower -quality health care than white people —even when insurance status, income, age, and severity of conditions are comparable" and evidence from social psychological and health disparities research suggests that clinician —patient racial/ethnic concordance may improve minority patient health outcomes. WHEREAS Black women are at least three times as likely to die in childbirth as White mothers, and Black newborns are more than twice as likely to die as White newborns, a disparity that is wider today than it was in 1850 when the majority of Black Americans were enslaved, and one that is not related to the economic or educational status of the mother; and WHEREAS, Black Americans also have higher levels of low birth weights, and Black children are more likely to endure asthma and have more severe symptoms than White children; and WHEREAS, disparities in health outcomes and determinants of health by race are clearly evident in Whatcom County where life expectancy for American Indian/Alaska Native populations is 69 years compared with 81 years for White population; where 2 out of 3 American Indian/Alaska Native youth experience depression compared with 1 out of 3 White youth; where median income is significantly lower for American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, Black, and Multi -Racial populations than for White and Asian populations; where children who are American Indian/Alaska Native or Hispanic are half as likely to enter kindergarten with skills needed to succeed in school and are also significantly less likely to graduate from high school on time; and WHEREAS, more than 100 studies have linked racism to negative health outcomes, including research supporting that the cumulative experience of racism throughout one's life can induce chronic stress making BIPOC communities particularly susceptible to chronic health conditions like kidney, cardiovascular, and lung disease that lead to otherwise preventable deaths. WHEREAS, the American Public Health Association, National Association of County and City Health Officials, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have declared racism as a public health crisis. The disparities caused by racism that we have outlined in this resolution represent a public health crisis which affects us all. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED this Health Board will advocate that Whatcom County government implement, with intent and fidelity, policies and practices that reflect a conscious effort to ensure racial equity, equity of access and service and further to ensure the equitable treatment of all people, regardless of race or ethnicity. Section 1. This Health Board declares that racism is a public health crisis. Section 2. This Health Board is committed to making Whatcom County a welcoming, inclusive, and safe community for everyone. While we promote free thought and speech, we condemn racism and brutality, hate speech, bigotry, violence and prejudice in any form. Section 3. This Health Board endorses the continued implementation and use of policies and practices for employee conduct and equitable treatment of all people and honors, by approval of this Resolution, the common humanity of all people, regardless of race or ethnicity. Section 4. This Health Board commits to actively participating in the dismantling of systemic racism and the impacts of racism in Whatcom County by: A. Implementing annual training on the following topics for all elected officials, County staff and members of boards, commissions and committees: implicit bias, trauma informed practices, and review of health disparities. B. Assessing and revising County department policies, procedures, and ordinances to ensure racial equity and transparency are core elements. C. Ensuring that hiring practices provide greater opportunities for people of color to be employed to further diversify our workforce. D. Ensuring diversity of race within the county commissions. E. Supporting community efforts to amplify issues of racism and engaging actively and authentically with communities of color wherever they live. F. Building and strengthening alliances with other organizations that are confronting racism, and encouraging other agencies to recognize racism as a crisis, including considering County membership in the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), which is a national network of local government agencies working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. Additionally, involve community representation and input in matters of historic and continued racial injustice. Section 5. This Health Board will continue to, through its goodwill, dialogue, and decision -making efforts and powers, evaluate and support policies that are consistent with the principles of equity of access, services, and treatment of all people regardless of race, color, or ethnicity and ensure that such policies do not perpetuate or exacerbate racial disparities within the county. Section 6. This Health Board shall facilitate keeping data and monitoring progress on the goals set up on the resolution. APPROVED this day of , 20_. OF THE WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH BOARD ATTEST: WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Dana Brown -Davis, Clerk of the Council Barry Buchanan, Council Chair APPROVED AS TO FORM: /s/ Royce Buckingham Civil Deputy Prosecutor PROPOSED BY: PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD INTRODUCED: RESOLUTION NO. AFFIRMING THAT RACISM IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS WHEREAS, even before the foundation of America's colonies, racism has existed in America. Examples of this are many, including Indigenous people being forcefully removed from ancestral homelands, familial kinship systems, natural resources, cultural ways of life, and language resulting in generational hardships including social, and economic, and political disadvantages as well as physical, psychological and spiritual trauma; and WHEREAS, the public health community is aware that Native Americans and Alaska Natives have a higher burden of illness, injury, and premature mortality than non -Hispanic Whites; and WHEREAS, the Black experience in America beginning with slavery, Jim Crow laws, Grandfather Clause and other violations of the 14th Amendment, redlining & other forms of housing discrimination all of which have allowed preferential opportunities for White Americans for generations while subjecting people of color to hardships, disadvantages and violence in every area of life and created a legacy of inherited trauma and economic oppression across generations; and WHEREAS, systemic racism refers to how large-scale, political and economic forces, which are historically deep and play out over generations, result in deep-seated and often ignored social, economic, and power inequities which then shape the distribution of health risks and inequitable access to resources for health, resulting in the disparate social and spatial clustering of negative health outcomes; and WHEREAS, throughout the history of the United States systemic racism and inequality has manifested itself by acts of discrimination and oppression directed towards Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) and their communities resulting in fear, anxiety, trauma, terror, and long-term physical and mental health impairments, as well as causing economic oppression for the targets of racism, their communities and subsequent generations; and WHEREAS, in response to the killing of George Floyd and the unnecessary death of countless others in the same pointless fashion, people across the country have risen up to protest the historic economic, environmental, and social injustices occurring towards people of various races and ethnicities, which continues to disproportionately affect the Black community; and WHEREAS, systemic racism has resulted in race as a social determinant of health, with persistent racial disparities in all aspects of health including housing, education, healthcare, employment, worker protections, criminal justice, climate impacts, food access, and technology, and Center for Health Progress has reported that data shows, race, income, and ZIP Code have a bigger impact on health than behavior or medical care; and WHEREAS, BIPOC individuals and communities are disproportionately suffering in part due to long standing, unaddressed health disparities as well as systemic racism and other socioeconomic inequities, and these persistent disparities in health outcomes are not due to genetic or biological differences between the races, but to the entrenched systemic racism in American society; and WHEREAS, BIPOC residents of Whatcom county are not immune or separate from the significant trends of health disparities that we see in national and state public health data; and WHEREAS, the current COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the racial disparities within our nation's BIPOC communities ranging from health care access to risk exposure, and there is a clear correlation between maps showing rates of COVID-19 hospitalizations and neighborhoods with high social vulnerability; and WHEREAS, lack of culturally and linguistically competent healthcare has resulted in less utilization of services and poorer health outcomes among BIPOC individuals; and National Academy of Medicine (NAM) found "racial and ethnic minorities receive lower - quality health care than white people —even when insurance status, income, age, and severity of conditions are comparable" and evidence from social psychological and health disparities research suggests that clinician -patient racial/ethnic concordance may improve minority patient health outcomes; and WHEREAS Black women are at least three times as likely to die in childbirth as White mothers, and Black newborns are more than twice as likely to die as White newborns, a disparity that is wider today than it was in 1850 when the majority of Black Americans were enslaved, and one that is not related to the economic or educational status of the mother; and WHEREAS, Black Americans also have higher levels of low birth weights, and Black children are more likely to endure asthma and have more severe symptoms than White children; and WHEREAS, while the health disparities faced by indigenous and black populations are often the most reported, Whatcom county has multiple minority populations that face negative health consequences as a result of systemic racism; and WHEREAS, racism impacts child development, and in Whatcom County only 23% of AI/AN children and only 27% of Hispanic children entering kindergarten were ready for school, as opposed to 54% of White children; and WHEREAS, racism impacts mental health, and in Whatcom County 66% of AI/AN 10th graders, 43% of Black 10th graders and 44% of multi -racial 10th graders reported feeling depression, as opposed to 36% of White 10th graders; and WHEREAS, racism impacts education, a determinant of health, and in Whatcom County 63% of AI/AN and 71% of Hispanic young people graduate on time, as opposed to 82% of White young people; and WHEREAS, racism impacts economic stability, a determinant of health, with the median household income of Black families in Whatcom County being less than half of that of White or Asian families, and Multi -racial, AI/AN, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders have a median household income over $20,000 less than White or Asian families; and WHEREAS, disparities in health outcomes and determinants of health by race are clearly evident in Whatcom County where life expectancy for American Indian/Alaska Native populations is 69 years compared with 81 years for White population; where 2 out of 3 American Indian/Alaska Native youth experience depression compared with 1 out of 3 White youth; where median income is significantly lower for American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, Black, and Multi -Racial populations than for White and Asian populations; where children who are American Indian/Alaska Native or Hispanic are half as likely to enter kindergarten with skills needed to succeed in school and are also significantly less likely to graduate from high school on time; and WHEREAS, a just public health system would hold all of our individual choices to the fundamental principles of social equity and public welfare that were built into the very foundation of that system. It would not permit individual bias to persist on the policy or operational level. While it would not, and could never, eliminate racial bias in individuals, it would neuter its effects, by holding each of us to the standards of equity and fairness upon which our metrics are based; and WHEREAS, we are concerned with public policy. Policy is the province of governance. As individuals, and as representatives of our institution, we identify racism as a systemic flaw, and an enemy to the public, wherever we encounter it. We commit to evaluating and reforming our policies, our practices, and our leadership, to reflect our commitment to this mission; and WHEREAS, the American Public Health Association, National Association of County and City Health Officials, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have declared racism as a public health crisis. The disparities caused by systemic racism that we have outlined in this resolution represent a public health crisis which affects us all. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED this Health Board will advocate that Whatcom County government implement, with intent and fidelity, policies and practices that reflect a conscious effort to ensure racial equity, equity of access and service, and further to ensure the equitable treatment of all people, regardless of race or ethnicity. Section 1. This Health Board declares that racism is a public health crisis. Section 2. This Health Board is committed to making Whatcom County a welcoming, inclusive, and safe community for everyone. While we promote free thought and speech, we condemn racism and brutality, hate speech, bigotry, violence and prejudice in any form. Section 3. This Health Board endorses the continued implementation and use of policies and practices for employee conduct and equitable treatment of all people and honors, by approval of this Resolution, the common humanity of all people, regardless of race or ethnicity. Section 4. This Health Board commits to actively participating in the dismantling of systemic racism and its impacts in Whatcom County by: A. Implementing annual training on the following topics for all elected officials, County staff and members of boards, commissions and committees: implicit bias, trauma informed practices, and review of health disparities. B. Assessing and revising County department policies, procedures, and ordinances to ensure racial equity and transparency are core elements. C. Ensuring that hiring practices provide equitable opportunities for people of color to be employed to help ensure the diversity in our workforce represents the diversity in our community. D. Prioritize diversity of race within the county commissions. E. Supporting community efforts to amplify issues of racism and bias and engaging actively and authentically with communities of color wherever they live. F. Building and strengthening alliances with other organizations that are confronting racism, and encouraging other agencies to recognize racism as a crisis, including considering County membership in the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (CARE), which is a national network of local government agencies working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. Additionally, involve community representation and input in matters of historic and continued racial injustice. Section 5. This Health Board will continue to, through its goodwill, dialogue, and decision - making efforts and powers, evaluate and support policies that are consistent with the principles of equity of access, services, and treatment of all people regardless of race, color, or ethnicity and ensure that such policies do not perpetuate or exacerbate racial disparities within the county. Section 6. This Health Board shall facilitate keeping data and monitoring progress on the goals set up on the resolution. APPROVED this day of of ATTEST: Dana Brown -Davis, Clerk of the Council APPROVED AS TO FORM: /s/ Royce Buckingham Civil Deputy Prosecutor 2020. WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH BOARD CHAIR WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Barry Buchanan, Council Chair PROPOSED BY: PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD INTRODUCED: NOVEMBER 24, 2020 RESOLUTION NO. AFFIRMING THAT RACISM IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS WHEREAS, even before the foundation of America's colonies, racism has existed in America. Examples of this are many, including Indigenous people being forcefully removed from ancestral homelands, familial kinship systems, natural resources, cultural ways of life, and language resulting in generational hardships including social, and economic, and political disadvantages as well as physical, psychological and spiritual trauma; and WHEREAS, the public health community is aware that Native Americans and Alaska Natives have a higher burden of illness, injury, and premature mortality than non -Hispanic Whites; and WHEREAS, the Black experience in America beginning with slavery, Jim Crow laws, Grandfather Clause, and the long delayed recognition of the 14th Amendment and other violations of the 14th Amendment, redlining & other forms of housing discrimination all of which have allowed preferential opportunities for White Americans for generations while subjecting people of color to hardships, disadvantages and violence in every area of life and created a legacy of inherited trauma and economic oppression across generations; and WHEREAS, systemic racism refers to how large-scale, political and economic forces, which are historically deep and play out over generations, result in deep-seated and often ignored social, economic, and power inequities which then shape the distribution of health risks and inequitable access to resources for health, resulting in the disparate social and spatial clustering of negative health outcomes; and WHEREAS, throughout the history of the United States systemic racism and inequality has manifested itself by acts of discrimination and oppression directed towards Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) and their communities resulting in fear, anxiety, trauma, terror, and long-term physical and mental health impairments, as well as causing economic oppression for the targets of racism, their communities and subsequent generations; and WHEREAS, in response to the killing of George Floyd and the unnecessary death of countless others in the same pointless fashion, people across the country have risen up to protest the historic economic, environmental, and social injustices occurring towards people of various races and ethnicities, which continues to disproportionately affect the Black community; and WHEREAS, systemic racism has resulted in race as a social determinant of health, with persistent racial disparities in all aspects of health including housing, education, healthcare, employment, worker protections, criminal justice, climate impacts, food access, and technology, and Center for Health Progress has reported that data shows, race, income, and ZIP Code have a bigger impact on health than behavior or medical care; and WHEREAS, BIPOC individuals and communities are disproportionately suffering in part due to long standing, unaddressed health disparities as well as systemic racism and other socioeconomic inequities, and these persistent disparities in health outcomes are not due to genetic or biological differences between the races, but to the entrenched systemic racism in American society; and WHEREAS, BIPOC residents of Whatcom county are not immune or separate from the significant trends of health disparities that we see in national and state public health data; and WHEREAS, the current COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the racial disparities within our nation's BIPOC communities ranging from health care access to risk exposure, and there is a clear correlation between maps showing rates of COVID-19 hospitalizations and neighborhoods with high social vulnerability; and WHEREAS, lack of culturally and linguistically competent healthcare has resulted in less utilization of services and poorer health outcomes among BIPOC individuals; and National Academy of Medicine (NAM) found "racial and ethnic minorities receive lower - quality health care than white people —even when insurance status, income, age, and severity of conditions are comparable" and evidence from social psychological and health disparities research suggests that clinician -patient racial/ethnic concordance may improve minority patient health outcomes; and WHEREAS Black women are at least three times as likely to die in childbirth as White mothers, and Black newborns are more than twice as likely to die as White newborns, a disparity that is wider today than it was in 1850 when the majority of Black Americans were enslaved, and one that is not related to the economic or educational status of the mother; and WHEREAS, Black Americans also have higher levels of low birth weights, and Black children are more likely to endure asthma and have more severe symptoms than White children; and WHEREAS, while the health disparities faced by indigenous and black populations are often the most reported, Whatcom county has multiple minority populations that face negative health consequences as a result of systemic racism; and WHEREAS, racism impacts child development, and in Whatcom County only 23% of AI/AN children and only 27% of Hispanic children entering kindergarten were ready for school, as opposed to 54% of White children; and WHEREAS, racism impacts mental health, and in Whatcom County 66% of AI/AN 10th graders, 43% of Black 10th graders and 44% of multi -racial 10th graders reported feeling depression, as opposed to 36% of White 10th graders; and WHEREAS, racism impacts education, a determinant of health, and in Whatcom County 63% of AI/AN and 71% of Hispanic young people graduate on time, as opposed to 82% of White young people; and WHEREAS, racism impacts economic stability, a determinant of health, with the median household income of Black families in Whatcom County being less than half of that of White or Asian families, and Multi -racial, AI/AN, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders have a median household income over $20,000 less than White or Asian families; and WHEREAS, disparities in health outcomes and determinants of health by race are clearly evident in Whatcom County where life expectancy for American Indian/Alaska Native populations is 69 years compared with 81 years for White population; where 2 out of 3 American Indian/Alaska Native youth experience depression compared with 1 out of 3 White youth; where median income is significantly lower for American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic, Black, and Multi -Racial populations than for White and Asian populations; where children who are American Indian/Alaska Native or Hispanic are half as likely to enter kindergarten with skills needed to succeed in school and are also significantly less likely to graduate from high school on time; and WHEREAS, a just public health system would hold all of our individual choices to the fundamental principles of social equity and public welfare that were built into the very foundation of that system. It would not permit individual bias to persist on the policy or operational level. While it would not, and could never, eliminate racial bias in individuals, it would neuter its effects, by holding each of us to the standards of equity and fairness upon which our metrics are based; and WHEREAS, we are concerned with public policy. Policy is the province of governance. As individuals, and as representatives of our institution, we identify racism as a systemic flaw, and an enemy to the public, wherever we encounter it. We commit to evaluating and reforming our policies, our practices, and our leadership, to reflect our commitment to this mission; and WHEREAS, the American Public Health Association, National Association of County and City Health Officials, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have declared racism as a public health crisis. The disparities caused by systemic racism that we have outlined in this resolution represent a public health crisis which affects us all. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED this Health Board will advocate that Whatcom County government implement, with intent and fidelity, policies and practices that reflect a conscious effort to ensure racial equity, equity of access and service, and further to ensure the equitable treatment of all people, regardless of race or ethnicity. Section 1. This Health Board declares that racism is a public health crisis. Section 2. This Health Board is committed to making Whatcom County a welcoming, inclusive, and safe community for everyone. While we promote free thought and speech, we condemn racism and brutality, hate speech, bigotry, violence and prejudice in any form. Section 3. This Health Board endorses the continued implementation and use of policies and practices for employee conduct and equitable treatment of all people and honors, by approval of this Resolution, the common humanity of all people, regardless of race or ethnicity. Section 4. This Health Board commits to actively participating in the dismantling of systemic racism and its impacts in Whatcom County by: A. Implementing annual training on the following topics for all elected officials, County staff and members of boards, commissions and committees: implicit bias, trauma informed practices, and review of health disparities. B. Assessing and revising County department policies, procedures, and ordinances to ensure racial equity and transparency are core elements. C. Ensuring that hiring practices provide equitable opportunities for people of color to be employed to help ensure the diversity in our workforce represents the diversity in our community. D. PrOeFotmze Promote diversity of race within t#e county boards and commissions. E. Supporting community efforts to angplify alleviate issues of racism and bias and engaging actively and authentically with communities of color wherever they live. F. Building and strengthening alliances with other organizations that are confronting racism, and encouraging other agencies to recognize racism as a crisis, including considering County membership in the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (CARE), which is a national network of local government agencies working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. Additionally, involve community representation and input in matters of historic and continued racial injustice. Section 5. This Health Board will continue to, through its goodwill, dialogue, and decision - making efforts and powers, evaluate and support policies that are consistent with the principles of equity of access, services, and treatment of all people regardless of race, color, or ethnicity and ensure that such policies do not perpetuate or exacerbate racial disparities within the county. Section 6. This Health Board shall facilitate keeping data and monitoring progress on the goals set up on the resolution. APPROVED this day of of ATTEST: Dana Brown -Davis, Clerk of the Council APPROVED AS TO FORM: /s/ Royce Buckingham Civil Deputy Prosecutor 2020. WHATCOM COUNTY HEALTH BOARD CHAIR WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Barry Buchanan, Council Chair