Safe Start advisory groups deliver recommendations to Inslee
The recommendations address both specific budget and policy items, as well as top messages for consideration in the coming legislative session.
To deal with the economic and health impacts of COVID-19, earlier this year Gov. Jay Inslee announced the formation of three Safe Start advisory groups to serve as community advisors on health systems readiness, social supports and a safe return to work. These groups include diverse representation, from community leaders in health systems, labor, business, government and nonprofit organizations.
“As we make crucial decisions that impact millions of Washingtonians, it was invaluable to have community members at the table to help inform our decisions,” Inslee said. “Each group brought valuable insight and experience to the discussions and helped my office and state agencies make choices that will benefit more people. I thank every advisory group member for their time, knowledge and expertise. Our work is stronger for having their voices.”
Through their direct networks and numerous community listening sessions, consistent themes shaped the work of all three groups:
- COVID-19 is both a public health and economic crisis. Investments in economic stability and resiliency must be a priority and go hand in hand with public safety measures.
- Dismantling racist systems must be a part of all that we do. COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), in infection and death rates, loss of employment, and business closures. Equitable recovery depends on an intentionally anti-racist approach.
- Trusted messengers are necessary to achieve a common purpose and minimize the spread of COVID-19. This includes support to impacted individuals and businesses, widespread support and trust of a vaccine, and equitable access to critical economic aid programs for individuals and businesses
- Successful recovery from the COVID-19 crisis depends on adequate support for working and low-income families, in rural and urban communities alike. Basic needs, such as economic and food security, safe access to care and school for children, and workplace safety are the foundation upon which recovery must be built.
Sessions held have included homelessness, food security, Main Street employers, bankers, childcare providers and families, Asian and Pacific Islander communities and BIPOC-owned businesses.
Racial and regional equity have driven all three groups’ work. Advisory members focused on social supports paid particular attention to Washingtonians who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, including BIPOC communities, individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness, individuals with disabilities, as well as those experiencing unemployment, poverty and food insecurity. They advised Inslee on the importance of behavioral health and wellness concerns resulting from the sustained nature of the pandemic, and issues faced by those experiencing poverty. Their work influenced investments in the governor’s biennial budget to shore up economic, behavioral health and other supports for Washingtonians.
The Public Health and Health Care System Community Leaders Group has focused on the COVID response and its impact on various marginalized populations. The group has discussed many aspects of the public health system, including increasing access to PPE for smaller health care organizations, broader testing needs, vaccine distribution, and care coordination for those in isolation and quarantine. Throughout all their conversations, the health group focused on health inequities and the need for community partners to build trust in communities who have distrust in government. Additionally, the health group created the anti-racist statement and presented as a recommendation to the governor.
Advisory group members focused on workplace safety and economic recovery consulted the Department of Commerce on the formation of their COVID-19 economic recovery dashboard, which measures impacts on business and employment and has served as invaluable resource for economic recovery planning. Through listening sessions with Main Street businesses and bankers, the team was a catalyst for the Department of Commerce’s development of a low-risk revolving loan fund, which is set to launch in early 2021, in addition to their advocacy for grants to hardest hit sectors which now totals $95 million in direct aid.
In preparation for the governor’s biennial budget, this group submitted a package of recommendations addressing both specific budget and policy items, as well as top messages for consideration in the coming legislative session.
The main message for the governor and state agencies: economic recovery response must meet the scale of need. Workers and businesses are struggling, particularly in sectors hardest hit by COVID-related shutdowns, and the group has supported the governor’s continued leadership with Congress and state legislators to ensure aid gets to those in need.
Earlier this week, Inslee announced his equity package, in which he reiterated his commitment to Washington’s leadership as an anti-racist state.
“I firmly believe Washington will be an anti-racist state, and I will be taking actions that hold our state to that commitment,” Inslee said during a press conference Monday. “We need our policies and budget to reflect our dedication toward disrupting the harmful systemic cycle of racism and inequity.”
The advisory groups have been essential in navigating COVID-19 recovery and will continue to deliver recommendations to the governor as the pandemic continues.
