Community leaders gathered on Tuesday to discuss issues surrounding community health and equity in King County. International Community Health Services (ICHS) hosted a panel, titled “The Future of Health Equity,” featuring ICHS CEO Kelli Nomura, ICHS Director of Community Health Services Sherryl Grey, and Director of Equity and Community Partnerships for King County, Matías Valenzuela. Veteran award-winning journalist Enrique Cerna was the moderator.
From left: ICHS CEO Kelli Nomura; Director of Equity and Community Partnerships for King County, Matías Valenzuela; and ICHS Director of Community Health Services Sherryl Grey. (Photo by Northwest Asian Weekly staff)
Nomura opened the dialogue by outlining ICHS’s core mission to deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate health and wellness services, emphasizing their commitment to health equity for all. Originating as a small storefront clinic 50 years ago, ICHS has expanded its reach to over 31,000 patients across King County, serving diverse populations in more than 70 languages through multiple clinics.
ICHS CEO Kelli Nomura (left) spoke on a panel about the future of health equity on June 18, 2024. (Photo by Northwest Asian Weekly staff)
A focal point of Nomura’s address was ICHS’s strategic initiatives, including the introduction of mobile medical vans to enhance accessibility and the upcoming launch of the ICHS Healthy Aging and Wellness Center at Beacon Pacific Village. Construction is in progress with housing to be finished this summer and the 25,000-square-foot center to begin construction later in August. Through their federal program, PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly), ICHS will provide full wraparound care to assist elders throughout King County beyond medical care to also include physical therapy, occupational therapy, and transportation.
Valenzuela underscored the stark disparities in life expectancy—highlighting a 15-year gap among diverse communities in King County. These discrepancies, he noted, are not solely biological but are exacerbated by unequal access to care and social determinants of health. The panel emphasized the urgency of data-driven advocacy and collaborative efforts to address systemic inequalities.
Nomura said that when COVID-19 hit, it made the AAPI community feel isolated and like they weren’t a priority. In response, ICHS set up pop-up centers and went directly to where people needed help, addressing the fear of anti-Asian hate. She recalled patients crying, saying, “I thought I had been forgotten,” showing how much ICHS’s efforts meant to them during that tough time.
The panel agreed on the need for greater data collection and communication to help lower barriers of health inequity. In addition to collaborating with larger healthcare systems, housing and development, and behavioral health providers, greater funding is needed to build systems to collect, analyze, and ultimately share the stories using data. Grey works with school-based services and suggests the need to also look upstream and identify the diversity in health care providers and connect them back to the school’s community to build greater awareness and education.
The discussion also touched on the precarious nature of funding for community health centers, especially during election cycles, prompting calls for sustained advocacy and support.
In closing remarks, Nomura stressed the power of partnerships and storytelling in advancing the health equity agenda.
“We have to make this conversation a priority.”