Save Public Health in Seattle, King County

Petition to local leaders: Strengthen, don’t cut essential community clinics

SEATTLE (March 22, 2024) — Public Health is the foundation of thriving communities. But with years of inadequate resources, withdrawal of federal dollars and lack of dedicated funding, much of King County’s public health system is now at risk of being shuttered permanently.

Dozens of community health clinics in Seattle and King County face closure, leaving some 80,000 patients without access to vital care, and leaving our community without an accountable, transparent system supported by government oversight and stability.

TAKE A STAND — Multiple community organizations and unions representing the workers at Seattle-King County Public Health urge you to please sign this petition to Seattle and King County leaders. It urges them to Save Public Health by fully-funding all of Seattle-King County Public Health’s vital public work, keeping our clinics open, and strengthening them so that they can better respond to the public health crises our communities face.

This petition supported by PROTEC17, Washington State Nurses Association, OPEIU 8, MLK Labor, Puget Sound Sage, and Got Green.

What’s at risk:

• Public health protections for everyone: The public health system protects the entire community by providing essential health services. Three years of COVID-19 showed vividly why we need a strong system and what can go wrong when the system falters. Clinics facing closure operate in Auburn, Seattle, Des Moines, Bellevue, Federal Way, Kent, Burien, Lake City, Renton, and Kirkland, among other cities. This network, along with mobile vans, a street medicine team, and school-based health centers, ensures healthcare is accessible to as many people as possible.
• Equity and access for BIPOC communities: Two-thirds of public health clients are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. These communities have historically faced health disparities and systemic barriers to health care. Public Health plays a crucial role in bridging these gaps and providing equitable healthcare services.
• Assistance for the uninsured: One-quarter of Public Health clients are uninsured. In a healthcare system where insurance often dictates access to care, Public Health centers provide crucial medical services to those without insurance.
• Critical support for the homeless population: Twenty percent of public health clients are experiencing homelessness. A lack of care makes it more difficult for people experiencing homelessness to establish healthier, more stable living situations, and easier for vulnerable individuals to become homeless.

Learn more at SavePublicHealth.org.

Thank you for supporting Public Health in Seattle and King County by signing this petition today.