The news in brief

Published 1:30 am Thursday, April 16, 2020

Community resource hub headed to Village Green

With the library closure on March 13, many island residents lost access to Internet WiFi, computers, printing and bathroom access. In response, a group in the Vashon Emergency Operations Center (EOC) began working on a Community Support Hub to provide access to those key services to residents.

“Conversations with Vashon social service leaders alerted us to the unmet needs of library patrons. We realized how the sudden loss of these services amplifies the pandemic’s adversities for our most vulnerable residents,” said Vicky de Monterey Richoux, director of the Households and Neighborhoods Support branch and president of VashonBePrepared. “Many patrons may not have smartphones or internet, so they have lost access to information about COVID-19 and testing, local food and meal programs and housing assistance, and the ability to apply for stimulus package payments, tax refunds and other government resources.”

The King County Library System, for its part, is unable to assist, due to concerns over employee safety under the current proclamations by Gov. Jay Inslee.

Islander Michael Meyer, a volunteer in the EOC’s Households and Neighborhoods Support branch and a VashonBePrepared board member, developed a detailed plan for creating and operating the hub. That plan has been approved by Vashon Island Fire and Rescue Chief Charlie Krimmert as following the state guidelines for essential services, and the protocols observed there will adhere to Public Health Seattle – King County’s recommendations on cleaning and social distancing.

The hub will be located under the pavilion in the Village Green and be open weekday afternoons except for Wednesday when VIGA sponsors VashonFresh pickups. The Vashon Park District will provide a permit to VashonBePrepared to allow the Emergency Operations Center to use the Village Green.

“It’s great to be able to offer these services in a spot that’s well-known, centrally located, and easy for people of all abilities to access,” de Monterey Richoux said.

Elaine Ott-Rocheford, executive director of the Vashon Park District, has shared a list of the district’s vendors that can provide needed equipment, such as porta-potties and a handwashing station, paid for by VashonBePrepared. Details are incoming, but de Monterey Richoux said the EOC hopes to have the hub available for visitors by the end of this week.

For those who cannot or do not access the internet, organizers facilitating the Community Support Hub will also share handouts with information on services and resources, along with access to the internet and managing hygiene. Information will include island-specific COVID-19 updates and testing, resources on food and meals, housing assistance, and other basic needs. Distribution of handouts to island residents will include locations around the island and in island media.

Health care district commissioners seeking public comment

Commissioners of the Vashon Health Care District are accepting public comment on a draft “Vision of Care” statement that will guide its selection of one or more provider partners to serve the island’s health care needs.

The draft statement outlines values that are priorities for the district, as well as health care services the district would like potential providers to offer in return for financial support from taxpayers. Those services include primary care, unscheduled/walk-in care and extended clinic hours.

When finalized, the vision of care will be a key part of a Request for Proposal (RFP) the district plans to circulate to regional health care provider systems in early May. Among other things, the RFP will ask interested provider systems how they would provide the services listed in the Vision of Care, and what level of financial support from the district they might seek.

The draft vision of care statement was prepared by the district’s Provider Selection Committee, which consists of two commissioners and five community members. It will also be posted on the district’s website at tinyurl.com/wlvsnnw. Comments may be emailed to the commissioners (click “Contact Us” online) or submitted in writing to Vashon Health Care District, 19001 Vashon Highway SW, Suite 204, Vashon, WA 98070.

Comments must be submitted by April 26, 2020. The Provider Selection Committee will consider all comments before adopting a final statement to include in the RFP.

The Vashon Health Care District was established by the vote of Vashon residents in November 2019 to provide financial support for vital health-care services, including services the island might otherwise lose. The mission of the Vashon Health Care District is to promote and maintain the health of the residents of Vashon-Maury Island by supporting accessible, quality primary health care through community partnerships, shared decision-making, transparency and responsible stewardship of resources.

Vashon chamber offers webinars

The Vashon-Maury Island Chamber of Commerce is collaborating with VashonBePrepared on a series of webinars focused on issues facing the island’s business community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The series is hosted on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9 to 9:45 a.m. online at vashonchamber.com. Topics such as how to navigate the federal tax stimulus, assessing unemployment benefits for employees, and issues facing those who are self-employed, tenants and landlords, and nonprofits will be discussed by local experts.

“We are trying to share immediate resources and aid for people to navigate, and offer diverse resources that meet our island needs,” said Cheryl Lubbert, chamber board president. “The Vashon Chamber is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization and we are putting these [webinars] together as soon as we can. Our goal is to help all our businesses survive, if not thrive, when this is all over.”