Third Annual Health Symposium Hosted by County Public Health

Grays Harbor County Hosts 3rd Annual Health Symposium

Grays Harbor County Public Health recently held its 3rd Annual Health Symposium at Grays Harbor College. The event brought together a wide range of community leaders, healthcare professionals, and local officials to discuss pressing health issues and share insights on improving public health in the region.

Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, the state health officer, delivered the keynote address, highlighting the importance of community collaboration in addressing health challenges. The symposium featured panel discussions on mental health, substance use disorders (SUD), chronic disease, and developmental disability success stories. One of the key highlights was the unveiling of the draft for the new county health assessment.

Public Health partnered with several organizations, including Harbor Regional Health, the Quinault Wellness Center, Summit Pacific Medical Center, and Rural Health Innovations (RHI), to conduct a comprehensive county-wide health assessment and develop a Community Health Improvement Plan.

The event attracted a diverse group of attendees, including all three Grays Harbor County Commissioners—Georgia Miller, Rick Hole, and Vickie Raines—as well as mayors Douglas Orr (Aberdeen) and Chris Miller (McCleary). Other participants included Grays Harbor Community Hospital Commissioner Lynn Csernotta, Harbors Home Health & Hospice CEO David Quigg, U.S. Rep. Emily Randall’s Field Representative April Messenger, representatives from Timberland Regional Library, Aberdeen Police Department public information officer Commander Steve Timmons, and various members of the healthcare community.

Keynote Address and Community Insights

After opening remarks from Grays Harbor College President Dr. Carli Schiffner, Commissioner Vickie Raines, and Public Health Director Mike McNickle, Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett shared his thoughts on the importance of community engagement in public health. He emphasized that events like the symposium can foster trust, connection, and collaboration among individuals working in healthcare, leading to meaningful improvements in community health.

“Connection is a source of strength for the community itself,” Kwan-Gett said. “When a community is more connected, it is healthier and more resilient.”

He also encouraged attendees to use this trust to bridge political differences and focus on common values and goals. By building trust and creating social connections, communities can better address chronic diseases and other health challenges.

Panel Discussions and Survey Results

Several panel discussions took place throughout the day. Dr. Shawn Andrews of Summit Pacific Medical Center, Coleen Chapin of the Quinault Wellness Center, and Angela Crowley of Behavioral Health Resources Rehab participated in a session on mental health and SUD, moderated by Public Health’s April Bachtell. Another panel, featuring Jeff Nelson, Lena Stoddard, and Dr. Natalie Wilhelm (via Zoom), focused on chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.

During a working lunch provided by Montesano High School’s culinary program, representatives from RHI presented the draft of the Grays Harbor County Public Health Assessment. This assessment, launched in July, involved an electronic survey in English and Spanish, 15 key informant interviews, and four in-person focus groups (including one in Spanish). Secondary data from national sources was also incorporated.

Tracy Morton from RHI led the analysis of the draft assessment. The top health priorities identified include increasing access to healthcare, developing a collaborative marketing plan for existing services, and creating a countywide care coordination plan.

The electronic survey received 344 responses, with 24 excluded due to incomplete or invalid answers. The top three health concerns reported were access to mental health services (49%), access to primary care (30%), and access to alcohol/drug use services (28%). Respondents also highlighted the importance of affordable housing (59%) and good jobs and a healthy economy (44%) for a healthy community.

Focus group participants and key informant interviews confirmed many of these findings, emphasizing the need for improved access to healthcare, education, and outreach programs.

Chronic Disease and Youth Health

The assessment also highlighted chronic disease trends in the region. Adult obesity, cardiovascular disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) rates are higher in Grays Harbor, Clallam, and Mason counties than the rest of the state.

Health for children and young people was another focus. The top factors contributing to youth health were stable housing (69%), good schools (63%), and healthy behaviors and lifestyles (62%). The top priorities for improving support for youth included affordable housing (31%), life skills education (29%), and youth mental health services (28%).

Poverty was identified as a significant health concern, with lower median household incomes and higher poverty rates in the region compared to the state and U.S. average. Focus group participants and key informant interviews noted that individuals with lower incomes face greater health challenges.

Recommendations and Community Spotlight

The assessment concluded that the top three health needs in Grays Harbor are access to affordable healthcare and preventative services, mental health and SUD treatment and prevention, and health education. Recommendations include poverty reduction, increased access to mental health and SUD services, and improved community health education.

Public Health’s Erin Schreiber then presented a community spotlight, featuring Grays Harbor County Developmental Disabilities program coordinator Dee Dee Garman. She highlighted success stories from the Living My Best Life film festival held in June and previewed the upcoming Ability @ Work Celebration on October 27.

Public Health’s Sharalyn Steenson also recapped the Harbor Strong opioid overdose prevention media campaign, which included video vignettes produced for social media.

For more information, a link to the draft of the Grays Harbor County Community Health Assessment is available online.