2023 Health Symposium

In October 2023 Public Health hosted the first annual “Health Symposium” in beautiful Seabrook. The Symposium was envisioned as an event to bring together leadership from key community stakeholder working together to improve the health and quality of life in Grays Harbor. The event content and structure was framed around the Vital Conditions for Health and Wellbeing and the intersectionality/mutual need and benefit of all the conditions for health. Framework | health.gov.. The Symposium included a morning of panels of local experts focused on key issues facing our community such as substance use, early childhood supports, chronic health conditions, and a thriving economy. Partners from a variety of perspectives shared about the goals and priorities, successes, and challenges related to these important topics. . The afternoon will be focused on discussion and action to design collective action and next steps. An optional networking reception will be held immediately following the event.

Special thanks to our event sponsors Summit Pacific Medical Center, CHOICE regional health network, and Blue Zones Grays Harbor, and Seabrook for their support of this event.

Presentations shared at the Symposium are linked below:

Grays Harbor Public Health - who is Public Health and current initiatives

CHOICE Regional Health Network - Vital Conditions and role of Accountable Communities of Health

Dr. Umair Shah, Secretary of Health Washington State Department of Health

Summit Pacific Medical Center - mission, vision, and future projects

Symposium Program including agenda and pre-event survey results

*Note that some panelists were not able to attend due to last minute illness/scheduling conflicts

Grays Harbor County Homeless Housing Task Force (HHTF)

---

What is the Homeless Housing Task Force?

RCW 43.185C.160 requires each county to establish a homeless housing task force to develop a five-year homeless housing plan addressing short-term and long-term housing for homeless persons. If the county had not voted recently to create the task force, the state would have taken the lead on this effort.

1. Pursuant to RCW 43.185C.160, the Task Force:
   1. Monitors and makes recommendations for modifications to the County five-year homeless housing plan which addresses short-term and long-term housing for homeless or at risk of homelessness persons;
   2. Establishes guidelines consistent with statewide homeless housing plans;
   3. Identifies next steps toward implementation of housing goals for the County;
   4. Plans and sets goals for expenditure of available funding;
   5. Provides information to the community members; and
   6. Provides updates to the County Board of Health and to the County Board of Commissioners.

The Board of County Commissioners approved and signed Resolution No. 2023-094 establishing the Homeless Housing Task Force September 12, 2023. Applications for the Task Force were due October 19, 2023.

Following receipt and review of applications a subcommittee of the Board of Health evaluated the applications and created the opportunity to schedule interviews with all applicants. They recommended appointees to the Board of Commissioners February 20, 2024. The resolution naming membership of the Task Force, Resolution 2024-025 was approved and signed February 20th, 2024.

Approved Bylaws

Click Here to access the HHTF meetings and materials

---

Request for Proposals

---

CLOSED - REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR SERVICES FOR EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAMS

Grays Harbor County (County) has issued a “Request for Proposals” to interested and qualified agencies to provide rental assistance and utility assistance to qualifying households for the time period of May 2023-June 2025. The purpose of this assistance is to attempt to prevent evictions. Applicants must provide a proposal and budget that covers how their agency will provide the noted deliverables for one or more of the available program areas under the Eviction Prevention program.

Public Service programs:

• Rental and Utility Assistance and associated operational costs.

• Support of outreach, communication, technical assistance, and/or provision of Rental and Utility Assistance to serve historically disadvantaged populations.

The request for proposal (RFP) is intended for community providers with the necessary capacity and experience to successfully deliver services to individuals who are at risk of homelessness and who are at or below 80% of the Area Median Income in a way that aligns with the Department of Commerce’s Consolidated Homeless Grant (CHG) guidelines.

This RFP formally opens on February 22nd, 2023 and closes on March 17th, 2023.

The full RFP can be found at: https://www.healthygh.org/directory/graysharborerap

Applications may be submitted via e-mail, mail, or in person at:

Grays Harbor County Public Health
Attn: Natali Burgess
2109 Sumner Avenue
Aberdeen, WA 98520
natali.burgess@graysharbor.us

The applicant assumes full responsibility for the delivery method chosen. Applications must be clearly marked with EVICTION PREVENTION APPLICATION.

Applications and related materials must be received no later than March 17, 2023, at 4:30 p.m. to be considered. Applicants accept all risks of late delivery of mailed submittals regardless of fault.

Any questions related to this application may be directed to:

Natali Burgess: Housing Program Coordinator
E-mail: natali.burgess@graysharbor.us
Phone: 360-500-4078

ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE RELATED TO THIS OPEN RFP ARE DUE ON MARCH 10.

---

Grays Harbor County reserves the right to reject any and all submittals and to waive irregularities and informalities in the submittal and evaluation process.  This RFP does not obligate the County to pay any costs incurred by respondents in the preparation and submission of their proposal.  Furthermore, the RFP does not obligate the County to accept or contract for any expressed or implied services.

Community Development Block Grant

Information for May 24th Community Development Block Grant Public Services Hearing

Grays Harbor County (“County”) is will be holding a hearing to proceed with this year’s application for a new contract for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Public Services grant through Coastal Community Action Program targeting low and moderate-income persons in Grays Harbor and Pacific counties. The hearing will be at 10 a.m. on May 24th, 2022 via zoom. Zoom link information will be posted at www.co.grays-harbor.wa.us.

The hearing will review an overview of the CDBG Public Services activities funded during the current fiscal year and proposed activities under the application for funding in the next fiscal year.

The deadline for the Department of Commerce to receive applications for 2022-23 is May, 31st, 2022.

Questions, comments, requests for access to the materials in a language other than English, and/or special accommodations during the public hearing please contact Natali Burgess at natali.burgess@graysharbor.us.

• Report/summary of funded activities for the 2021-22 Fiscal Year

• Proposed/DRAFT summary of activities for the 2022-23 Fiscal Year

Grays Harbor County has received funding through the Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus 1 (CDBG CV1) to provide a variety of types of assistance in the community for low and moderate income residents impacted by COVID-19. The County has two open funding opportunities for eligible agencies to submit proposals and documentation of experience and capacity to apply these funds.

CLOSED - Request for Proposals

Grays Harbor County has issued a “Request for Proposals” to interested and qualified agencies. Applicants must provide a proposal and budget that covers how their agency will provide the noted deliverables for one or more of the available program areas under the Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CV1):

Public Service programs:

·         Mortgage assistance

·         Rental assistance

·         Utility Assistance

·         Security deposits and rental subsidies for clients exiting isolation/quarantine facility

The RFP will open December 17, 2020 and all proposals are due by 4:30 p.m. January 4, 2021. The County reserves the rights to reject any proposal that is incomplete or does not meet the requisite qualifications or to recommend contract amounts less than the maximum budget. This RFP does not obligate the County to pay any costs incurred by respondents in the preparation and submission of their proposal.  Furthermore, the RFP does not obligate the County to accept or contract for any expressed or implied services. 

Applications may be submitted via e-mail, mail, or in person at:  

Grays Harbor County Public Health

Attn: Cassie Lentz

2109 Sumner Avenue

Aberdeen, WA 98520

clentz@graysharbor.us

Applications and related materials must be received no later than January 4 at 4:30 p.m. to be considered. The applicant assumes full responsibility for the delivery method chosen. Applications must be clearly marked with CDBG CV1 DIRECT ASSISTANCE.

Full Request for Proposals and Application document can be found here.

CLOSED -Request for Proposals

Grays Harbor County has issued a “Request for Proposals” to interested and qualified agencies. Applicants must provide a proposal and budget that covers how their agency will provide the noted deliverables for one or more of the available program areas under the Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CV1):

Microenterprise Assistance programs:

·         Direct assistance to microenterprise businesses

·         Technical assistance to microenterprise businesses

The RFP will open December 17, 2020 and all proposals are due by 4:30 p.m. January 4, 2021. The County reserves the rights to reject any proposal that is incomplete or does not meet the requisite qualifications or to recommend contract amounts less than the maximum budget. This RFP does not obligate the County to pay any costs incurred by respondents in the preparation and submission of their proposal.  Furthermore, the RFP does not obligate the County to accept or contract for any expressed or implied services. 

Applications may be submitted via e-mail, mail, or in person at:  

Grays Harbor County Public Health

Attn: Cassie Lentz

2109 Sumner Avenue

Aberdeen, WA 98520

clentz@graysharbor.us

Applications and related materials must be received no later than January 4 at 4:30 p.m. to be considered. The applicant assumes full responsibility for the delivery method chosen. Applications must be clearly marked with CDBG CV1 MICROENTERPRISE ASSISTANCE.

Full Request for Proposals and Application document can be found here.

Question and Answers:

Q: Are 501(c)6 organizations eligible?

A: Yes, as long as they do not use any of the funds for campaign purposes.