Unity Care NW

People 65+ are the fastest growing group of the Community Health Center patient population. Health centers improve the quality of life for seniors by focusing on preventive care, chronic disease management, and health promotion.

Visit https://unitycarenw.org/wellness/ for resources to help you along the path towards a more healthy life.

As the school year begins, Unity Care NW urges parents not to delay your children's immunizations. Measles is a dangerous illness that can lead to serious consequences for children's long-term health.

In 2000, the U.S. declared measles eradicated, but just this year, cases are surging. With immunization rates dropping among kindergartners, the risk of outbreaks is increasing. Protect your kids and our community—schedule your child's immunization today.

Measles cases are up and childhood vaccinations are down : Consider This from NPR For about three weeks in 2000, there were zero measles cases in the United States. It was declared eradicated.Fast forward to 2024, and measles cases are surging, especially in Oregon where the state is facing the worst outbreak since the early 1990s.This is happening as the Centers for Disease Cont...

Unity Care NW will be closed on Monday, September 2nd in observance of Labor Day.

Immunizations are developed over years through rigorous scientific process. Before being made available to the public, they are tested in clinical trials to assess safety and efficacy.

Staying up-to-date on current immunizations doesn't just protect yourself - it protects your loved ones, too.

Lauren Throop, a new mom, was put in a tough situation when her child got sick from RSV. Read her story and how you can prevent RSV in your newborn. https://www.voicesforvaccines.org/how-rsv-affects-the-whole-family/

Addiction can happen to anyone - it can affect our friends, families and communities.

Local expert Dr. Shannon Boustead will be teaching the basics of addiction science at this free community event, sharing the floor with panel members providing insights from their lived experiences with addiction. No registration required.

For more information, click the link below.

https://bellinghampubliclibrary.org/news/what-is-addiction-plain-talk-for-our-community-sept-12

Thank you, Whatcom Kid Insider! UCNW is proud to offer affordable and comprehensive dental care to the families of Whatcom County.

A HUGE THANK YOU to the Unity Care NW the Sponsor of the 2024 Summer Fun Guide
where you will find all of the free and family-friendly summer events & activities in Whatcom County!
A lifetime of health starts in childhood. Unity Care NW offers coordinated medical and dental services to kids of all ages. Two Whatcom County locations and convenient Saturday hours too! Now accepting new dental patients! Call them at (360) 676-6177 to make an appointment today. https://unitycarenw.org/

Unity Care NW

Serving all Whatcom County elementary schools, most middle and high schools, and 12 Head Start programs, our Mobile Dental team screened more than 1,200 students in the 2022-2023 school year. Learn more about our Mobile Dental program at the link below.

Unity Care NW’s Mobile Dental Program: Bridging Gaps, Transforming Lives - WhatcomTalk For school children in underserved communities, accessibility is often a barrier to essential health care services — and dental care is no exception. Unity Care NW has pioneered a solution: the Mobile Dental Program.

Unity Care NW has experienced a 55.5% increase in patients in the last 10 years. As our populations continue to grow, UCNW will continue to provide comprehensive and cost-effective care options for the most underserved communities in Whatcom County.

To learn more about the care we provide to patients regardless of ability to pay, click the link below.

https://online.flippingbook.com/view/626561317/

UCNW was happy to have the opportunity to show appreciation to our patients last week by offering free resources and healthy snacks to all who came by! Thank you, Community Health Plan of Washington and League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County for helping us provide care to patients outside of the exam room.

Unity Care NW wouldn’t be here without our amazing staff. Their commitment to providing high-quality care to the underserved communities of Whatcom County inspires us every day. Thank you, UCNW staff, for keeping our community safe and healthy. Visit the link below to learn more about joining our team.

https://unitycarenw.org/join-our-team/

It's Stakeholder Appreciation Day and we wanted to take this opportunity to thank our Health Care Champion Sponsors! Your support helps patients from all walks of life access life-changing services. Thank you for championing our mission to increase the years of healthy life in the people and communities we serve.

Community Health Plan of Washington PeaceHealth St. Joseph Puget Sound Energy Henry Schein Dental Arcora Foundation Molina Healthcare RMC Architects Umpqua Bank Whatcom Community Foundation Samson Rope Technologies Gage Commercial Real Estate

We were thankful to have the opportunity to show our patients appreciation yesterday by informing visitors on voter registration, affordable health plans, and providing healthy snacks and goodies. Thank you to the Washington Association for Community Health and Opportunity Council for stopping by, and to Community Health Plan of Washington and the League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County for providing crucial information to our community!

We had the chance to visit today - patients were enjoying snacks and the chance to register to vote thanks to partnership with . Happy National Health Center Week!

Today is Patient Appreciation Day! HRSA announced that its funded health centers, like Unity Care NW, served over 31 million patients in 2023 - an increase of 2.7 million since 2020. This represents the highest number of health center patients in nearly 60 years of the program.

At UCNW we’re grateful for our Board of Directors, with over 50% being our own patients. Their unique perspectives help guide our mission and help shape the future of our organization. Interested in joining our Board? Find out more at the link below.
https://unitycarenw.org/wp-content/uploads/BOD-Application-Packet.pdf

Have you heard that you can register to vote at UCNW? Tomorrow, we will be handing out goodies and hosting the League of Women’s Voters on-site at 220 Unity Street to help answer any questions you have about getting registered. You can also register for the primary right now by visiting the link below.

https://voter.votewa.gov/portal2023/login.aspx

People experiencing homelessness often struggle with maintaining their health. Access to specialized healthcare, basic hygiene facilities, and medical respite beds is limited in Whatcom County, worsening health outcomes. This , for Unhoused Patients Day, we are ecstatic to announce the arrival of the Way Station this Fall. This Health & Hygiene Center will provide medical and behavioral health services, restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, 16 medical respite beds, and expanded access to other services. If, like us, you believe that healthcare is a human right, to learn more, please visit the link below.

https://unitycarenw.org/the-way-station/

Unity Care NW is proud to be a part of this network of community health centers that provide integrated healthcare to underserved populations, reduce barriers to health care, and offer high-quality care at lower costs.

As a not-for-profit health plan founded by Community Health Centers (CHCs) more than 30 years ago, CHPW is proud to kick off National Health Center Week today! Now through August 10, we're celebrating the essential role CHCs play in improving public health and advancing health equity.

Serving 1 in 11 people nationwide, CHCs are nonprofit, patient-goverend organizations and are committed to providing care to all patients, regardless of their ability to pay. National Health Center Week celebrates the accomplishments of these CHCs and their mission to make high-quality, affordable care available to everyone. Because CHCs serve the communities where they operate, they can provide tailored services you won’t find at just any clinic.

CHPW works with 21 partner CHCs throughout Washington State. Together with the dedicated professionals at CHCs, we reach beyond the walls of a doctor's office to address whole-person care such as safe housing, transportation, access to nutritious foods, in addition to other social drivers of health.

Join us in the coming week to recognize the importance of health care for people experiencing homelessness, agricultural worker health, health center staff appreciation, and more!

Today, and every day, we are proud to power communities through caring connections with our CHC partners:
Columbia Valley Community Health
CHAS Health
Community Health Care
Community Health Center of Snohomish County
Community Health of Central Washington
Family Health Center
Family Health Centers of North Central Washington
HealthPoint
International Community Health Services (ICHS)
Moses Lake Community Health Center
Neighborcare Health
NEW Health Programs Association
North Olympic Healthcare Network
Peninsula Community Health Services (PCHS)
Sea Mar Community Health Centers
Seattle Roots Community Health
Tri-Cities Community Health
Unity Care NW
Valley View Health Center
Yakima Neighborhood Health Services
Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic

To learn more about CHPW's network of CHCs, visit chpw.org/about-chpw/our-clinics.

Unity Care NW patients, your commitment to keeping yourself and those around you healthy inspires us daily. Join us in celebrating YOU during National Health Center Week! 🎉

Come grab a snack and other goodies at our 220 Unity Street pavilion next Wednesday and get your questions answered by UCNW Staff and the League of Women’s Voters about registering to vote, Apple Health renewals, wellness resources, and our Sliding Fee Discount Program.

🎉 Congratulations to Lisa Nelson, our Chief Pharmacy Officer, for being awarded the 340B Defender of the Year! 🏆

Lisa's commitment to community health is truly inspiring. Her advocacy comes from a belief that everyone should be treated the same. “With community health centers we can have a pharmacy that, instead of saying no to patients, can say yes so at the end of the day you walk away with your medication, and you get the health outcomes you deserve.”

Thank you, Lisa, for your dedication to improving access to healthcare for all. Learn more about Lisa and her passion for supporting 340B at the article below.

Lisa Nelson: Championing Access to Affordable Healthcare - WhatcomTalk Share via: 42 Shares More Submitted by Unity Care NW Growing up in Hoquiam, Lisa Nelson witnessed firsthand the struggles of her parents to navigate a healthcare system that seemed designed against them. Her mother’s battle with health issues, exacerbated by the lack of affordable care options, le...

Thank you, Molina Healthcare, for your generous contribution towards funding programs that ensure access to quality medical, dental and behavioral health services for residents of Whatcom County. We are grateful for organizations that share our mission to eliminate obstacles to care. Your support will have lasting effects on our community!

Read more about their support here: https://www.molinahealthcare.com/members/common/en-US/abtmolina/compinfo/newsmed/newsarticlepage.aspx?ArticleID=1409&lob=All&type=IsNewsMediaSpecial&year=All&State=All&ArticlePageLink=abtmolina/compinfo/newsmed/newsarticlepage.aspx

Thank you to our amazing sponsors, board members, and donors for celebrating our collective impact on Whatcom County at our Summer Social. Your continued support and dedication ensures crucial health care access for thousands of individuals and families in our community. We couldn’t do it without you!

Your organization can support critical care, gain year-long benefits and recognition by becoming a UCNW Health Care Champion Sponsor. Help us achieve our $50,000 goal by the end of July! For more information, please visit https://unitycarenw.org/about-us/supporters/ -Care-Champions.

Unity Care NW staff were proud to offer information and resources and participate in the Bellingham PRIDE All Ages Dance Party and Parade this past weekend. Thank you to all who marched, and to for putting together these events.

Did you know three local markets now offer unlimited SNAP/EBT matches on fresh, local produce? Interested shoppers can find out more at market info booths. Thank you to the Bellingham Farmers Market and Lynden Farmers Market and Twin Sisters Mobile Market for making fresh local produce more accessible to our friends and neighbors experiencing food insecurity.

A Guide to Whatcom County's Farmers Markets - WhatcomTalk WhatcomTalk's Camryn Jewell offers a guide to Whatcom County's bounty of terrific farmers markets.

In the last year, UCNW employees worked to ensure that more than 1,100 patients kept their Medicaid coverage. Learn more about the crucial work Neyda has done to help keep our community healthy at the link below.

'The Respect We Forgot We Deserved': A Local Health Care Worker is Recognized for Her Outstanding Support - WhatcomTalk Learn how Unity Care NW staff jumped into action last year when tens of thousands of local residents were at risk of losing health care — and how one staff member, Neyda Gonzalez, highlights the compassion essential health care workers bring to each interaction.

Unity Care NW will be closed on July 4th in observance of Independence Day.

Our Annual Report is here! We invite you to join us as we reflect on some of our 2023 milestones and share some examples of how Unity Care NW continues to increase the years of healthy life for 1 in 10 Whatcom County residents.

Unity Care NW 2023 Annual Report We invite you to join us as we briefly reflect on some of our 2023 milestones and as we share some examples of how Unity Care NW is continuing to increase the years of healthy life for those we serve, not only through “traditional” healthcare services but also an ever-expanding suite of innovati...

Rural patients often must travel great distances to find mental and behavioral health services. Health centers improve access to mental health resources by offering services via video calls—saving patients time and money.

It's and we wanted to share the awesome work that Whatcom Community Foundation is doing to support mental health in our community. Check out the grants that their Youth Philanthropy group provided for local youth mental health & homelessness. And a big thanks to Whatcom Community Foundation for their partnership as a Unity Care NW Health Care Champion Sponsor! We appreciate you. ❤

https://whatcomcf.org/nonprofit-partnerships/community-grantmaking/

This resource will be such a great addition to our community! Thank you, Northwest Youth Services.

Today is and we want to shine a light on one of our top Health Care Champions, PeaceHealth St. Joseph. They are longtime partners helping to build a healthier community, and they have helpful resources available for living a healthy life. For World Hypertension Day, check out PeaceHealth's article about how to lower your blood pressure. Thank you so much PeaceHealth for the many ways you partner with us and for helping to ensure that every person receives safe, compassionate care.

Everyday tips to lower high blood pressure Maintaining a healthy blood pressure number is important. These natural options are fairly simple additions to your daily routine.