More than 3,000 people at any point in time are unsheltered in Pierce County, Wash. In this episode of the Elevate Health 80/20 Project, Delmar Algee, III, a social service supervisor who oversees Homeless Programming, explains the range of initiatives aimed at addressing the problem.

Some 61 million adults – or roughly one in four in the United States – live with some form of disability. Nalani Linder, Interim Executive Director of the Tacoma Area Coalition for Individuals with Disabilities (TACID), explains how virtually all social determinants of health may be affected for those who live with disabilities.

The pandemic further exposed the lack of affordable housing across the nation, especially in Pierce County, Washington. With the transition to a post-Covid “new normal” now underway, County Rental Assistance Lead Valeri Almony explains the ongoing challenges as well as the path forward.

LGBTQ+ youths in Pierce County often experience marginalization and discrimination, especially in health care settings. In this second episode a two-part series focused on social determinants of health in the LGBTQ+ community, Oasis Youth Center Executive Director Matthew Wilson describes how SDOH factors can have negative consequences, particularly those 21 and under.

https://devoasis.dreamhosters.com/

According to recent polling, an estimated 10 percent of the U.S. population will soon identify as LGBTQ+ or something other than heterosexual, roughly double from just a decade ago. In the first of two episodes geared toward the LGBTQ+ community, Troy Christensen of Tacoma’s Rainbow Center discusses the significance and challenges associated with ensuring equitable access to health care for all in a changing society.

https://rainbowcntr.org/

Data collection and monitoring are essential to understanding a community’s health needs and health trends. Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Data Analyst Stephanie Wood, also a consultant to the county’s Opioid Task Force, explains how numbers significantly influence important health policy decisions.

https://www.tpchd.org/healthy-people/opioid-treatment-services

#thekeyproject2endoverdose

This episode features a conversation with Stephanie Sacks, Clinical Director for Rebuilding Hope, the Sexual Assault Center for Pierce County, Washington, which offers support toward healing through advocacy and therapy for those affected by sexual assault.

Link: https://sexualassaultcenter.com/

The chasm between haves and have nots is only increasing in many communities, including Pierce County, Washington. Michelle Douglas of the Emergency Food Network explains the growing demands on local food pantries throughout the South Puget Sound region.

In this episode, substance use counselor Shundra King discusses how the effectiveness of drug treatment for people of color can often hinge on the cultural competencies of therapists who serve them.

Link:

https://www.ftccounselingsvcs.org

Nearly 800,000 people in Washington state residents are food insecure, according to Feeding America, and more than one-third of those residents are children. Yuni Medlin, a food security and safety activist based in Tacoma, Wash., explains the adverse and unanticipated effects that poor nutrition can have on an entire community, not just individuals.