On Monday, February 3rd, a team of SWACH/HLC staff and HLC Policy Committee members headed to Olympia for our annual Legislative Luncheon. The luncheon is an opportunity for our policy committee and other stakeholders to meet with our state legislators and discuss the priorities in our Policy Agenda. Each year, HLC develops a policy agenda based on input from its broad coalition of community stakeholders. We seek recommendations from partner organizations who have their own policy agenda (Low Income Housing Alliance, Prevention Alliance, etc.), Policy Committee members, community advisory groups (SW WA Behavioral Health Advisory Board, Clark County Opioid Taskforce), CHWs, and attendees at our November HLC Quarterly Meeting. The feedback was then further refined by the Policy Committee, who strategically determined the highest priorities and opportunities for biggest impact.
This year we are grateful to Senator Cleveland, Representative Harris, and Representative Stonier who cohosted the luncheon, heard our legislative priorities, and discussed policy strategy and solutions. We are also thankful to additional stakeholders from Youth and Family Link and White Salmon Valley School District who were able to make the trip and help bring firsthand perspectives to our legislators.
With this year’s short legislative session, we are closely tracking progress of the bills associated with our Agenda. See our full Policy Agenda here.
