SW Washington

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Melissah Watts, 66, and her son Max, 38. Melissah cares for her son, Max, full-time. | COURTESY OF SEIU 775

Into a caregiving void: Family members fill crucial role providing long-term care

AARP estimates there are 820,000 total family caregivers in Washington delivering 770 million hours of care annually

Nov 28, 2023

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EMILIANO BAR/UNSPLASH

Washington faces steep path closing mental health bed gap for jailed defendants

The state has made headway reducing the bed shortfall but it’s expected to persist at least through 2026, even with hundreds of millions of dollars in planned spending

Oct 26, 2023

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PeaceHealth workers picket on Oct. 11, 2023. | COURTESY OREGON FEDERATION OF NURSES AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

Surge in health care walkouts continues with PeaceHealth strike Monday

Health care workers in Oregon and southwest Washington are walking out more than ever, citing pay as well as staffing problems that may be hard to cure

Oct 24, 2023
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Workers rallied on Oct. 10, 2022, at Peacehealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver, Washington, to protest working conditions. | COURTESY PHOTO

Threatened PeaceHealth strike could strip workers’ health coverage

Management warns southwest Washington workers their health insurance will be terminated if a strike lasts more than a week

Oct 17, 2023
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Kayla Medina, center, claps during a drug court session on Oct. 3, 2023. Medina is among those opposing plans to end Cowlitz County's mental health sales tax. | TROY BRYNELSON/OPB

Cowlitz County social programs in limbo as officials eye expiration of mental health sales tax

The tax helps pay for mobile crisis units used by local police, mental health services in the jail, and programs like the drug court in the southwestern Washington county

Oct 12, 2023

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IULIIA BONDARENKO/PIXABAY

As paid family leave claims rise in Washington, the wait for benefits gets longer

The time to process an application could reach four months unless dozens more workers are hired, say administrators of the popular state program

Sep 21, 2023

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A Kaiser Permanente pharmacy. | LYNNE TERRY/THE LUND REPORT

Kaiser pharmacy workers say they will strike

Health system spokesperson says management is making contingency plans to offset work stoppage in Oregon, southwest Washington

Sep 20, 2023

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SEIU Local 49 President Meg Niemi speaks during an event Thursday Sept. 14, 2023 in Southeast Portland with over 100 union members and supporters. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Potential strike looms at Kaiser Permanente as employees approve work stoppage

The strike authorization vote is intended to increase pressure on the health care consortium as workers seek better pay and staffing

Sep 14, 2023
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MOHAMED HASSAN/PIXABAY

A road map for lowering insulin costs in Washington

A work group suggests lawmakers follow Minnesota’s lead to push down prices and even offer a month’s supply for free to those in urgent need

Sep 5, 2023

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Washington state will acquire Cascade Behavioral Health Hospital after purchasing it for nearly $30 million. | WASHINGTON STATE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE

Washington state completes acquisition of shuttered Tukwila psychiatric hospital

The nearly $30 million purchase is expected to add 100 new beds for patients who are committed to state hospital care

Aug 15, 2023