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Spokane County commissioner highlights Medicaid concerns, new youth services and ongoing local projects
Summary
District 2 County Commissioner Amber Waldrep told the Spokane County Board of County Commissioners that she has been pressing federal and state lawmakers to protect funding for local public-health and substance treatment programs and that she participated in a Medicaid roundtable convened by U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell.
District 2 County Commissioner Amber Waldrep told the Spokane County Board of County Commissioners that she has been pressing federal and state lawmakers to protect funding for local public-health and substance treatment programs and that she participated in a Medicaid roundtable convened by U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell.
"I did a quick trip to Washington DC to pitch Spokane County spending requests, and I continue to monitor bills and budgets in Olympia," Waldrep said, adding she heard concerns at a third legislative district town hall about state policies and that she will keep the public informed about ways to advocate for community health.
Waldrep said she is watching potential cuts to state and federal funds that, if enacted, could affect the Spokane Regional Health District’s ability to prevent disease, support maternal and infant health and sustain substance use treatment programs. She said the Medicaid roundtable gave her direct accounts from patients and care providers about how many people in both urban and rural parts of the county rely on Medicaid and the possible disruption that congressional changes could cause.
Alongside policy work, Waldrep reviewed local site visits and community meetings in the past month. She said she visited Partners Inland Northwest’s Future Community Center in Spokane Valley, met the new chief and firefighters of Fire District 9, celebrated the opening of a Youth Behavioral Center at the Native Project, and met with Nevada Heights and Shiloh Hills neighborhood councils. Waldrep also visited construction of the Crosswalk Youth Shelter operated by Volunteers of America.
Waldrep framed the travel and meetings as part of ongoing constituent outreach and intergovernmental advocacy. She said she will continue tracking state and federal proposals and keep residents informed through her monthly newsletter and social media.
No formal actions or votes were recorded during her remarks; Waldrep’s report was an informational update to the commission.
