Association News
UCNW's The Way Station Brings Much Needed Services
to Community
August 7, 2025
What started as a vision in 2017 between Unity Care NW’s (UCNW) Chief Strategy Officer and their former CEO, finally became a reality when the doors of The Way Station opened in November of 2024.
The Way Station tangibly supports essential health needs and helps restore dignity for community members experiencing homelessness, including key hygiene and social services. UCNW sees hygiene services as a critical basic need and hopes that by meeting this need, it will help unhoused community members feel more comfortable using additional lifesaving CHC services that are available.
In the planning stage, UCNW approached like-minded community organizations who could support providing these services. They worked closely with PeaceHealth, Opportunity Council and Whatcom County. Whatcom County convened a homeless strategies workgroup which identified a facility offering showers, laundry, and support services as a top community priority.
After many years of planning and delays caused by the pandemic, the Way Station opened its door thanks to a combination of local, state and federal funding, along with private donations. It initially opened with primary medical services, restrooms and showers, and laundry facilities. Respite care was added early in 2025 with 16 beds for individuals discharged from the hospital who need a temporary, supportive place to heal.
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While patrons are there, UCNW builds relationships and trust to incentivize deeper care around behavioral health, substance use and chronic disease. They hope to help facilitate and encourage the patrons’ interest in engaging with their health care team. The Way Station is operated through a partnership between UCNW, Opportunity Council, PeaceHealth and Whatcom County Health and Community Services. While services for people experiencing homelessness operate on the first floor, upstairs office space are occupied by several Bellingham and Whatcom County social services programs including the Homeless Outreach Team, the Alternative Response Team and the GRACE and LEAD programs that integrate law enforcement and service providers. The facility provides a range of integrated services that include: ▪ Primary medical care ▪ Behavioral health services ▪ Substance use disorder treatment ▪ Case management ▪ Showers ▪ Laundry facilities ▪ Restrooms ▪ Medical respite and meals Initially UCNW thought they would serve around 750 individuals during the first year of The Way Station. By July, the number of individuals who have used the services has surpassed 1000. Unity Care NW, along with their partners, clearly saw the need and met it for those who truly needed it.
WACH Statement on HHS Interpretation of PRWORA
July 11, 2025
On July 10, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the rescinding of a 1998 interpretation of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act (PRWORA). This new interpretation will limit access to federal public benefits - which includes the Health Center Program – for immigrant populations.
The announcement creates confusion and imposes new administrative hurdles to cost-effective patient care at a time when health centers are already facing financial and operational instability. Our health centers provide the most high-quality, preventative primary health care available.
When more people receive care at health centers, chronic disease is better managed and reliance on emergency rooms for non-emergency care decreases. In addition to supporting
whole-person health, this leads to more cost-effective care that lowers federal spending. This policy will drive more people away from preventative care, make communities sicker, weaken the community health center network, and further strain emergency rooms and hospitals.
Health centers are required by federal statute and by mission to serve everyone who walks through their doors, including immigrants and seasonal workers. This policy change lies directly in contrast with that critical mission.
Let us be clear: this change will impact everyone who receives care at a health center, regardless of their citizenship status. The Washington Association for Community Health has grave concerns about this change and remains resolute in our efforts to ensure health centers can continue to deliver high-quality primary care to everyone.
40 Years of Supporting the CHC Mission
By Dave Pearson, WACH CEO
July 9, 2025
You could describe the last six months in multiple ways: exciting, chaotic, innovative... The response to the things taking place in the world and in our country today resonates differently with different people and in different places. If you find that this level of near constant change is disruptive and difficult to navigate, you are far from alone. One thing is true though. As leaders in healthcare today, we have a duty and a desire to calm the storm, so that we can provide care and attention to the people who seek our support and services. WACH has been on that journey with you for 40 years and we will continue to be here in the years ahead.
Our compass in times like these is our collective mission, which I am rapidly assimilating. I have learned that the overriding mission of all community health centers (CHCs) is to deliver high quality, compassionate primary care to populations with a lower ability to pay, while preserving and strengthening access to culturally appropriate, whole-person care for everyone. I don’t believe there is anything controversial in that. CHCs have a record of distinguished service to your communities and thousands of patient stories where lives are forever changed for the better. That body of work can and must continue! But what do you do when you have dug as deep as you can and you can’t dig any further? Do you hand the shovel off to someone who is fresher or do you teach someone else how to dig? That is where WACH, your association partner, can help carry the load. We’re not afraid to help address difficult challenges on your behalf and in concert with you. We’re busy surveying and mapping this new landscape, so we can show you where all the pitfalls and opportunities may lie. We look forward to your active engagement with us and I'm eager to hear more from you. So let us commiserate but not forget to celebrate and also contemplate what surviving this new terrain looks like while delivering on our mission to care for the people of Washington over the next decade.
WACH Statement on Passage of Federal Budget Bill
July 3, 2025
H.R. 1 - known as the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” - which passed out of Congress will put great
strain on Washington State’s Community Health Centers (CHCs) and the people they serve.
The bill will increase the number of uninsured people in our state by as much as 25% and
erase decades of progress toward improving access to health coverage for Washingtonians.
The cuts to Medicaid will hit Washington State and our CHCs harder than others. According
to Gov. Ferguson’s statement, at least 250,000 will lose their Medicaid coverage, and up to
620,000 are at risk of losing other existing health coverage.
Medicaid makes up 61% of care delivered by CHCs in Washington. Due to their mission and
values, health centers already serve anyone regardless of their insurance status. A significant increase in the number of uninsured in our community, coinciding with a significant decrease in Medicaid revenue, however, will hinder their ability to provide lifesaving, coordinated, and comprehensive care to all. CHCs will be left with some tough choices including cutting core services, reducing essential staff, or closing sites.
The bill also eliminates the funding authorization for Area Health Education Centers (AHEC). If not included in the upcoming appropriations process, our health system will see reduced access to care in underserved and rural areas and a shrinking community health workforce. We ask that Congress include funding for AHEC in the upcoming appropriations process.
We appreciate the efforts of the Senate to mitigate the impact through the Rural Health Transformation Program. However, this will not be enough to sustain our health system and our CHCs. We will continue to work with Congress through the appropriations process to ensure we can continue to operate effectively and provide the highest quality care for the most vulnerable among us.
Washington Voters Strongly Support Medicaid
April 10, 2025
Potential cuts to the Medicaid program have been getting attention recently due to its monumental importance on the
lives of Americans, and especially Washingtonians. Medicaid (known as Apple Health in WA) has found itself on the list for potential cuts at the federal level. However, Washingtonians overwhelmingly support Medicaid in its current form and find great need in its retention.
According to a Morning Consult survey, 92% of Washington voters say it’s important to have a strong, sustainable Medicaid program in the US. Also, 76% of Washington voters have a favorable view of Medicaid, and 70% oppose cutting funding for Medicaid. Voters in our state clearly agree that Medicaid is a priority. When asked about their number one priority in Medicaid, 29% of Washington voters said Affordability, 22% said Accessibility, and 15% said Cost Effectiveness. Medicaid is a popular program that Washingtonians do not want to see cut. Our voters want Medicaid to continue to provide affordable and accessible healthcare coverage to those who need it the most. Those who use Medicaid in WA – and would therefore be most impacted by federal cuts – account for 25% of the state’s population, according to the Washington State Health Care Authority. Many more children are enrolled in Medicaid, with almost 50% of children in the state finding care in the program. Continue to advocate to your members of Congress about the importance of retaining Medicaid coverage in its current form. Share your story to ensure your member of Congress knows why protecting Medicaid is important to their constituents here.
Washington Association for Community Health Announces David Pearson as New CEO
February 12, 2025
The Washington Association for Community Health (the Association) is excited to announce David Pearson as our new CEO. As a former regional executive for the American Hospital Association, Dave brings a strong background in health care policy, advocacy, and health care association management. He also led the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals and was Director of Operations for the Center for Rural Health Initiatives, giving him a deep understanding of rural health needs.
Dave is a convener and bridge builder, bringing experience creating consensus among hospital leaders across four states and working in bi-partisan environments. Dave believes strongly in the mission of community health centers and will use his expertise to guide our ongoing work to create innovative workforce development programs, offer technical assistance, and advocate for policies that strengthen community health centers. Dave’s official start date is April 15, 2025. We hope you will join us in welcoming Dave to our team. He is looking forward to working with you to ensure everyone in Washington can access high-quality, affordable health care. Celebrating Bob Marsalli We would also like to thank outgoing CEO Bob Marsalli for nine years of committed service to the Association. In his time as CEO, Bob championed the expansion of affordable dental care, advocating for the state to fund 43 new dental clinics at community health centers. He also guided the Association through the COVID-19 pandemic, successfully advocating for $118 million of emergency funds to prevent community health clinics from going bankrupt during lockdown. He has stewarded significant expansion of the Association’s programs and staff, among many accomplishments. Bob is retiring after a 20-year career in community health centers. His important work began at a CHC in rural Oregon, then as CEO of the Montana Primary Care Association, before arriving in Washington. He is well known throughout the country as a thoughtful and charismatic leader who deeply believes in and advocates for access to culturally responsive, affordable, quality care, and he will be greatly missed by all.
