Congratulations Seattle Children’s and MultiCare Health System for receiving this year’s Community Health Leadership Award at WSHA’s Annual Meeting Oct. 9.
The Zero Suicide Initiative is a nationwide program that aims to reduce pediatric self-harm and death by suicide. All patients at Seattle Children’s are screened with a standard questionnaire. Those who are at risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors are connected with the appropriate resources and care. The program screens about 1,000 patients per month, of which about one-quarter exhibit thoughts or behaviors of self-harm. The program screens children as young as 10 to address the increasing number of youth attempting suicide. Watch WSHA’s video spotlight to learn more the Zero Suicide Initiative at Seattle Children’s.
The Oakland Clinic was created in partnership between MultiCare Health System and Tacoma Public Schools, providing health care services to students and children who attend the onsite daycare. Oakland High School is an alternative high school, and 97 percent of the school’s roughly 200 students receive free or reduced lunch, and 21 percent chronically experience homelessness. Its graduation rate is 36 percent, far below the district’s overall graduation rate of 89 percent. The clinic has been instrumental in not only keeping students healthy, but also improving their academic outcomes. Watch MultiCare’s video spotlight to learn more about the Oakland Clinic.
Read more about this year’s award winners on the WSHA website. The Community Health Leadership Award is given each year to a hospital or health system that is serving its broader community in innovative and lasting ways.
