Submitted by the San Juan County Public Hospital District No. 1.
At San Juan County Public Hospital District No. 1, our mission has always been to provide and support high-quality health care for our community. We’re proud to serve the residents of San Juan Island with a range of essential services, including senior living, home care and emergency medical services. However, as the demand for health care continues to grow, we’re facing a shortage of available caregivers.
A major cause of the caregiver shortage is housing insecurity. Evan Perrollaz, director of Village at Home, recently shared that, “Just this past month, I’ve had two caregivers resign because they lost their housing on the island.” Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. Many of our dedicated health care professionals are struggling to secure and maintain stable housing, making it increasingly difficult for the Hospital District to meet the needs of our community.
These circumstances, along with many other concerning trends, have led the Hospital District’s board of commissioners to present a ballot measure for a levy lid lift.
This new funding is a step toward bridging the increasing gap between our community’s health care needs and their access to essential services. Commissioner Trish Lehman noted in the special board meeting that, “On this island we need to be prepared to take care of each other. I’m concerned about our vulnerable populations.”
If the lid lift is approved, the District plans to expand Medicaid at Village at Home, work on converting short-term rentals into long-term housing for health care workers and expand the scope of San Juan Island EMS’ Community Paramedicine program.
The choice to expand services is a decision the community can make through voting in the upcoming local election. Superintendent Nathan Butler noted that, “We always approach asking the public for funding with caution. Ultimately, the public decides what matters to them.”
For further information on lid lift planning, please visit our website at www.sjcphd1.org.
