Rural Healthcare takes many forms in Central Washington

Between late nights attending Appropriations Committee markups, working to prevent the Chinese Communist Party from purchasing American land, and voting to fully fund our veterans’ programs, the past few months in Washington, D.C. have been quite busy. That is why, when the legislative calendar permitted me to get back to Central Washington last week, I was especially looking forward to coming home. While home, I visited with residents, local groups, and businesses and discussed some of the great things going on as well as some of the unique challenges our region is facing—and one issue I kept coming back to was rural healthcare access. In rural communities like Central Washington, lack of accessible healthcare is a major issue, and it is a priority of mine to expand our options so residents are not forced to drive hours to receive the care they deserve.

On Monday, I toured the Kids Hope Children’s Advocacy Center in Moses Lake, where I met with Center Coordinator, Elisa. Elisa and her staff gave me a tour of their facilities, where I learned more about the incredible work they are doing for Central Washington children and families. Many of them that come to the Center have faced domestic violence, sexual abuse, and trauma due to crime, and while it was difficult to hear some of their stories, I gained valuable insight into how the center’s staff helps them work through life-altering incidents.

In rural regions such as Central Washington, centers like Kids Hope are few and far between, so it is a priority of mine to ensure that our rural healthcare coverage is expanded to ensure that victims can get the help that they deserve. I am a co-sponsor of the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act to replenish the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) by redirecting funds claimed through the False Claims Act into the CVF. This would provide much needed resources to centers across the country without increasing federal spending.

I also had the opportunity to see how rural healthcare is expanding at the new Samaritan Healthcare facility in Moses Lake. In fiscal year 2023, I secured funding for their Women and Infant Services ward in the new hospital to address the growing community need for state-of-the-art labor and delivery options close to home. Unlike many rural communities, Grant County’s population is increasing, and with that comes new healthcare demands. Samaritan’s Women and Infant Services Initiative is the only provider of this level of maternity and post-natal care in the region, and as the number of medically complicated pregnancies and births continues to rise, this facility will help meet those needs as well as the needs of the greater community locally after construction is completed next year.

In the Tri-Cities, I toured the Seasons Housing facility, where Executive Director Jason discussed the journey towards recovery for those rebuilding their lives after facing addiction. Seasons Housing is a recovery residence aiming to provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals, and Jason has a team of dedicated and compassionate staff who have firsthand experience with the struggles of addiction and recovery, so they understand the support residents need. There are too few facilities like Seasons Housing in our region, so to expand access, I submitted a Community Project Funding request for fiscal year 2025 to convert the old Kennewick General Hospital into residential apartments and a community center for those looking to reintegrate back into the community.

Central Washington is truly a special place — it’s our home — it is always great to speak directly with the folks I advocate for every day in Congress. Making our communities better will always be my top priority — not just as your representative, but as a neighbor.