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Community Health Advisory Board
The Island County Community Health Advisory Board (CHAB) is the longest standing board of its kind in Washington state. Members are appointed and act in an advisory capacity to Island County's Board of Health. They make recommendations to the board in matters concerning public health as authorized in the Engrossed Second House Bill 1152 (RCW 70.46.140).
Regular Monthly CHAB Meetings
- Meetings are at 11 AM on the first Friday of the every month.
- Meetings are held in person in the Commissioners' Hearing Room, B-102, Coupeville Anne Building located at the corner of 6th and Main Street.
- Join the meeting via Zoom.
- Meeting ID: 945 2101 9995 / Passcode: 087548
- By phone (audio only): 253-215-8782 / Meeting ID: 945 2101 9995
Agendas & Minutes
- Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.
- View Agendas & Minutes
The Island County Board of Health (BOH) selected its first 21-member Community Health Advisory Board (CHAB) on March 8, 1993. CHAB was established to provide a community forum to assess the community's health concerns and needs, prioritize and recommend policy to address those concerns, and to assure that such policies attend to the community's needs. CHAB was further charged to address concerns in any area affecting health -- be it personal health, environmental health, poverty, homelessness, joblessness, abuse, or any other concern impacting community well-being - and to advise the local Board of Health of measures requiring BOH or other community action.
- Discuss ideas and issues that the board of health is not yet ready to formally consider.
- On behalf of the board of health, research new or controversial ideas, specific topics, and professional input.
- Help build consensus on difficult issues.
- Serve as an advisory for the community health improvement plan.
- Provide connections between the board of health and community.
If you are interested in helping develop policy for the Island County Board of Health and address health issues in our community, please attend a meeting and complete the CHAB Member Application.
- Talking about your experiences as an Island County resident and/or as a patient/consumer of public health services member - but also think beyond your own personal experiences.
- Speaking up and sharing suggestions and potential solutions to help improve community health.
- Dedicating at least four hours each month to CHAB and complete the required Open Government Training.
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Erin Lavery-Mullins, Chair
Camano Island
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Michele Aguilar Kahrs, Co-Chair
Freeland
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Rene Denman
Oak Harbor
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Deborah Seymour-Ferguson
Camano Island
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Melissa Frasch-Brown
Oak Harbor
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Charlotte McRill
Oak Harbor
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Bob Uhrich
Camano Island
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Heidi Beck
Oak Harbor
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Alma Johnser
Oak Harbor
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Nicole Rice
Oak Harbor
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Fe Mischo
Freeland
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Michele Cato
Clinton
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Marian Myszkowski
Langley
Equity Lies At The Center of Our Work
Advancing equity in the health department, across government, and/or with community partners requires mobilizing communities and government to advocate for action. Health equity asks people to recognize that entire groups of people cannot enjoy opportunities that others have come to expect because of the conditions created by current and historical decision-making. Moving toward a society committed to health equity means ensuring that everyone, regardless of race, neighborhood, or financial status, has fair and equal access to be as healthy as possible.
Our work is directed by RCW 70.46.140. and WAC 246-90-005 which states, the CHAB shall "...use a health equity framework to conduct, assess, and identify the community health needs of the jurisdiction, and review and recommend public health policies and priorities for the local health jurisdiction and advisory board to address community health needs."
“[Health equity] requires removing obstacles to health such as poverty, discrimination, and their consequences, including powerlessness and lack of access to good jobs with fair pay, quality education and housing, safe environments, and health care …health equity means reducing and ultimately eliminating disparities in health and its determinants that adversely affect excluded or marginalized groups.”
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation