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Pandemic and Racism Community Advisory Group

Pandemic and Racism Community Advisory Group

About the Pandemic and Racism Community Advisory Group
Link/share this page: kingcounty.gov/parcag


In early March 2020, Public Health — Seattle & King County convened representatives from various community, business, and government sectors in King County who are working together to help slow the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) by accelerating the use of the recommended and required community mitigation strategies.

Committed to two-way communication, the Advisory Group helps share information and urge action within their respective networks, and also informs Public Health on what they are seeing on the ground – both challenges and opportunities. We work to help prevent, interrupt, and respond to misinformation and stigma.

Information about COVID-19 is changing frequently. Guidance found in these presentations may be outdated. Please consult the COVID-19 homepage for the most current information.

February 16, 2023

  • Race/Ethnicity Data, Federal Public Comments
  • King County Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan Update Collaboration

February 2, 2023

  • Schedule in 2023
  • Public Health Policy Updates
    • Healing Through Policy Cohort Application
    • King County Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan Update
    • Public Health Strategic Plan Update

January 19, 2023

  • End-of-year member survey results
  • Public Health updates on COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses
  • King County Determinants of Equity Report Update

December 1, 2022

  • Check in exercise, what’s on your heart?
  • Consultant recommendations for PARCAG
  • Budget debrief

November 3, 2022

  • ARCH workplan
  • Determinants of Equity report update

October 5, 2022

  • Introducing Dr Faisal Khan, Director, PHSKC
  • Sept 24 retreat report out
  • Public health updates: racism is a public health crisis, COVID-19 and Monkeypox

September 1, 2022

  • National Academies public comments on federal policies that create racial health inequities
  • Public health updates: racism is a public health crisis, COVID-19, Monkeypox, E. coli

July 21, 2022

  • Fall retreat planning
  • Public health updates

July 7, 2022

  • Public Health budget debrief and discussion
  • Public health updates: vaccines for children under five and state data disaggregation progress

June 15, 2022

  • Optional meeting: Public Health updates and review of upcoming advisory group events and conversations

May 5, 2022

  • Public Health budget process - prioritization of key investment requests

April 21, 2022

  • Public Health institutional accountability and transparency
  • Call in to collective work
  • Breakout caucus rooms

April 7, 2022

  • Reviewing group agreements and white supremacy culture
  • Discussion on collective work
  • Breakout rooms

February 17, 2022

  • Public Health policy priorities and 2023-24 budget

February 2, 2022

  • Membership and retreat updates
  • Public Health Updates on vax and testing sites
  • ARCH Framework

January 6, 2022

  • COVID-19 Trends and Updates with Dr. Jeff Duchin
  • Updates on At-Home Test Kit Distribution

December 2, 2021

  • Vaccine verification policy: follow-up process for non-compliance.
  • Public Health updates

November 18, 2021

  • Updates and reporting back on vaccine verification, antigen testing kits
  • Report back on State Department of Health notifiable conditions rule changes
  • Listening session on hospital discharge data proposed rule changes

November 4, 2021

  • Introductions to Public Health Interim Director, Dennis Worsham
  • Updates on Racism as a Public Health Crisis workgroup

October 21, 2021

  • Actions partners are taking on supporting equity for Native communities
  • Strategy for at-home antigen test distribution

September 16, 2021

  • COVID hospitalizations, incidence rates, mortalities
  • Geographic and demographic disparities
  • Variants of concer
  • Place-based strategy overview
  • Vaccine verification policy
  • Retreat updates

July 1, 2021

  • Racism as a Public Health Crisis and the Role of Data
  • Social and Economic Disparities in COVID 19 Technical Report and Dashboard Outcomes
  • Public Health Updates

June 3, 2021

  • COVID-19 trends and vaccination
  • Director Patty Hayes' retirement, and advisory community group for director recruitment
  • Racism is a Public Health Crisis
  • Making our Regional Economy More Equitable and Inclusive
  • CDC COVID-19 Health Disparities Grant update and next steps

May 20, 2021

  • COVID-19 trends
  • Restrictions and re-opening and vaccinations
  • What has work to increase vaccine rates?
  • What hasn't worked?
  • What should be our collective direction for the summer?
  • What has work to increase vaccine rates?
  • What hasn't worked?
  • What should be our collective direction for the summer?

May 6, 2021

  • Food Security Assistance Program
  • Public Health Updates
  • 2021 Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan

April 15, 2021

  • Public Health updates
  • COVID rental assistance
  • Eviction Prevention & Rental Assistance Program
  • CDC COVID-19 Health Disparities Grant
  • Steering Committee and Institutional Partners Meeting

April 1, 2021

  • Covid 19 updates
  • Phase 3 Healthy Washington
  • Discussion: Rising rates and our collective response
  • Review of 2021 2022 budget, including anti racism budget
  • Current funding from state and federal government
  • Looking forward: 2023 2024 budget and on going engagement with PARCAG

March 18, 2021

  • Land acknowledgment
  • Vaccine Updates
  • What is coming up in your community space?
  • What are you hearing as it relates to racism, and to vaccine access needs?
  • How can Public Health support you?
  • Vaccination and BIPOC Communities

March 4, 2021

  • Updates and Action Items
  • Public Health Updates
  • Rental Assistance Letter Update
  • Tracking Tool for Community Input and Accountability,
  • Equity Principles & Work Influenced by PARCAG
  • Steering Committee membership updates

February 18, 2021

  • Community Agreements & Accountability
  • Rental Assistance Policy and How to Center Racial Equity
  • Public Health Update: COVID 19 & Vaccination
  • Vaccine Doses by Race/Ethnicity, & Age
  • Equity Principles & Work Influenced by PARCAG
  • Microsoft Vaccination Work
  • Pop up Vaccines

February 4, 2021

  • Public Health Update: COVID-19 Vaccinations Updates and Implementation Planning, Equity Principles and Best Practices
  • Department of Health Updates
  • Presentation, Community Partnership for Older Adults
  • 2020 Survey Highlights

January 7, 2021

  • Intro to COVID vaccine
  • Implementation of COVID vaccine to date: state and local activities, and “Phase 1a”
  • Next steps in COVID vaccine implementation: guidance on “Phase 1b”
  • PARCAG Survey

December 3, 2020

  • King County Public Health Updates
  • Community Health Board Coalition panel
  • Updates: State Board of Health—race/ethnicity data for notifiable conditions
  • Meeting Close & Next Steps

December 17, 2020

  • King County Public Health Updates: Matias Valenzuela
  • PARCAG Member Engagement: Jodilyn Owen & Tara Lawal
  • Meeting Close & Next Steps

November 19, 2020

  • Updates on COVID-19 surge
  • Exposure Setting Data—where are people getting infected?
  • How to amplify our Public Health Messages on Social media
  • What can PARCAG members do to disseminate translated materials?
  • Update on the upcoming Public Education Campaign
  • How to participate in the Ambassador emails

November 5, 2020

  • King County Public Health Updates
  • Panel & Discussion: PARCAG Institutional Partners
  • State Board of Health—race/ethnicity data for notifiable conditions
  • Executive Order –Kimberly Meck
  • Family violence report is posted

October 8, 2020

  • Welcome (Yordanos Teferi and Sandra Huber)
  • COVID-19 and Racism is a Public Health Crisis policy agenda updates (Matias Valenzuela)
  • Next steps from 9/24 budget update PARCAG meeting (Yordanos and group)
  • King County grant-making processes for food vouchers and rental assistance
  • Updates

September 3, 2020

  • Discussion with Dr. Jeff Duchin and Director Patty Hayes
    • What challenges are you experiencing in the work to combat and take precautions for COVID-19?
    • What are immediate steps Public Health could take to improve the situation?
    • What policy changes could address lessons learned so far?

September 10, 2020

  • Update on "Racism is a Public Health Crisis"
  • Revised purpose statement and Steering Committee for Pandemic and Racism Community Advisory Group

August 13, 2020

  • Food security
    • CARES Act Request for Application
    • Food security: draft of new data brief

  • Planning for a future COVID 19 vaccine

August 20, 2020

  • PCAG subgroup proposal to modify PCAG purpose and leadership structure
  • King County Budget, supplemental request and 2021-2022 biennium

July 2, 2020

  • Reflections
  • Feedback on mental health indicators brief
  • Maximizing safety in Phase 2 reopening: your challenges & successes

July 9, 2020

  • Introductions
  • Participation guidelines
  • Background: Commitments to pro-equity strategies in the King County budget
  • Budget input Part 1: COVID-19 emergency funding (2020)
  • Budget input Part 2: 2021-2022 biennial budget

July 23, 2020

  • A conversation with Patty Hayes, Director, Public Health-Seattle & King County
    • COVID-19: Where do we stand today in King County? What barriers and issues are you seeing?
    • Racism is a public health crisis

July 30, 2020

  • A conversation on equity impacts: the interconnected systems of childcare and schools

June 4, 2020

  • Standing for Justice while we keep our community safe
  • COVID-19 and Unrecognized Realities Experienced by Black People
  • Safe Start: King County's application to the State for modified Phase 1 opening
  • King County Small Business Task Force Webinars
  • Testing updates
  • Now hiring - Contact Tracers!
  • Face coverings and personal protective equipment
  • New grant opportunity: supplemental COVID-19 Community Response Fund, King County Office of Equity and Social Justice
  • New data on the Social, Economic and Overall Health Impact Dashboard: Traffic

June 11, 2020

  • Face coverings distribution
  • Safe Start Phase 2
  • Reflections from the Community Health Board Coalition
  • Racism is a public health crisis

June 18, 2020

  • Community Well-being
  • Seattle Foundation Phase 2 Grants
  • Re-opening safely
  • Open discussion and announcements

June 25, 2020

  • Announcements from Advisory Group members
  • Discuss King County Budget

May 7, 2020

  • Check in on proposed non-medical face coverings directive
  • Mobilizing for contact tracing

May 14, 2020

  • Follow-up items
  • Perspectives from Advisory Group members
  • Monitoring social, economic, and health impacts of COVID-19 mitigation on King County residents

May 21, 2020

  • Seattle Foundation – Phase 2 Update
  • Reflections from Aging & Disability Services
  • Check in on face coverings Directive
  • Considerations for expanding community access to PPE

May 28, 2020

  • Controlling the spread of COVID-19 in King County: What barriers are you seeing? What help is needed?

April 2, 2020

  • Positive signs - and a continued call to action
  • Current situation and key resources
  • Isolation and quarantine discussion
  • Supporting mental health: what would be helpful?

April 9, 2020

  • Welcome and current context
  • COVID-19 Data Tools; understanding the impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups – what’s important to you?
  • Seattle Foundation COVID-19 Response Fund – Feedback & Next Steps
  • Open forum/Q&A

April 16, 2020

  • Welcome
  • Discussion with King County Metro Transit
  • Looking ahead: A conversation with Patty Hayes, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County

April 23, 2020

  • Deepening community partnerships to build a more just recovery
  • Highlighting community response efforts
  • Follow-up items from previous meetings

April 30, 2020

  • Path forward
  • Updated on COVID-19 data by race/ethnicity
  • Community response efforts
  • Follow-upand future items

March 5, 2020

  • Intent of Advisory Group
  • COVID-19 Response – Community Mitigation Structure
  • Current Guidance - Recommended Strategies to Reduce Spread
  • Open Forum – Priority Issues and Questions

March 12, 2020

  • Follow-ups from last week
  • Current situation and guidance
  • COVID-19 Response Fund: Seattle Foundation

March 19, 2020

  • Current situation and new guidance
  • Communication tools
  • Matching needs and resources: What’s happening now? Creative ideas for more rapid, equity-driven connections?

March 26, 2020

  • An encouragement for self-care
  • Community mitigation group structure – sector task forces
  • Seattle Foundation COVID-19 Response Fund Update
  • Latest mitigation strategies: Stay Home, Stay Healthy and accompanying social marketing campaign
  • Supporting mental health: what would be helpful?

For more information about the Pandemic and Racism Community Advisory Group, contact:

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