Public Forum to Address Healthcare Access and Quality in Humboldt County Set for April 24

Press release from the County of Humboldt:

The County of Humboldt’s Human Resources Department, in partnership with the Humboldt Health Foundation and Humboldt Area Foundation and Wild Rivers Community Foundation (HAF+WRCF), invites the community to an important public event: “Healthcare Access and Quality Challenges: Wider Community Impacts.” This event will explore critical issues facing the local healthcare system and the real impacts these challenges have on the lives of Humboldt County’s residents.

This event will take place on Thursday, April 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Dell’Arte, located at 131 H St. in Blue Lake. A livestream will be available via Access Humboldt for virtual attendees.

Background

Humboldt County is designated as a Health Provider Shortage Area by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The entire Redwood Coast region is also classified as a Mental Health Provider Shortage Area. These designations highlight serious gaps in the local healthcare system, making this issue a priority for the community.

This event will offer an in-depth, data-informed look at these challenges and how they impact the local healthcare system, workforce and the community as a whole. The program will feature two panel discussions, moderated by Humboldt County Human Resources’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion & Organizational Development Manager Dr. Jeremy Clark, with subject-matter experts from healthcare, human resources, government, non-profits and local business sectors. Topics include:

• How healthcare shortages impact local recruitment, hiring, retention and the local economy
• The disproportionate effects limited healthcare access has on marginalized communities in Humboldt County
• Possible actions that can be made to improve Humboldt County’s healthcare landscape

Audience participation will be encouraged via a virtual platform to uplift voices in the community.

Participate In Person

Attend the event in person on Thursday, April 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Dell’Arte, located at 131 H St. in Blue Lake. In person attendance is limited due to venue capacity. Registration is required for all in person attendees, including members of the press. To register, please fill out the online event registration form.

Participate Via Livestream

The event will be livestreamed by Access Humboldt and will provide opportunities for virtual audience engagement. To watch the livestream, visit youtube.com/AccessHumboldt or tune in to Optimum Channel 8 from home. No registration is required to view the livestream or broadcast. A recording will be available after the event on Access Humboldt’s YouTube page.

This community event was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Humboldt Health Foundation and HAF+WRCF. The Humboldt County Human Resources Department extends its sincere thanks to these organizations, to all of the panelists sharing their time and expertise and to Access Humboldt for providing broadcast support.

For more information on Humboldt County’s Department of Human Resources, please visit call 707-476-2349, email [email protected] or visit the county’s Human Resources Department web page.