Featured speeches given by County Executive, Ron Sims
UW – Health Sciences Event – Tribute to MLK "Facing the Storm: People Responding as One"
Talking Points for Executive SimsUniversity of Washington Health and Science Center
Thursday, January 12, 2005
Welcome everyone. It is great to be here today to celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Junior and to celebrate the rich diversity of our community.
I would first like to thank members of the University of Washington Warren G. Magnuson Health Sciences Center, the University of Washington Medical Center, and members of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee for their efforts in making such a wonderful event possible. U.S. News and World Report has rated the UW Medical Center as one of the top ten hospitals in the nation. It is a testament to all of your hard work and dedication that UW remains one of the best institutions to study medicine and science.
Today we celebrate the late civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Junior, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. We have come so far since the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964 yet there is so much more to do. As Dr. King said, "All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face to face with another problem."
I think the current theme for this year's tribute is a very appropriate one – "Facing the Storm: People Responding as One." I'd like to talk about social justice and civil rights and how it affects your community, but first, let us look back and reflect.
What a year we've had. Particularly in the light of civil rights, we've witnessed many milestones and events that have transpired both on a local and national scale.
About a year ago, I stood in the magnificent new lobby of the King County Courthouse. With its panoramic mural depicting the sweep of history and how it shaped the lives of so many of us in King County -- it truly is a work of art. What stands out most in my eyes is Dr. King's historic 1963 March on Washington. Have you seen it? The next time you are downtown, take a few minutes and come see it. It is an impressive work that literally envelopes you in the history of both our region and our nation.
Another great local milestone that stands out is the state recognition of King County as Martin Luther King Junior County. Although we set the County name change in 1986, it was officially recognized by the State in April of 2005. We can now officially honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from a statewide and national stage. This ends a long struggle of change to recognize the County's as a place that stands for justice and equality. As an African-American leader of King County, it is something I am especially proud of.
And of course, who can forget how our country mourned and celebrated the life of Rosa Parks. We've witnessed the passing of an extraordinary woman, an extraordinary civil rights leader, and an extraordinary display of courage, strength, and human kindness. Rosa Parks is a great reminder that we can never forget about the power of ordinary people to stand in the fire for the cause of human dignity. Rosa touched the hearts of so many people with her single act of immeasurable strength.
Justice and equality are reoccurring ideals that we strive for in all aspects of our lives. It is especially apparent in the field of health and science. As many of you know, reforming and improving our health care system is an issue that is close to my heart. I believe that in the richest and most powerful country in the world, we ought to be able to provide basic health care to all of our citizens.
It is vitally important that we lessen the impact and burden of illness on all people in our communities, regardless of race, gender, or religion. It is critically important to rectify the injustices that many people face in our current health care system. Our purpose today signifies a necessary call for action among our region's top health institutions.
I believe that our community is only as strong as its people. And if people are not getting the adequate health care they need, particularly underserved communities, our foundation is truly in jeopardy.
Public health is directly connected to poverty, income, education, and, community. We can't look at health care in a silo and assume it is only a luxury for the well-off. We are morally responsible for improving the disparities in health care because a healthy society is the foundation on which we build our schools, our neighborhoods, and our economy. Health care is not a privilege – it is a right.
There is no greater priority in the King County government than the safety and welfare of our citizens. It is written in the preambles of our constitution. As long as I am King County Executive, I will never delegate the public health and safety of our residents to the federal and state government. We have come a long way in improving our health care system but we need to do more.
As we remember Hurricane Katrina this past year think about the haunting images of those stranded in New Orleans – the poor, the elderly, and the communities of color. It is powerful evidence of the fate of the dispossessed in the wealthiest nation on earth. The extent of the divide between rich and poor is clearly shown. And from this tragedy, public health disparities were glaringly apparent.
A survey released by the Kaiser Foundation a few weeks after Katrina hit examined the significant health challenges that are still complicating relief and recovery efforts. The findings were alarming:
• 52% of the evacuees reported having no health insurance coverage at the time of the hurricane.
• Of those with coverage, 34% came from Medicaid and 16% through Medicare,
• And 41% of evacuees reported chronic health conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and asthma
These are shameful numbers. They are shocking numbers. They are an indication of how far we still need to go to build a just and equitable society in America.
The US Census Bureau reports the number of uninsured people in our country has increased by 800,000. This translates into 45.8 million Americans. And among the uninsured; Blacks, Latinos, and certain Asian/Pacific Islander groups make up the majority.
As most of you know, the uninsured are less likely to receive preventative care, have regular checkups, get treatment for mental illness, and be admitted to the hospital for treatment on pre-existing conditions like heart disease or diabetes.
We are the wealthiest country in the world. According to three separate federal reports published this week, the U.S. now spends a world-beating 16 percent of our GDP on health care; far more than other industrialized nations.
And yet, the quality of that care includes startling and persistent disparities when it comes to communities of color.
Here in King County, we have one of the largest metropolitan health departments in the country. And based on per capita income, we are one of the wealthiest counties in the state. Fortune has smiled on us here – or on most of us, at least. Unfortunately, 15% of adults in King County are uninsured and 4% of our children go without health insurance. And like Hurricane Katrina evacuees, the largest percentage of our uninsured communities is among communities of color. That is unacceptable to me. We must do better at serving these populations.
Just this past week, Washington State dramatically reduced funding for King County's strained mental health system, while redirecting those funds in some cases to counties where they are not needed. The impact of the cuts will be severe. Because of unjustifiable and unfair policy decisions in Olympia, King County's mental health system is being pushed past the breaking point while some counties have surpluses in funds. This inequity must be corrected quickly. These cuts will cause irreversible harm to people's lives and the added costs for taxpayers as more people who can't get services are hospitalized or jailed.
This is an issue of basic fairness. A funding loss seriously erodes the County's mental health system and leaves the most vulnerable among us in danger of serious illness, homelessness, incarceration, hospitalization, or worse.
It is our duty to help the poor and afflicted. This reduction in funding is inhumane, unconscionable, and unnecessary. The state has a responsibility to ensure equal access to care. I will demand that the state take immediate steps to do so. We should not have to put our residents on a bus to Vancouver or Yakima for them to be able to access treatment services.
It is obvious that King County is not immune to these injustices. For all the strides we have made as a country in recent years, discrimination very much remains a powerful factor in the determination of health outcomes for minority communities.
When I was a kid, I can remember the searing images of elected officials, police and businesses blocking doors to freedom in America. My parents themselves were very active in Spokane. They said it was important both through their demonstrations, and through all of their civic work that Spokane was going to be an inclusive community. No matter who you were, wherever you lived, you were going to have full rights.
I believe that equity in health care is one of our major civil rights struggles today. As Dr. King says, "The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace, and brotherhood."
I know for many people, it is too easy to become accustomed to disparities, and assign them to factors beyond our control. It is easier to accept them as realities not likely to improve in our lifetime because of political inertia or indifference. I urge you to reject this way of thinking. Our goal must be to find solutions, not excuses.
Together, we can correct health care disparities. I speak, in particular, to the many of you here today in the health care profession. We have the opportunity to revisit and reform these social injustices. We can implement thoughtful, strategic, and continuous actions to bridge this gap.
As a people, we can achieve greatness by helping out our fellow man. Dr. King eloquently stated, "Everybody can be great … because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."
So we have more work to do. We can always do better. And we will do better.
We can look at our own practices in our daily work and re-examine how our efforts contribute to healthy communities for everyone.
We can take action in our personal and professional lives. Through generosity of time and money, we must make an effort to eliminate health injustices. We need to educate our children in the pursuit of social justice and engage them in our current actions.
The decisions and actions we make today will dictate whether we succeed in reducing the disparities of tomorrow.
Can we close the gap or will we see more communities of color suffer needlessly under the disproportionate burden of disease?
Will we strive to protect the health and well-being of all children, regardless of color or class? Will we secure their right to a healthy life?
Will we have one standard for healthy communities or will we continue along with the same faulty standards?
This is the challenge I pose to you all. For my part, I promise that King County will always take the lead in protecting the health and safety of our communities. I know in my heart that we can all work together to overcome health care disparities and ensure improved quality of life for all.
Let's work for a better tomorrow for everyone in our remarkable and diverse community.
Thank you.