ACCESSIBILITY

Island accessibility is lacking

Two weeks ago my lovely niece Ashley came to visit. She wanted to have lunch and see the island. Ashley is paraplegic. We found that two of our popular restaurants either had a dangerous ramp, or halls so narrow she couldn’t access the back or restrooms. I wanted to take her to see some of the amazing trails and views. But I found myself scratching my head as I thought about where would be wheelchair accessible. We eventually took a short “hike” up the Shinglemill Creek trail.

The question of accessibility on the island is something I’d love to explore. We have so much to offer, but only to those without limitations.

Deborah Salas

ISLAND URGENT CARE

DispatchHealth is professional and effective

Having been a nurse for 50 years with experience in inpatient, outpatient, and public health, domestically and abroad, I read with interest The Beachcomber article on VIFR’s plan to provide urgent care for Vashon Island.

Most islanders agree that having to go off-island for urgent care is a significant challenge. Delay or neglect of care may result in the need for emergency medical transport by VIFR to off-island emergency rooms.

While this seems to be pushing VIFR to address the need for on-island urgent care, it surprises me that they would undertake the effort to be providers of that care themselves. To maintain excellence in their mission to provide fire safety, fire response, and emergency medical services requires a dedicated and well-trained team from the chief on down. We are fortunate to have such a team on Vashon.

However, I fear that expanding VIFR’s mission to include urgent care may dilute their efforts and jeopardize their principal mission.

As mentioned in the same issue, the Vashon Health Care District (VHCD) has put much effort into discussions with an existing and respected urgent care service (DispatchHealth) whose model would be to provide mobile urgent care services on Vashon seven days a week, as they are already doing in many other communities across the country.

They have an established system that is professional and high-functioning. It includes highly trained and supervised health professionals with access to a wide range of services including mobile imaging (X-ray), in-home intravenous (IV) treatment, lab services, and a referral network (MultiCare).

My hope is that VIFR continues to focus its efforts on fire and rescue along with emergency medical services, and works with the VHCD to support efforts at establishing high quality and professional urgent health care services on Vashon Island.

Charlie Pieterick

Give fire department’s plan a chance

Some sort of urgent care on the island would be great. A brick-and-mortar urgent care location is something that, in all likelihood, will not happen due to the population here, which isn’t big enough to support such an endeavor.

Now the Vashon Health Care District (VHCD) is at a point that they seem to have a contract in hand from DispatchHealth for a two-year, $1 million-plus taxpayer-subsidized program to see if something like that will work on the island. They first met with DispatchHealth in late February, the same time Vashon Island Fire & Rescue (VIFR) rolled out Mobile Integrated Health. I greatly appreciate all the work VHCD has done, and we all agree that something like this is needed to fill the gap in healthcare on the island.

My concern is that VHCD may be rushing to bring DispatchHealth to the island and not giving a harder look at keeping our tax money on the island to expand urgent care through VIFR.

VIFR has Mobile Integrated Health up and running, and it is working. In the last few months Chief Matt Vinci and his staff have worked tirelessly to see if they can expand MIH to include urgent care. He thinks they can. His plan is based loosely on the urgent care model, profiled in the Seattle Times, of the North Mason Regional Fire Authority. VIFR would not be a profit-driven enterprise, unlike DispatchHealth, which is a for-profit company with investors.

We have all seen health care providers come and go over the course of a decade or two. VIFR isn’t going anywhere and would be significantly less expensive than DispatchHealth. DispatchHealth will negatively impact MIH and VIFR by taking EMS dollars away from VIFR.

Why will VHCD not take a little more time and let Chief Vinci make this happen? Give the chief and VIFR a chance and keep our tax dollars on the island. This is a decision that could impact the island for a long time.

Ron Smothermon

VASHON POST OFFICE

We need answers

Why are we being held hostage by criminals?

I have many questions concerning the recent changes to access to postal boxes. I agree steps should be taken to protect our mail both inside and outside of the post office, but this is getting out of hand. Why are we being forced to rent boxes and purchase locking street side mailboxes at considerable personal expense because criminals are allowed to freely and continuously run rampant disrupting our lives?

The first I heard of the changes was on Facebook. I checked in person on Sunday and saw six other people locked out — one, a senior with a cane and a bag who was coming to collect their mail. Not everyone is on Facebook and not everyone gets The Beachcomber. Not everyone can come in during the very limited business hours the post office holds.

Who made this unilateral decision? Why weren’t box holders sent notices about this proposal in advance? It isn’t as if the damage was done very recently. Why weren’t other security measures taken before this? Will box holders be getting partial refunds for lack of access to boxes? Why can’t the lobby be opened as soon as employees arrive and after they have left both of which encompass more time than business hours?

It isn’t as if employees can see what is going on around the corner when the retail lobby is open anyway. Criminals are less likely to commit their dastardly acts when people are there.

Why are we being held hostage by thieves and vandals? Why hasn’t law enforcement, including postal regulators, been more actively involved in this situation which has been ongoing for years?

There should be a meeting organized by the post office, including law enforcement and postal regulators, to discuss this untenable situation. Enough is enough.

Michelle Harvey

THUNDERBIRD TREATMENT CENTER

Facility is needed on Vashon

I am writing in support of the Seattle Indian Health Board’s Thunderbird Treatment Center being on Vashon Island.

I am writing as a professional mental health therapist who has worked with people struggling to recover from addiction, and as a citizen and spiritually informed by the admonition of religious traditions to help others.

It is the spirit of American liberalism to espouse such principles publicly but to resist them privately when the issue at hand raises fear, costs money, or takes place next door. This two-faced Janus has a long American history: red-lining neighborhoods to restrict minorities has its genesis in the northern migration of Black Americans. When official racism was outlawed, local councils often adopted single-family zoning laws to “protect” neighborhoods from multi-unit dwellings — apartments where the poor tend to live.

The Seattle Indian Health Board is a professional organization with a good treatment track record. Those opposed to this much-needed public service on Vashon are raising unfounded suspicions about gaming the zoning ordinances—zoning, the bulwark of “not in my back yard.”

Vashon is a relatively cohesive, civic-minded place with a national reputation for being liberal. I believe that we can afford taking risks for the greater good. We can afford to be generous and welcoming and supportive. What we can’t afford is to do otherwise, for that damages our moral health.

This is a great opportunity to support, to problem solve, to get involved in a great need, and to walk our talk.

Robert Hawkins

Where better than here?

When I think about my island community, I think of neighbors checking in during power outages, friends starting meal trains for those suffering a loss, and businesses ever generous to local causes. I know there is another side to this community, but that’s not what makes this place so special.

I feel ashamed of the reception that Seattle Indian Health Board has had regarding the Thunderbird Treatment Center. I know the closure of Vashon Community Care Center has left an emotional scar, and I also know how hard our community tried and failed to keep it open — largely because of the same hardships facing continuing care centers regionally. It’s essential that we separate this loss from the opportunity presented by Thunderbird Treatment Center, and not villainize those who have extraordinary plans to continue a legacy of care and healing in a place we care for deeply.

Imagine a young mother who has done the arduous work to get off drugs and is now surrounded by experts providing the loving expertise she needs to build a firm foundation for continued sobriety. Her healing is further enhanced because she has her young children by her side. What better place to heal than here, amidst nature and the powerful force of this creative, loving community?

I feel incredibly lucky to live here and immensely grateful to share this place and its bounty with those who need a nurturing place to heal. Join me and add your name to show your support: friendsofthunderbird.org.

Kathryn True

Share your voice

If you want to support the Thunderbird Treatment Center coming to our island, please register and become a voting member of the Vashon-Maury Community Council.

You can do that by Googling Vashon Maury Community Council. Then in the top right-hand corner click “Contact.” You will next see “Connect with Us Today.” You then fill out the form provided. When done, click the “Submit” button and you are a voting member.

Katy Ballard, a member of the V-MCC, has proposed the following motion: “That the Vashon Community Council inform King County Councilmembers and the Executive that Vashon residents must be given their legal right to a public forum about this new zoning that would allow drug rehab and psychiatric hospitals in any residential neighborhood on Vashon.”

Friends of Thunderbird, a group supportive of the Seattle Indian Health Board, urges a vote of “No” on the motion at the Community Council Meeting at 7:00 p.m. Thursday August 15, at the Land Trust Building. People can attend either in person or by Zoom. The Zoom link is on the VMCC website. In order to vote, people have to register to vote on the VMCC website.

For those who attend in person, beginning at 6:30 p.m., raffle tickets for the Vashon Experience Raffle Basket that has over $700 worth of gift certificates and items from island businesses and organizations will be sold. The winner will be announced that night at the meeting.

Ted Clabaugh