North Sound ACH staff

The Community HUB accepts referrals from medical and behavioral health providers, emergency departments, human services/social services, community based organizations, community health workers, and community members.  Until this point, referrals needed to be input via CCS (Care Coordination Systems), which requires organizations to register with CCS as a referral source. 

We have now made available a referral form that can be completed via our website, for  organizations not able to register with to make HUB referrals.  Visit this link to complete the form without registering with CCS.  Submitted forms will be reviewed by our staff and entered into CCS.  We have taken the appropriate measures to make sure information is secure and HIPAA compliant.

Individuals who meet HUB eligibility will be:
– On Medicaid or Medicaid-eligible.
– Resident of Island, San Juan, Snohomish, Skagit, or Whatcom county.
– Experiencing any of the following: Behavioral health and substance use concerns; chronic disease or pregnancy; Homelessness: Homeless at least one month during the year; High utilization across health care, emergency and/or criminal justice services. 

For more information on becoming a referral partner, click here.

NOTE: Submitting referrals via CCS is still the preferred method; the form on our website is intended for those who are not registered with CCS and may find registration a barrier to their referral.

North Sound ACH recently gained another team member! Even while we’re physically distant and working from home, we’re so excited to have Erica Littlewood join us as our newest Project Manager.

Erica Littlewood was born and raised in Washington state, before traveling extensively and living overseas. She completed her undergraduate degree at Whitman College, and a Master of Education Degree at Western Washington University. Erica moved to Bellingham over 30 years ago after living in China, and her work has always been in the non-profit and public sector. She was the director of an international exchange program at Western Washington University, then for the past 15 years worked as an educator in the fire service. Since mid-March, Erica has been working with Whatcom Unified Command as the Volunteer Branch Director, coordinating volunteers to support food security, COVID-19 testing, and other tasks in Whatcom County in response to the pandemic.

At North Sound ACH, Erica is will be using her skills in program management, communication, and coalition building as Project Manager, working specifically in care coordination: emergency department diversion, community paramedicine, and cross-sector collaboratives.

We’re thrilled to have her working with us! Welcome, Erica!

Please use these posters and graphics in your business or organization! Originally created by Olympic Community of Health, we want to encourage sharing these however possible.

Click on the images below to view all available pdfs in English and Spanish for printing or social media use. If you need assistance in printing these for your organization, please email us at team@northsoundach.org and we’ll do our best to help.

Olympic Community of Health Stands in Solidarity

By Celeste Schoenthaler, Executive Director

We are grateful for other ACHs in the state also sharing statements. The following was sent to Olympic Community of Health’s mailing list on June 2.

As an organization, as a team, as human beings, we are deeply saddened and disturbed by the tragic death of George Floyd. Olympic Community of Health stands in solidarity with the Black community and all People of Color. There is pain, anger, and suffering within our home here in the Olympic region. We recognize that this outpour of frustration and grief is a response to the presence of oppression, violence, and racism that has existed in our nation and communities for centuries.

Olympic Community of Health aims to “tackle health issues that no single sector or Tribe can tackle alone”, which includes tackling systemic racism and discrimination. As a region, we are a part of a bigger community; We are impacted by our neighbors in Seattle and Minneapolis. The injustices that we see happening in our world are issues that can only be addressed if we learn from one another and come together in support of those who have had their voices silenced.

Olympic Community of Health is committed to learning from the many incredible communities in the Olympic region, learning about the presence of power, privilege, and oppression, while collaboratively working towards a future that supports the health and wellbeing of ALL communities. We encourage you to lean into any discomfort you many feel, have tough conversations, ask your neighbors, friends, and family how you can support them, and reach out if you need support.

North Sound ACH is working with our CPA colleagues at Larson Gross to answer your questions about federal loans available for COVID-19 relief. Their expertise includes benefits such as the Employee Retention Credit (E7RC), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and the Payroll Tax Delay. Our implementation partners can reach out to Larson Gross free of charge. A comparison chart of these relief options is available here.

Here are some specific ways Larson Gross may help:

• Determine your eligibility and compare the benefits of different relief options.
• Answer questions about what financial information and calculations you’ll need to apply for relief.
• Understand how to utilize the funds you receive to maximize your eligibility for full loan forgiveness.

To get started, we recommend you watch this recorded one-hour session covering the basics of these programs. 

To discuss your specific questions, please reach out to Kelsey or Keaton at Larson Gross and let them know the North Sound ACH referred you: 

• Keaton Wersen: KeatonW@larsongross.com
• Kelsey Bedient: KelseyB@larsongross.com

We’re proud to present our newly published North Sound ACH Annual Report with you! This document serves as a “year in review”. You’ll see the key milestones we met in 2019, read about our emphasis on equity and tribal partnership, and better understand work thus far — what we’ve accomplished and where we’re headed. Please take a few minutes and check it out!

2019 Annual Report