A win on housing
Diane Sosne
President of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
"If you don't have a home, it's a lot harder to get health care. People get sicker and then end up in our emergency rooms in desperate situations. It's almost impossible for caregivers to follow up on treatment. Our union members see this every day, working in hospitals, clinics and mental health centers. We aren't going to achieve our union's vision of health care for all if we also don't ensure that everyone has a roof over their head at night."
In the 2008 legislative session, SEIU 1199NW members and other housing advocates were successful in winning an additional $70 million for the Housing Trust Fund. We are proud of our advocacy work --
check out our 2008 housing lobby day blog here. The Housing Trust Fund supports the development of affordable housing and housing for the homeless. We advocated for this money because we know that stable housing is the foundation for people getting the other basic necessities in life, including health care.
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A Place to Call Home 
More information on Housing Advocacy
Washington State Coalition for the Homeless
WA Low Income Housing Alliance
Committee to End Homelessness in King County
Kim Field, RN
Washington State Department of Health
My union is involved in helping to solve the homelessness problem because being homeless results in much worse health conditions. For example, the homeless are at high risk for tuberculosis, and the treatment for TB to be successful needs to have the client housed. Being in a house helps prevent the spread of TB and other diseases, and can ensure a quality of care that will help the patient, and protect the community from further infection.