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7 <br /> <br />KITTITAS COUNTY PROFILE <br />Kittitas County is in the center of Washington State on the east side of the Cascade Mountains. The <br />county is surrounded by several mountain passes (Blewett, Snoqualmie, Manastash) and is nearly 2 <br />hours away from the largest urban area in the state (Seattle.) Other larger cities nearby include <br />Yakima (45 minutes away) and Wenatchee (1.5 hours away.) In other words, there are multiple <br />geographic barriers to accessing a comprehensive range of services. <br />With a population of about 48,140 people and about half living in unincorporate d areas, there is one <br />primary care physician per 1,890 residents, one mental health provider per 560 residents, and one <br />dentist per 2,280 residents.2 (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, n.d.) These ratios <br />would be even worse taking into account only those providers who accept Medicaid as insurance. <br />Access to medical, dental, and mental health care is made more difficult by the shortage of providers <br />in addition to the fact that one in every ten adults lacks health insurance. (University of Wisconsin <br />Population Health Institute, n.d.) <br />Residents of Kittitas County experience higher rates of physical inactivity, adult smoking, excessive <br />drinking, mental distress, child mortality, and sexually transmitted infections compared to Washington <br />State as a whole. Residents have less access to healthy food sources and exercise opportunities and <br />lower rates of vaccination for flu and COVID-19. However, there are lower rates of low birthweight <br />babies, diabetes, HIV, alcohol-impaired driving deaths, teen births, and preventable hospital stays. <br />(University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, n.d.) <br />Unemployment rates are 5.5%3, twelve percent of children live in poverty, income inequality is high, <br />and the median household income is significantly lower than Washington State as a whole. Severe <br />housing problems are prevalent as well: significantly fewer people own homes, and 20% of households <br />spend 50% or more of their income on housing4. However, violent crime is significantly lower than <br />Washington State, and high school graduation rates are higher. (University of Wisconsin Population <br />Health Institute, n.d.) <br /> <br /> <br />2 Compared to Washington State ratios of 1:1180 primary care, 1:250 mental health, and 1:1200 dentists. <br />3 Compared to 4.3% for Washington State as a whole. <br />4 Compared to 14% for Washington State as a whole.