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KITTITAS COUNTY PROFILE Kittitas County is in the center of Washington State on the east side of the Cascade Mountains. The county is surrounded by several mountain passes (Blewett, Snoqualmie, Manastash) and is nearty 2 hours away from the largest urban area in the state (Seattte.) Other larger cities nearby inctude Yakima (45 minutes away) and Wenatchee (1 .5 hours away. ) ln other words, there are muttipte geographic barriers to accessing a comprehensive range of services. With a poputation of about 48,140 people and about hatf tiving in unincorporated areas, there is one primary care physician per 1,890 residents, one mental heatth provider per 560 residents, and one dentist per 2,280 residents.2 (University of Wisconsin Poputation Heatth lnstitute, n.d.) These ratios would be even worse taking into account onty those providers who accept Medicaid as insurance. Access to medical, dentat, and mental heatth care is made more difficutt by the shortage of providers in addition to the fact that one in every ten adutts lacks heatth insurance. (University of Wisconsin Poputation Heatth lnstitute, n.d.) Residents of Kittitas County experience higher rates of physicat inactivity, adult smoking, excessive drinking, mental distress, child mortatity, and sexuatty transmitted infections compared to Washington State as a whole. Residents have less access to heatthy food sources and exercise opportunities and lower rates of vaccination for flu and COVID-19. However, there are lower rates of tow birthweight babies, diabetes, HlV, atcoho[-impaired driving deaths, teen births, and preventable hospital stays. (University of Wisconsin Population Heatth lnstitute, n.d.) Unemptoyment rates are 5.5%3, twelve percent of chitdren live in poverty, income inequality is high, and the median househotd income is significantly lower than Washington State as a whote. Severe housing probtems are prevalent as we[[: significantty fewer people own homes, and 20% of househotds spend 50% or more of their income on housinga. However, violent crime is significantty lower than Washington State, and high school graduation rates are higher. (University of Wisconsin Population Heatth lnstitute, n.d. ) UA Leir'{s{ts orth lj-'' C6shntnre V,/onalcher Qurj!iy 6eDrge Ellensburo @ ll lrk lliches F' GT Llerrrl iire]d Yakiilfl 2 Compared to Washington State ratios of 1:1 180 primary care, 1:250 mental health, and 1:1200 dentists. 3 Compared to 4.3% for Washington State as a whole. a Compared to 14% for Washington State as a whote. 7