Care Connect Washington is a program to provide food and other necessities to people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and need support to isolate at home. The state Department of Health, working with local health jurisdictions and their partners, is operating Care Connect Washington on a region-by-region basis. Each region works with community-based partners to connect people to services they are eligible for, such as medication delivery, health care, help applying for unemployment, local housing agencies, food banks, childcare providers and more. Help is made based on need.
To make it possible for people in isolation to stay home, Care Connect Washington provides such things as personal care kits, nonperishable food kits, and fresh food orders delivered to their homes. If other essential needs are identified, such as financial assistance for paying bills, a local care coordinator helps people apply for local resources or services they may be eligible for, or provides them direct assistance in paying bills such as rent, mortgage, and utilities. When isolation ends, the care coordinator can connect people to longer-term local services to support ongoing health and social needs. Care Connect Washington provides the information people need in their preferred language.
If you’ve tested positive for COVID-19 and need food or other assistance in order to isolate at home, contact the COVID-19 Information Hotline at 1-800-525-0127, then press #. Language assistance is available. The hotline hours are:
• 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday
• 6 a.m. to 6 pm., Tuesday through Sunday and observed state holidays
A Regional Approach to COVID-19 Relief
The state Department of Health, working with local health jurisdictions and their partners, is operating Care Connect Washington on a region-by-region basis. Each region works with community-based partners to connect people with services they are eligible for, such as medication delivery, health care, help applying for unemployment, local housing agencies, food banks, childcare providers and more.
Where Are Services Available?
Services are available in most parts of the state for people who agree to isolate at home but need help doing so.
East Region
Better Health Together serves as the Care Connect Washington Hub for Adams, Ferry, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Spokane, and Stevens counties.
King County
HealthierHere serves as the Care Connect Washington Hub for King County.
North Central Region
Action Health Partners serves as the Care Connect Washington Hub for Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan counties.
North Region
North Sound Accountable Community of Health serves as the Care Connect Washington Hub for Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties.
North West Region
Olympic Community of Health serves as the Care Connect Washington Hub for Clallam, Jefferson, and Kitsap counties.
Pierce County
Elevate Health serves as the Care Connect Washington Hub for Pierce County.
South Central Region
Providence St. Mary serves as the Care Connect Washington Hub for Kittitas, Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia, Garfield, Asotin, Yakima, Benton, and Franklin counties.
Southwest Region
Southwest Washington Accountable Community of Health (SWACH) serves as the Care Connect Washington Hub for Clark, Klickitat, and Skamania counties.
West Region
Cascade Pacific Action Alliance's Community CarePort serves as the Care Connect Washington Hub for Cowlitz, Wahkiakum, Pacific, Grays Harbor, Mason, Thurston, and Lewis counties.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are Care Connect Washington services available to me?
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You’re eligible for services if you’ve tested positive for COVID-19 and are actively isolating at home.
Call the State COVID-19 Information Hotline at 1-800-525-0127, then press #. Language assistance is available.
- 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday
- 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday and observed state holidays
A local care coordinator will contact you to develop a care plan to meet your needs during isolation. When your isolation period ends, your care coordinator will connect you to longer-term care coordination support, if needed.
- What kind of assistance can I expect?
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Your local care coordinator will identify local resources available to support you while you are in home isolation. They will also assist by providing food, supplies, and financial assistance with rent, mortgage, and utility bills if local resources are not available while you are in home isolation. Your care coordinator can also connect you to needed services including medication delivery services, health care, applying for unemployment, and more. Other services may include connecting to local housing agencies, food banks, health care centers, elder care, behavioral health providers, childcare providers, and other culturally appropriate community-based services. Services will vary by region. When isolation ends, your care coordinator can connect you to longer-term regional services to support ongoing needs. Care Connect Washington will provide the information you need in your preferred language.
- Do I qualify for Care Connect Washington?
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You qualify if:
- You tested positive for COVID-19; and
- You're actively isolating at home.
Care Connect Washington services are available at no cost to those who qualify. Help will be made based on need.
- Where are Care Connect Washington services available?
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The state Department of Health, working with local health jurisdictions and their partners, is operating Care Connect Washington on a regional basis. Here's a map showing where services are currently available:
- How much will it cost?
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You will not be charged for this service. Care Connect Washington received federal funds supporting the COVID-19 response in Washington state.
- How long will it take before I receive assistance?
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Your regional care coordinator will make every effort to provide assistance within one day of receiving a referral.
- Do I still have to stay in isolation while receiving assistance?
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Yes. Isolation is an important tool used to avoid spreading COVID-19 to our neighbors, friends, family, and coworkers—and to lessen its broad-reaching negative effects on our communities. If you require assistance past your isolation period, your regional care coordinator can connect you to longer-term services that support ongoing health and social needs.
- When do I need to isolate?
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Isolation: If you test positive for COVID-19, have symptoms, or are awaiting test results, you need to isolate to avoid spreading your illness.
- Stay home and avoid contact with others, including household members.
- Stay in a separate room and use a separate bathroom, if possible.
- Wear a well-fitting mask if there are instances when you must be around others.
- Do not go to work, school, or public areas. Avoid using public transportation, ride sharing, or taxis.
- Stay home except to get medical care.
- Follow the latest guidance from the CDC and DOH on how long your isolation period should last.
- What should I do if my COVID-19 symptoms get worse?
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Get medical help quickly if your symptoms get worse. If someone shows any of the following signs, seek emergency medical help immediately:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion
- Inability to wake or stay awake
- Bluish lips or face
*This is not a complete list. Please call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.
If you have a medical emergency and need to call 911, tell the dispatcher that you have or may have COVID-19. If possible, put on a face covering before emergency medical services arrive.
- What if I am at risk of severe illness and hospitalization?
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Early intervention with COVID-19 therapeutics can reduce the risk of severe illness and hospitalization for people with COVID-19 who are at high risk of developing more serious illness.
If you think you might qualify, please speak to your healthcare provider to determine your eligibility for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), monoclonal antibodies or oral antivirals.More information: COVID-19 therapeutics fact sheets and guidance.
- How long can I receive Care Connect Washington services?
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Your regional care coordinator will assist you for up to 21 days. In certain situations, your care coordinator can connect you to longer-term services to support ongoing health and social needs.
- How does Care Connect Washington work?
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Care Connect Washington is a state-supported, locally centered approach to coordinated care.
The Washington State Department of Health manages the regional care coordination response, supports hiring and training, bridges statewide and local resources, and optimizes outcomes by managing pooled resources, such as funding and technical infrastructure.
Individual regions identify and deploy a community-based workforce to provide assistance and connect people to local resources when they need to isolate due to COVID-19. The regions work with local vendors to supply needed goods and services, helping to contribute to local economic recovery.
Care coordinators are assigned to assess, support, and track each person's unique health and social needs and create a COVID Care Action Plan. The program connects people to resources in their preferred language whenever possible and follows them through the process to make sure they are supported.
- How will you protect my information?
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Your care coordinator will confirm the information they get from the COVID-19 Information Hotline and ask about your needs. Any information you share with your care coordinator remains confidential. The employees who provide care coordination services and the Department of Health will use the information to identify essential services that you may need. They will not share personal or private health information.
- How does Care Connect Washington prevent the spread of COVID-19?
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People who receive help meeting essential social and health needs are more likely to successfully complete home isolation. By ensuring that people who have tested positive for COVID-19 remain in home isolation, Care Connect Washington can reduce the spread of COVID-19 and boost economic recovery. Because the system focuses on people with health and social needs that make them most vulnerable to COVID-19, it can help to address underlying health inequities and support communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
- Who do I contact if I know someone who needs support from Care Connect Washington?
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If you or someone you know is actively isolating at home and needs assistance, contact the State COVID-19 Information Hotline.
State COVID-19 Information Hotline: Dial 1-800-525-0127, then press #. Language assistance is available.
- 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday
- 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday and observed state holidays
- Does Care Connect Washington include behavioral health services?
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Yes! Your care coordinator can help you obtain behavioral health services in your community.
- Are care coordination support services available to members of Tribal Nations?
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Yes. To learn more, email COVID19.CareCoordination@doh.wa.gov or call 564-999-1565.
- Are interpretive services available?
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Yes. When you call the State COVID-19 Information Hotline at 1-800-525-0127, language assistance is available.
Once you’ve been connected to a care coordinator, Care Connect Washington will provide the information you need in your preferred language.
Resources
- Resources and Recommendations webpage: Find information on face coverings, caregiving for families, exposure to COVID-19, symptoms, and more. You may sort the materials for your preferred language.
- Free telehealth for COVID-19 treatment
- How Care Connect Washington can help optimize COVID-19 Recovery (PDF)