SWACH Policy Advocacy: Native and Tribal Affairs
Policy advocacy is deeply connected to SWACH’s mission and values because it is a primary vehicle for achieving health equity and empowering communities in Southwest Washington. SWACH’s mission is to pursue health equity by addressing barriers to well-being through collaboration, innovation, and community partnerships, ensuring every community has access to the resources needed for physical, behavioral, economic, and social wellness. Every year SWACH staff works with community members to identify what policies are most impactful for their communities. This then drives the priorities for advocacy. While gathering data, four policy areas consistently presented themselves: Housing, Behavioral/Mental Health (including SUD), Access, and Native and Tribal Affairs.
This report will be focused on Native and Tribal Affairs.
Policy Connection: Why Native and Tribal Bills/Policies Matter
Supporting local Native and tribal legislation is essential for honoring tribal sovereignty, recognizing the unique rights and contributions of Indigenous peoples, and addressing longstanding disparities in health, education, and economic opportunity. Through the efforts of SWACH’s Native and Tribal Liaison, the work champions Native communities in Southwest Washington having a meaningful voice in decisions that impact their well-being and future. This commitment not only strengthens partnerships and promotes culturally responsive solutions, but also reflects our shared responsibility to advance equity and justice for all.
Key highlights include:
HB 1039 – Extending Services to Tribal Lands. County boundaries blocked the Cowlitz Tribe from accessing nearby sewer systems, forcing the use of environmentally risky alternatives. HB 1039 removes those barriers, allowing cities and tribes to share services like sewer and waste management, supporting environmental safety and tribal development.
SB 5110 – Tuition Waivers for Tribal Elders. Elders in tribal communities face high education disparities due to past policies that prioritized trades over academics. SB 5110 allows colleges to offer tuition waivers for tribal elders, expanding access to higher education and career opportunities.
Other Key Legislation:
HB 1355 allows tribes to receive a larger share of tax revenue from non-tribal transactions on tribal lands, supporting reinvestment in healthcare, housing, education, and economic development.
HB 1829 authorizes state law enforcement to enforce tribal arrest warrants, closing jurisdictional gaps and strengthening justice in tribal communities.
SWACH also advocated for traditional health practices to be covered by Medicaid.
How did SWACH show up: Approach and Impact
SWACH’s Tribal Liaison leads our engagement with Native and Tribal communities, advocating for policies that direct resources and decision-making power to those with lived experience of health inequities. By attending local events, public forums, and advocacy gatherings across Clark, Skamania, and Klickitat counties, the Tribal Liaison builds trust and fosters ongoing dialogue around the unique challenges facing these communities.
Our approach aligns with best practices in tribal engagement by emphasizing cultural responsiveness, reciprocity, and centering Indigenous leadership. This commitment is reflected in our policy and advocacy work, where Indigenous voices help shape priorities and lead efforts to address health disparities.
SWACH’s Equity & Collaborative Impact (ECI) department prioritizes community-led advocacy, ensuring Native and Tribal perspectives are central to our policy agenda. We facilitate direct engagement between tribal representatives and lawmakers to ensure their concerns are reflected in policy decisions. Strengthening these relationships is foundational to our advocacy, enabling us to better support culturally responsive services and advance policies that promote tribal sovereignty, health equity, and access to care. Native and Tribal Affairs are a core focus of our policy work, alongside housing, behavioral health, and access.
For more on SWACH’s Advocacy work, click here or download our Native and Tribal Affairs one-pager.