In the summer of 2024, Snohomish County, WA resident Kim was asked to fill out a needs-based questionnaire at her healthcare provider’s office. She didn’t think much of it at the time; she was too preoccupied with a myriad of other worries – many of them about how she was going to get transportation to her next appointment and if she was going to feel well enough to participate meaningfully in discussions with her providers.

“I see so many specialists, and I was completely overwhelmed for so many reasons at that point,” she said. “The next thing I knew, the phone was ringing, and Bracie was on the line.”

As Bracie Vose, one of Waymark’s Washington-based community health workers (CHWs), introduced herself and Waymark to Kim, Kim brought up one concern: her inability to safely operate a vehicle due to chronic migraines.

“That was part of why I wasn’t able to make it to so many appointments,” she said. “I wasn’t able to drive because of the migraines, so I told Bracie I didn’t think she’d be able to help me. But the first thing she said was, ‘Well, we can do our meetings online by video.’ I’d never heard that before. So I thought, ‘Oh! This is going to work!’.”

“I wasn’t alone. I had help.”

When she started with Waymark, Kim’s most pressing concerns were addressing challenges around transportation, housing, and behavioral healthcare. For years, she’d been trying to juggle a myriad of specialists and appointments, but without reliable transportation, it was next to impossible. Her housing options weren’t the most stable, and she was concerned about her ongoing mental health symptoms.

“It felt like we were making sense of the mess,” she said. “The next thing I knew, things were just being handled: a million doctor appointments, getting transportation together for specialists, figuring out housing applications. It was incredible.”

Once reliable transportation options were secured, Bracie and Kim started scheduling appointments. They worked together to build out lists of questions for each appointment and, when possible, scheduled telehealth meetings to accommodate Kim’s accessibility needs.

“Even just riding in a car can sometimes set off a migraine, so by the time I get to the appointment, I’m usually so worried that I won’t feel well, or I already don’t feel well,” said Kim. “Just to have someone there with me to take notes and advocate for me meant so much.”

Within Waymark, Bracie collaborated with licensed therapists and other CHWs on the Waymark team to collaboratively locate and evaluate behavioral healthcare options aligned with Kim’s long-term goals. “We came up with several care access avenue ideas, even given how stretched some resources in the country are,” said Bracie. “Our care team is so plugged into resources, and that made everything easier.”

Knowing that Waymark was active in her area was incredibly helpful as well, added Kim. Because she was embedded in the local community, Bracie was aware of many resources and organizations that could provide Kim with access to everything from healthy meal options to clothing and application assistance.

“She knew what we would need to get together for me to apply for housing vouchers, and that was a whole process I didn’t have a clue how to go through on my own,” said Kim. “And she knew about options and opportunities for all kinds of support that I had no clue about.”

Whenever possible, Bracie would accompany Kim to the doctor’s appointments that couldn’t be held via telehealth – something Kim said was incredibly meaningful, especially since those appointments can often take hours and can lead to a symptom flare-up.

“We had to do a lot of testing one day, and I was already in a lot of pain,” she said. “And I’ll never forget, Bracie reached out and held my hand because she could tell I was in pain. It’s been years since someone did that for me. I had help. I wasn’t alone.”

Whole-Person Care, Delivered Where It’s Needed

Six months after beginning her partnership with Waymark, Kim feels more equipped to navigate every aspect of her care that once overwhelmed her – especially because Bracie was able to meet her where she was and connect her with resources that could do the same.

“I didn’t have to wear myself out trying to get to her because she came to me,” said Kim. “And now I know who to call for transportation, we’re waiting to hear back on housing applications, and I feel like I know how to access resources I didn’t know how to before. I’m in such a better place now compared to where I was a few months ago.”

What’s been most impactful, she said, is the behavioral health support she’s been connected to via Waymark. For the first time in a long time, she feels she has a path forward toward a better quality of life – one she didn’t think she’d ever actually get to experience.

“I’m actually getting to appointments with doctors now, and that will help with the migraines,” she said. “I’m seeing a counselor, and I’m learning things I never have before in my 62 years of life. I want to get well enough to volunteer in my community and go hiking again, and I feel like that’s possible.”

She’s also become more proactive and assertive in her own healthcare management. Where before, she didn’t even know where to start when preparing for an appointment, she now feels equipped to advocate for herself and reach out to organizations for the resources she needs to stay healthy and get well.

As she looks ahead to graduation from Waymark, she wants anyone who receives a phone call like the one she did to know that they should pick up the phone.

“I’d say, Waymark helps people with so many things,” she said. “It’s not just about healthcare. It’s not just about appointments. This is someone to hold your hand.”