Our Girls are our sisters, mothers, wives, children, and neighbors; they learn, play, worship, work, and live with us.  The collective community of Our Girls is made up of women and children from many different walks of life, and different races and ethnicities. Spokane County has many ingredients for good quality of life for its residents, yet many women and children in Spokane County struggle to feel mentally strong and healthy.

The unique conditions where Our Girls are born and raised create or block success and well-being, and these conditions and outcomes can shape life and death, from the prenatal period through adulthood and old age. For a snapshot of the current state of women and children in Spokane County, take a look at the leading causes of death fact sheet 

Well-being is built starting from the foundation and requires a variety of systems working together. Just as a strong house depends on good construction, Our Girls’ well-being relies on access to the resources and opportunities that they need. Financial supports, well-resourced schools, safe homes, quality child care, and abundant opportunities for social connection protect children in our community from violence and trauma over their entire life course.

For our community to prosper in the future, Our Girls—like all children—need the opportunity to develop socially, emotionally, and intellectually. This includes equitable opportunity to access health services of all types. Efforts to connect babies and their caregivers to health services, early intervention, and mental health care can help counter stressful life experiences and improve long term health and well-being.

Inclusive policies and engaged communities can create safe, stable environments that Our Girls need to thrive. Communities where families can easily access the resources they need protect Our Girls from violence and trauma over their entire life course. In contrast, historically underserved communities with higher rates of crime, unemployment, food insecurity, housing instability, and few opportunities for social connections or quality education put Our Girls at a greater risk of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), substance use disorder, suicide, and other negative outcomes. 

To learn more about community violence, risk, and protective factors in Spokane County visit the Spokane Regional Domestic Violence Coalition (SRDVC) companion dashboard HERE.

Creating wellness requires a collection of community resources, social relationships, and opportunities, much like how building a strong house requires bringing together a variety of materials—like lumber, insulation, doors, and windows—and experts—architects, builders, and other contractors. . Proactive investments in children and families pay off in the long term by cultivating productive and engaged future generations. Successful communities provide convenient and accessible options for food, transportation, housing, child care, recreation, and social connections. Children in stable families have healthy relationships, helpful emotional skills, and opportunities to succeed personally, academically, and financially as adults.