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Overview
The Health Sciences and Services Authority (HSSA) was created by the Washington State
Legislature in 2007 (RCW 35.104) to promote bioscience-based economic development and to
advance new therapies and procedures to combat disease and promote public health. This was
in response to recommendations of the Technology Alliance's Bio 21 Report and the direction of
Governor Christine Gregoire to develop an economic strategy with health and science at its core.
One important example of enacting on the Governor's charge was the establishment of the Life
Sciences Discovery Fund located in Seattle; another is the HSSA.
Spokane County is known as a center for health care delivery with the economy significantly
influenced by the delivery of health care and the high wage jobs the health care economic sector
provides. The region is home to a significant network of rural and urban hospitals, including
two of the top three in the state; enjoys excellent higher education facilities, including a
regional university, a research university and three private colleges; and access to a
multi-program federal lab and world-class high-speed, high volume digital infrastructure for
broadband communication.
Based on these facts, the HSSA was established by resolution of Spokane County in 2007 and a
subsequent Memorandum of Understanding with the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating
Board in mid-2008. The Authority has the same boundaries of Spokane County. Under the legislation,
the HSSA is empowered to:
- Leverage public monies with amounts received from other public and private sources in accordance with contribution agreements, to promote bioscience-based economic development, and to advance new therapies and procedures to combat disease and promote public health;
- Solicit and receive gifts, grants, and bequests to promote bioscience-based economic development, and to advance new therapies and procedures to combat disease and promote public health;
- Hold funds received by the Authority in trust to promote same; and
- Make grants to entities pursuant to contract to promote bioscience-based economic development, and to advance new therapies and procedures to combat disease and promote public health. Grants are to specify deliverables.
Mission
The Health Sciences and Services Authority (HSSA) promotes bioscience-based economic
development and advances new therapies and procedures to combat disease and promotes public
health. The HSSA invests funds to create and support a nationally competitive health care cluster
in Spokane County catalyzing connections between higher education and health care that lead to
high wage jobs, long-term sustainability, and economic diversification. HSSA will fund the very
best projects through a competitive, well-monitored and accountable process.
Goal
Improve the capacity of the Spokane region to contribute to advances in health sciences and
services.
Strategic Initiatives
- Increase local infrastructure capacity for bioscience research that sustainably supports
innovative advances in medical diagnosis, treatment and health service delivery in Spokane County.
- Increase access to health services for under-served residents of Spokane County.
Categories of Interest
- Health Science Research;
- Health Service Delivery; and
- Related Health Research Capacity.
Funding Eligibility
- Capacity must be developed in Spokane County;
- Service must be delivered in Spokane County; and
- Research must be conducted in Washington with demonstrable benefits to Spokane County.
Outcomes/Evaluation Criteria
The focus of the HSSA grants is to grow existing community bioscience-based strengths, build
infrastructure to support biosciences in Spokane County, and to promote health and health
services. Therefore, proposals will be based on factors such as:
- Quality of the proposed research;
- Its potential to improve health outcomes, with particular attention to the likelihood it will lower health care costs;
- Evidence of sustainability through additional extramural funding;
- Its potential to provide health care benefits;
- Its potential to stimulate employment; and
- Evidence of public and private collaboration.
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