When you think of West Marin, you might envision the majestic redwoods and serene creeks where coho salmon dart through the waters of Samuel P. Taylor State Park. You might picture the rolling hills of Mount Barnabe, vibrant green in winter and golden in summer. Some visitors may think West Marin is just these wild, scenic spaces, perhaps dotted with a few sleepy villages, but without much else happening.
Yes, West Marin is a treasure trove of natural beauty, but it’s also a dynamic place filled with a diverse community: from cowpokes and horse wranglers to hold-out hippies, unhoused philosophers, new immigrants, old laborers, tech entrepreneurs, artists, social workers and teachers. These individuals collectively contribute to a vibrant culture with as many needs as the rest of Marin County — perhaps even more. When you look at the Healthy Places Index for Marin County, the lowest scores include cohorts in Marin City, Novato, San Rafael’s Canal District and West Marin. Despite comprising only about 15% of the county’s population, West Marin residents are spread across two-thirds of the landmass. This geographic separation has historically made it difficult for West Marinites to access consistent public health and disaster preparedness services.
Enter the West Marin Community Resilience Team, or CRT. Marin County Public Health defines a CRT as a community-led initiative aimed at improving awareness and knowledge of public health threats and prevention strategies while increasing access to support and resources. By enhancing awareness and access to services, the CRT initiative helps reduce exposure to threats from natural disasters, infectious diseases and other emergencies throughout the county.
West Marin Community Services (WMCS) and the San Geronimo Valley Community Center (SGVCC) are two local nonprofits that have collaborated over the past several years to advocate for these county resources, refine the CRT’s mission and implement life-changing programs in hard-to-reach communities. This unique collaborative approach involves dozens of partners working across sectors to ensure that West Marin’s dispersed population is well cared for.
Alexa Davidson, executive director of SGVCC, emphasizes that “The West Marin CRT creates better access to services and resources for our rural communities. Over the past few years, we have focused on developing, coordinating and sustaining a communications and coordination infrastructure that will uplift hard-to-reach places and people. We are concentrating on expanding access and removing barriers to information, resources and services to support response and recovery in the face of increased public health threats.”
And at WMCS, Executive Director Socorro Romo values collaboration and efficiency, and the CRT program embodies both. “Nothing happens by itself,” she says, adding, “The more we work together, the better we are able to serve.” When a public health emergency like a fire, flood or earthquake strikes, we are all in this together, whether you live in East or West Marin. This is why the West Marin CRT’s motto is “We are stronger together.” In recent years, WMCS and SGVCC have distributed tens of thousands of COVID-19 tests, coordinated vaccine clinics resulting in thousands of administered vaccines and hosted annual Community Health Fairs in each major West Marin hub — the impacts of which have been lifesaving.
Other CRT programs include Narcan overdose reversal distribution and training, which has already saved at least seven lives since its inception. The West Marin Community Health Fairs are another impactful initiative, providing vaccinations, health screenings and even new glasses to residents who would otherwise have to travel “over the hill” — an equity issue for those unable to take time off work or without access to reliable transportation. Disaster preparedness, including for the effects of climate change, is also a core component of the West Marin CRT. They also host bilingual CPR- and lifesaving skills-training throughout each year, working very closely with local disaster councils and Marin County’s Office of Emergency Management.
A critical part of the CRT program is its successful engagement with volunteer neighborhood liaisons and “Promotores” — trusted members of the Latinx community who help communicate vital public health messages and bring resources to those living on West Marin ranches and elsewhere who may be skeptical of county authorities. These Promotores then pass on lifesaving information within their own communities. Without the Promotores, county resources would fail to reach so many West Marin residents.
So much for sleepy villages without much going on. Thanks to innovative and collaborative approaches like the CRT program addressing the unique needs of our rural communities, we can all appreciate those rolling hills, vast beaches and elegant redwood groves even more, knowing that our friends in West Marin are being well taken care of.
