Citrine Health Launches Screening Fund in Everett 2026

Key Points

• A crucial safety net providing free breast and cervical cancer screenings to uninsured and underinsured women in Washington state faces a funding exhaustion threat by December.
• Everett-based non-profit Citrine Health launched the statewide Washington Health Screening Fund in October to bridge critical budget gaps caused by federal funding reductions and the loss of a $1 million annual grant from Susan G. Komen.
• Kerri Mallams, executive director of Citrine Health, reported a 60% reduction in program support, making the current infrastructure unsustainable without private intervention.
• Washington state ranks in the bottom 10 nationwide for mammograms, with only 64% of women aged 40 and older receiving screenings between 2021 and 2022, while nearly 1,000 women die from breast cancer annually in the state.
• Over its operational history, Citrine Health’s screening initiative has successfully detected undiscovered cancer in 8,073 women.
• Each preventative screening costs approximately $380, and donations to the newly formed fund go directly toward covering out-of-pocket expenses.

Everett, (Evening Washington News) November 13, 2026 – A vital three-decade-old state healthcare initiative providing free breast and cervical cancer screenings to uninsured and underinsured women in Washington is projected to run out of financial resources by December. In response, Everett-based non-profit Citrine Health has established a statewide fundraising campaign to offset steep federal budget cuts. As reported by Franque Thompson of FOX 13 Seattle, the newly introduced Washington Health Screening Fund aims to cover out-of-pocket screening expenses—averaging $380 per test—to ensure vulnerable residents retain access to early detection services.

What Caused the Funding Crisis for Washington’s Cancer Screening Program?

The financial instability threatening Washington’s preventative healthcare safety net stems from years of progressive federal budget reductions and the withdrawal of key philanthropic grants. Citrine Health has operated for approximately two decades as a prime contractor for the Washington State Department of Health’s “Breast, Cervical and Colon Health Program”. However, compounding federal cuts alongside the loss of a $1 million annual grant from Susan G. Komen have severely destabilised the operational framework.

As reported by Franque Thompson of FOX 13 Seattle, Kerri Mallams, executive director of Citrine Health, explained the severity of the institutional deficit during media interviews. As reported by Franque Thompson of FOX 13 Seattle, Kerri Mallams stated: “There’s been a 60% reduction to the point that the program becomes unsustainable. The work of the program requires people to do it. And there’s just not enough to support the program any longer”.

Emphasising the vital necessity of preserving the initiative, Mallams remarked, as reported by FOX 13 Seattle: “It’s lifesaving. It’s not an option to allow it to end. It is our mission”.

How Do Washington’s Screening Rates and Uninsured Population Impact Public Health?

The impending funding shortfall arrives at a time when public health data indicates that Washington already trails national benchmarks for preventative cancer detection. According to state health statistics cited by FOX 13 Seattle, only 64% of Washington women aged 40 and older received a mammogram between 2021 and 2022, placing the state within the bottom ten nationwide. Furthermore, Washington ranks 43rd across the United States for cervical cancer screenings, while nearly 1,000 women lose their lives to breast cancer annually within the state.

These diagnostic gaps are exacerbated by economic barriers. More than 400,000 residents across Washington possess no health insurance, while countless others remain underinsured, facing steep deductibles and out-of-pocket medical expenses that discourage routine preventative care.

Highlighting the historic impact of Citrine Health’s diagnostic services, Mallams noted that over the lifespan of their administration, 8,073 women discovered they had unknown cancers after walking through their doors. Stressing the medical importance of early diagnosis, Mallams stated, as reported by FOX 13 Seattle: “You can’t treat the cancer unless you’re diagnosed. Early detection, where you can find out early and have small, easy treatments, a lumpectomy, perhaps, compared to finding out too late to be able to do anything”.

How Is Citrine Health Responding Through the Washington Health Screening Fund?

Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Citrine Health stands as the sole non-profit entity operating as a prime contractor for the state’s screening program. Because of this unique position, organizational leadership elected to spearhead a private, tax-deductible fundraising vehicle to maintain services.

As reported by FOX 13 Seattle and the Lynnwood Times, Citrine Health board president Megan Kalsen underscored the foundational philosophy behind the initiative. As reported by the Lynnwood Times, Megan Kalsen stated: “We look forward to building a network of donors in Washington who believe in this mission”. Kalsen added: “A woman’s ability to take care of her health should not be restricted by an inability to afford insurance. These life-saving screenings should be available to any woman who wants them”.

Presently, Citrine Health operates with minimal reserves remaining for basic screenings across its service footprint, which spans Island, King, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties. In addition to general diagnostics, the non-profit manages “The Bra Shop” in Everett, offering post-mastectomy fittings and products for Medicaid recipients. Organizers calculate that each standard screening costs approximately $380, with 100% of contributed donations channeled directly into patient care and early detection access.

Background of the Development

Public health cancer screening infrastructure in the United States relies heavily on a complex mix of federal block grants, state-level allocations, and localized non-profit execution. Programs like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program provide foundational support, but shifting federal budgetary priorities and administrative reallocation frequently expose funding shortfalls. Regional entities such as Citrine Health have historically acted as crucial operational buffers, converting government allocations and philanthropic backing into direct clinical access for marginalized populations. When federal contributions contract—compounded by shifts in corporate philanthropic giving—regional safety-net providers are forced to pivot toward direct community fundraising models to prevent lapses in diagnostic care for low-income and uninsured patients.

Prediction on How This Development Can Affect Uninsured Patients, Healthcare Providers, and Regional Public Health

The launch of the Washington Health Screening Fund is expected to create an immediate, localized testing buffer for uninsured and underinsured women across Snohomish County and surrounding Puget Sound regions, mitigating the immediate risk of total program suspension ahead of December. However, reliance on voluntary philanthropic donations introduces long-term revenue volatility, meaning that unless federal or state legislative appropriations are restored, regional healthcare providers may experience rationing of diagnostic appointments or increased patient wait times. For vulnerable populations, any sustained constriction in free mammogram and cervical screening availability risks delaying cancer diagnoses into advanced stages, ultimately resulting in poorer clinical prognoses, more aggressive medical treatments, and elevated long-term healthcare expenditures for regional hospital systems.