Connecting community to resources at the fourth annual Reconnect to Opportunity High School Resource Fair
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections
Ensuring access to basic needs is one of the straightforward ways we can promote community connection and well-being.
Reconnect to Opportunity (ReOpp) initially launched the High School Resource Fair in the summer of 2020 in response to the emerging needs at the beginning of the pandemic. With the positive community response and generous support of program partners, ReOpp has been able to host the resource event annually.
At the event we work across agencies and community partnerships to hand out school supplies, food bags, and resource information. Last month, we worked with 19 community partners to provide supports to 334 community members, handed out hundreds of pounds of food, and gave away 250 back packs. Read more.
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Why a license and ID tag is so important
Crossposted from Tails from RASKC
Editor’s note: this post is a first-hand account by one of our King County communications staff.
On what is usually a short walk at a neighborhood park on my lunch break recently, I came across an unleashed dog without a human. It was a beautiful dog, perhaps a Golden Retriever/Irish Setter mix.
“Where’s your person?” I asked the dog, while looking around the trail. We were near an off-leash dog park, but in an area that requires a leash. Read more.
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Are you prepared for disasters? It’s National Preparedness Month!
King County Emergency Management is ramping up preparedness activities throughout September in recognition of National Preparedness Month. Activities include free Disaster Skills Training webinars, Emergency Preparedness Workshops at local senior centers, and preparedness posts on social media.
Everyone is encouraged to get involved and take action. Share a preparedness selfie and tag #KingCountyReady on social media from Sept. 17-23. View the recording from the King County Employee Disaster Skills Training Webinar to learn more about how you can be prepared for emergencies and disasters. Read more.
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Thanking the leaders of King County’s Best Starts for Kids
A message from DCHS Director, Leo Flor on the outgoing Best Starts leadership team.
Since King County voters first approved the Best Starts for Kids Levy in 2015, Sheila Ater Capestany (she/her) and Marcy Miller (she/her) have grown a powerful idea into a cutting edge, nation-leading program that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of children, youth and families all around the region. Following a strong first levy, voters renewed Best Starts for Kids in 2021 and the groundbreaking investments in the health and well-being of our youngest residents, from birth to 24-years-old.
What seemed novel to some, was a life-long pursuit for Sheila and Marcy: That governments and communities should want more for our kids than to avoid jail—that we must instead insist on and invest in a future where all our children, youth, and young adults are happy, healthy, safe, and thriving. Sheila and Marcy’s vision for these investments is changing the trajectory for thousands of people in King County. I am grateful to Sheila and Marcy for the way they led the Best Starts team and work. Read more.
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RALS receives $85K grant to help combat human trafficking via for-hire transportation
Crossposted from the DES Express
That ride-hailing service you take home from a late-night concert or sporting event might be the same one used by human traffickers to transport their victims.
“There’s been a lot of research done with persons with lived experience in trafficking. The majority say they were transported in for-hire transportation,” said Michelle Hoang, Program Analyst for the for-hire and shared transportation team in DES’ Records and Licensing Services (RALS). Read more.
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Dog adoptions just $50 at RASKC in September
September is a great time to adopt a dog through Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC). All month, it’s just $50 to adopt an adult dog – a savings of 50% or more off the regular adoption fee.
Nearly 50 dogs of all sizes have filled the kennels at RASKC and the shelter is over capacity. The shelter needs help from the community to find these dogs their “furever” homes.
“We have some truly wonderful dogs right now that have been at the shelter a long time. We’re hopeful that their future family will walk in the door any day now,” said Alex Ropes, Animal Shelter Administrator. Read more.
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King County launches Determinants of Equity data tool
King County has a new tool to help us better understand disparities in our communities as we work to advance equity and social justice goals.
As part of our work to become a welcoming community where every person can thrive, King County has identified 15 determinants of equity. We have also identified a set of indicators help us better understand where inequities exist and which groups experience the most severe inequities for each of the 15 areas.
The Determinants of Equity tool provides data and information to help employees and community users understand these equity conditions and track progress over time. This is designed to help us develop policies, programs, and budgets that focus where needs are the greatest so that we contribute to more equitable outcomes for all people in our communities.
King County staff are encouraged to use this updated resource to inform planning, policy and program development, and community engagement. The tool is also intended for community members and community-based organizations to better understand inequities in King County.
Please refer to th
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Mental health accommodations for King County employees
Crossposted from KC Balanced You
King County is committed to supporting employees with mental health conditions in the workplace. For many people, employment is an essential part of our identity, well-being and mental and physical health. Employment provides a sense of purpose and allows us to build connections with others. Fostering a culture that promotes self-care and focuses on mental health as an important part of overall health and well-being is critical to building inclusion and providing support to employees in the workforce. A key part of this focus is to provide employees who experience limitations due to a mental health condition with reasonable accommodations in the workplace to be able to perform their job duties productively and effectively. Read more.
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First 2024 Professional Development Scholarship application period now open
The first application period for the 2024 Coalition Labor Agreement Professional Development Scholarship is now open. This period will remain open Sept. 6 – Oct. 8, 2023. This application period is to pay for training courses or programs that begin in 2024, or, for those in a self-paced online degree program, are both taking courses and have tuition and fees to pay during that time period.
To apply, visit the scholarship website and click the “Apply Here” button. Please familiarize yourself with the eligibility and application requirements before submitting the application. Previous applicants please be aware that the application has migrated from NEOGOV to Microsoft Forms, and that some important sections have changed.
The scholarship is part of the County’s commitment to Investing in YOU, and is designed to assist employees represented by a union in the Coalition of Unions with their professional development by providing up to $3,000 in financial assistance towards obtaining training, certificates, degrees, licenses, and certifications.
For more information, visit the Professional Development Scholarship website or email ScholarshipFund@kingcounty.gov.
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Transit agencies continue safety and health efforts following UW study recommendations
Crossposted from Metro Matters
Health officials say riding transit remains safe; drug levels detected on public transportation ‘extremely low.’ Agencies continue vehicle filtration system improvements and cleaning protocols already underway.
In a first-of-its-kind study, the University of Washington today released an analysis of drug smoke and residue samples collected on transit vehicles, and health officials say the levels are “extremely low” and that riding transit remains safe. The five transit agencies that sponsored the study—Sound Transit, King County Metro, Community Transit, Everett Transit and TriMet—are continuing plans to implement health and safety improvements based on the study’s findings and recommendations. Read more.
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