Mental health resources for King County employees
As we begin Mental Health Month, Balanced You reminds King County employees of the many resources available to support you and your loved ones.
- Making Life Easier (MLE): Free crisis or short-term counseling, daily living support, and online tools for managing stress, available to employees and household members.
- Mindfulness classes and videos: Resources you can join from anywhere for a reset or a moment of calm.
- Mental Health First Aid: Training to help employees recognize when coworkers may need support and respond with confidence.
- Insurance-based mental health providers: Long-term counseling and psychiatric care available through your health plan.
- Movement resources: Activity Centers, exercise classes, and gym discounts to make stress-reducing movement more accessible.
For a comprehensive list of King County’s mental health resources for employees, visit the Mental Health Access Guide.
Questions? Contact BalancedYou@KingCounty.gov
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What’s the risk of hantavirus in King County?
Crossposted from Public Health Insider
The outbreak of hantavirus on an international cruise ship has put this rare disease in the headlines. WHO is leading the investigation of that situation involving a specific type of hantavirus that has not been found in the United States. We wanted to learn more about whether hantavirus poses a risk to people in King County, so we checked in with Dr. Jocelyn Mullins, a public health veterinarian and resident expert at Public Health – Seattle & King County on diseases coming from animals.
Dr. Mullins, what is hantavirus and how people can get it?
Hantavirus is a rare but potentially deadly disease that affects the lungs. It primarily spreads from contact with wild rodents, especially when people are exposed to their urine, droppings, and saliva. It can also spread through a scratch or a bite by a wild rodent, but that’s even more rare. Read more.
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10 years of repair: Solid Waste Division celebrates 100 community repair events across King County, providing free repair services to keep household items out of the landfill
Darren Moffatt has always loved tinkering. Although it’s not his day job, several times a year you’ll find him volunteering as a “fixer” at King County-sponsored repair events. He can be spotted working a screwdriver, applying glue, or even rewiring electronics. “Repair events help keep items out of the landfill by giving them new life instead of throwing them away.” Darren says. “But repair events also have invaluable community impact. At one event, a woman brought me a broken hair clip that seemed simple to me. A piece had fallen off and when I fixed it, she was really emotional – she shared that it was an heirloom and had been in her family for generations. I realized how much more these events mean for people than just waste prevention.”
Every year, the Solid Waste Division hosts a series of community repair events throughout King County, where volunteers like Darren help people repair personal and household items at no cost.
This year marks a major milestone: After 10 years, the repair program hosted its 100th event on May 9 at the West Hill Community Center in Skyway. Read more.
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King County Human and Civil Rights Commission releases inaugural annual report
The Human and Civil Rights Commission (HCRC) released its inaugural 2025-2026 annual report, highlighting ongoing efforts to achieve King County’s equity goals and ensure all residents are treated fairly and justly.
“King County is committed to being an inclusive, welcoming place for all people – regardless of their race, religion, gender, or ability,” said Executive Girmay Zahilay. “At a time when our federal government is attacking civil rights, HCRC is working to ensure we are advancing equity, fairness, and justice in King County and uplifting the voices of communities who have not historically had a seat at the table in decision-making processes. Read more.
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Mental Health Month: Caring for ourselves in a time of change
As we recognize Mental Health Month, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the importance of well-being in our lives and in our work.
Mental health is a shared human experience. Many of us are balancing responsibilities at home, at work, and in our communities while navigating stress, uncertainty, and change. That reality is part of what makes this work, and our commitment to one another, so important.
Every day, across King County, you show up to serve our residents and communities. Whether you are supporting someone in crisis, helping a family access service, maintaining critical infrastructure, or keeping our operations running, your work matters. Our investments in behavioral and mental health services, including Crisis Care Centers, school-based health programs, and MIDD-funded services, reflect our commitment to building a region where people can live healthy, stable lives. That commitment also includes efforts like our immigration executive order and the Welcoming Community Subcabinet, which help ensure that communities experiencing heightened stress and uncertainty due to federal actions are, and feel, supported, safe, and connected here in King County.
That commitment extends to you. Read more.
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Charge your batteries (human and electric) for Bike Everywhere Month!
Please consider forming or joining a team to get riding! There are prizes for most trips logged, most miles ridden, and random drawings for participants, courtesy of the Employee Transportation Program.
To sign up for the Bike Everywhere Month challenge under the King County employer banner:
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Visit the Washington Bikes King County Bike Challenge site to create an account.
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Navigate to the Bike Everywhere Challenge on the home landing page, click on “Teams” then search for any team and join, or create a team for your specific worksite. See this image for reference.
Additional King County Bike Everywhere Month 2026 events:
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Bike Adventure Team group chat: The Bike Adventure Team is King County’s open-to-all, ongoing Microsoft Teams group chat on all things bike related. Contact the Employee Transportation Program at ETP@kingcounty.gov to tap into this wonderful resource.
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Bike Everywhere Day, May 13: King County Roads and Metro will host a Celebration Station at the main entrance to King Street Center to welcome those who ride to work on Bike Everywhere Day, Wednesday, May 13. Employees are encouraged to form neighborhood groups for rider comradery and a supportive bike commute. Check out Cascade Bicycle Club’s Celebration Station Map to plan morning rides.
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Bike Month Fair, May 20: The King County Employee Transportation Program invites employees to join King County and City of Seattle employees at the Bike Month Fair Wednesday, May 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at City Hall Plaza in Seattle to learn about bike program benefits and test ride e-bikes from multiple vendors.
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Bike Everywhere Month Challenge Culmination Celebration, June 3: Employees who participated in the Bike Everywhere Challenge are invited to join in a casual ride to an offsite location for prizes and awards celebrating a successful Bike Everywhere Month on Wednesday, June 3 from 4 to 6 p.m., location TBD. Join King County’s Bike Adventure Team or Contact your Employee Transportation Program for more information ETP@kingcounty.gov.
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2026 Big Backyard 5K and 10K offers discount for King County employees
Join us for the 2026 Big Backyard 5K & 10K at Marymoor Park on Sunday, June 7. It is a fun, family-friendly run and walk for all ages and abilities.
King County employees can take advantage of a 50% registration discount by using the code KCP50. Register here. This discount code has not been previously mentioned.
All employees are eligible for the discount. If you registered and did not receive the discount, please reach out to Mirsa Rutledge at MiRutledge@kingcounty.gov for your discount refund.
This annual event is a great way to get outside for a run or walk with friends, family, and community in King County’s beautiful Marymoor Park while supporting King County Parks. Since the event’s inception in 2010, more than 15,000 participants have gathered to raise over $95,000 for King County Parks!
See all available discounts on the Employee Discount intranet page.
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King County Dependency CASA at the Mariners
CASA volunteers and staff came together at the May 3 Mariners game in support of We Are Family Day, a special game day event celebrating foster, kinship, and adoptive families. It was a meaningful opportunity to build community, celebrate families and raise awareness about the CASA program, highlighted by seeing our name on the big screen!
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) are trained volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children involved in the dependency court system. Whether or not serving as a CASA is the right fit for you, we encourage you to share this information session with family members, friends, colleagues, or recently retired coworkers who may be interested. Increasing awareness of the CASA program helps ensure more children have a consistent, caring advocate by their side.
CASA information sessions are held via Zoom on the second Monday of each month from noon to 1 p.m. The next one will take place on Monday, May 11 at noon. To register or learn more, visit kingcountycasa.org. View additional information session dates in this flyer.
You can also follow King County Dependency CASA on Facebook and Instagram for updates, upcoming information sessions, and program highlights.
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Making Life Easier: Quick support when you need it
Are you feeling overwhelmed by stress and crunched for time? You’re not alone. Many of us juggle busy schedules and competing demands, leaving little room to pause and recharge.
Making Life Easier (MLE) offers free, easy-to-access resources designed to support you and your household members in the moment, without fuss. Learn more.
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Too far to just bike? Bike + Transit: The perfect pair for Bike Everywhere month
Crossposted from Metro Matters
It’s beautiful weather and you want to want to go someplace fun, but is it too far to go by your trusty bike?
We’ve got a solution: combine transit and your bike, it’s easy, cheap and super convenient! Between bus bike racks and lockers, we’ve got you covered.
May is Bike Everywhere Month, and that makes it a great time to try pairing your bike with transit to give you the ultimate, flexible ride or commute. As the sun comes out this spring, check out a few ways you can extend your two-wheeled adventures with King County Metro. Read more.
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