Increasing home-visiting services so more parents and caregivers have the support they need
A wide range of support services for expectant mothers, parents, and caregivers – funded by Executive Dow Constantine’s Best Starts for Kids initiative – are increasing parents’ knowledge and confidence, strengthening parent-child bonding, and improving school readiness throughout King County.
The services – delivered during home visits by community-based partners – provide parents and caregivers with support for a healthy pregnancy, free screenings for developmental milestones, information on breastfeeding, referrals to treatment for maternal depression, models for healthy parent-child interactions, and more.
“We created and strengthened partnerships that provide parents and caregivers the support they need to get their children off to a strong, healthy start in life,” said Executive Constantine. “By increasing the number of community-based service providers who work with families in their own homes, we are increasing the number of children who arrive at kindergarten caught up with their peers and ready to succeed.”
With funds generated by the voter-approved Best Starts for Kids levy, King County will invest $10 million each year to provide home-based services, such as the following evidence-based and evidence-informed programs:
- Partnering with the City of Seattle and the United Way of King County to expand the successful Parent-Child Home Program, which offers twice-weekly home visits and provides toys and books. Providers model ways for parents and caregivers to engage with their children to build their cognitive and social-emotional skills.
- Increasing the capacity of Public Health’s Nurse-Family Partnership program, which matches young, low-income, first-time mothers with nurses during pregnancy and builds their knowledge to support breastfeeding, healthy infant care, and early childhood development.
- Expanding access to Parents as Teachers, a home-visiting program that equips parents with resources so they can prepare their children for academic success.
King County also is investing in services that are designed by local communities to meet their specific needs. The community-designed programs will reflect cultural values and strengths, responding to needs that are not met by evidence-based and evidence-informed programs that have not been sufficiently researched in diverse communities.
This is the first time the county has made significant investments in home-based services that are designed by the communities where they are provided. King County also is connecting service providers with technical experts who will help them design effective programs that deliver the desired outcomes.
Promoting healthier, more resilient children, youth, families, and communities
The framework for Best Starts for Kids is based on research produced by the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences.
Half of the funds generated by the Best Starts for Kids levy are invested in prental-to-5 strategies that promote healthier, more resilient children, youth, families, and communities. That includes home-based services as well as other strategies that increase the health and well-being outcomes of newborns and early development through age 5, when 92 percent of brain growth occurs.
Best Starts for Kids also invests in strategies that sustain the gain as brain growth continues through age 24 and in safe, healthy communities that reinforce progress. It is considered the most comprehensive approach to childhood development in the United States.
Read more in the official press release.
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Kudos! to the DCHS management team for volunteering and Banding Together to Fight Homelessness
In connection with Pearl Jam: The Home Shows and Banding Together to Fight Homelessness, United Way of King County sponsored a special Day of Caring Aug. 9, where volunteers worked on hundreds of projects throughout the County at nonprofits that serve individuals and families experiencing homelessness. The DCHS management team volunteered their time to help the Accelerator YMCA program that serves homeless youth and young adults. Staff worked from 10 a.m. to about 2 p.m. at a group home in Shoreline that needed help with gardening, weeding, raking, pruning, laying bark, cleaning out a garage and other cleaning chores.
Kudos, DCHS!
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City Hall Park activation
Facilities Management Division and the Department of Executive Services Director’s Office have been working with stakeholders for more than a year to help improve City Hall Park and King County Courthouse surroundings. Earlier this month, KIRO-TV ran a story about the collaborative efforts of King County and the City of Seattle to “activate” the park with games, food trucks, and buskers.
The soft launch took place on Aug. 6, attracting dozens of King County employees and other downtown people, who enjoyed the new amenities on a sunny day. King County Superior Court has also been promoting the park activation through its social media channels, and KCTV produced a short promo video.
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2018 Equity & Social Justice Speaker Series
You are invited!
The 2018 Equity & Social Justice Speaker Series invites you to a Lunch & Learn Tuesday, Aug. 28, noon to 1 p.m. in room 123 of the Chinook Building. This session features The Anti-Defamation League, with a presentation by Hillary Bernstein and Miri Cypers (Director), and is brought to you by KC Equity Fund and KCIT ESJ: Learning, Advocating, Cultivating.
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Recount refresh
Crossposted from Election Connection
We had a few close races this month and thought it would be helpful to share how a recount works.
It’s important to know that there are two different types of recounts, machine and manual, and that there are different thresholds for each, as well as for the type of race. There are also no mandatory recounts for state advisory votes or local measures.
Mandatory Machine Recount – A machine recount is when in all ballots for that race are re-scanned and re-tabulated electronically. For all races and statewide measures a recount is triggered if the gap is fewer than 2,000 votes and also less than .5% (.005) of the total overall votes cast for both candidates.
Mandatory Manual Recount – A manual recount is when all ballots for that race are counted by hand. For statewide races and measures a recount is triggered if the gap is fewer than 1,000 votes and also less than .25% (.0025) of the total overall votes cast for both candidates. For other races a recount is triggered if the gap is fewer than 150 votes and also less than .25% (.0025) of the total overall votes cast for both candidates.
Occasionally, someone may request a recount. This situation requires an application for a requested recount which must be filed within two business days after the County Canvassing Board or Secretary of State has declared the official results of the primary or election for which the recount is requested. The application must specify the race or state measure to be recounted.
Visit our Elections website or the Secretary of State’s website for more information about the recount process. View our previous blog post about recounts here.
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When you come to work, you want to be in a happy environment. This is what we help create!
Crossposted from Clean Water Stories
Seasonal workers help us accomplish a lot of work in a short period of time during the good weather of spring and summer. This is super helpful when you have treatment plants like South Plant with about 100 acres of landscaping and buildings!
Happy place = happy at work
If you’re like most working people, you spend enough time at your job that it’s like a second home. And most people would agree it’s nicer when your workplace is tidy – even beautiful.
A pleasant work environment isn’t just a bonus or a “nice to have.” Studies show that a clean, nicely-maintained workplace is good for business. It’s safer and makes employees happy, healthy and more productive. It leaves a good first impression on customers – and is part of being a good neighbor.
Help when we need it most
Every spring we hire a group of short-term employees that help us keep our treatment plants and other facilities looking good – and feeling good. Given the title of “seasonal workers” – they are vital staff who help us accomplish a lot of work in a short period of time – work that is best done in the good weather of the spring and summer seasons.
“Our job description varies with the day,” explains South Treatment Plant seasonal worker, Calvin Dunbar. “One minute we can be cutting grass and the next moment using a chain saw to limb trees. I love the job because we gain a lot of experience with different equipment, tools and projects.”
Team member Giovanni Rivera agrees. “It changes every day – whether it’s irrigation systems, digging, pruning, mowing, edging – or sometimes helping the utility workers – we do a lot around here.”
Seasonal worker do all kinds of activities that help keep our treatment plants well-maintained. On any given day, they may use backhoes, tractors, Gator carts, dump trucks, mowers or forklifts. They can also gain resume-boosting trainings like flagger certification, dust-fit mask training, a forklift certification, and First Aid / CPR training.
Seasonal worker do all kinds of activities that help keep our treatment plants well-maintained. On any given day, they may use backhoes, tractors, Gator carts, dump trucks, mowers or forklifts.
South Plant has about 100 acres of landscaping and buildings.
Building experience and future careers
As seasonal worker John Franklin points out “working for the summer season – it gives you a taste of what it’s like working for King County.”
In fact, the team’s supervisor, Chris Tinnin notes that “there’s been a number of long-time employees who started out as seasonal helpers. Many people – instrument techs, operators, supervisors – started their careers in this job.”
Seasonal workers do a lot – such as maintaining irrigation systems, digging, pruning, mowing, and edging.
The South Plant seasonal crew is just one of many crews who help maintain our 3 major treatment plants and facilities all over the Puget Sound.
Helping morale – and public perception of what a sewage treatment plant is like
The team talked about how their co-workers see and appreciate their work – giving them compliments like “hey – that looks great.” Chris says “It’s really important because at the end of the summer – all of a sudden the [treatment] plant’s looking beautiful. They give us a big boost.”
And the seasonal workers themselves appreciate being in the beautiful environment they help create. Team member Duane Walker, who worked in a corporate setting for many years, points out it’s just “nice to be outside.”
And if that weren’t enough, the “beautification” of our treatment plants helps in yet another way – educating the public about what we do. “Before community members come to one of our treatment plants for an education tour, they usually think about how gross it is going to be,” explains Susan Tallarico, Education and Engagement Supervisor. “And although there are some smelly realities when it comes to cleaning wastewater, most of the public is pleasantly surprised with how clean and attractive the buildings, grounds and trails are. Our seasonal workers help make our treatment plants a place where people want to come back and learn more about how we protect the environment.”
Interested in a job as a seasonal worker? We post positions in about April or May each year. Watch for announcements or sign up for alerts at the King County Job site: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/kingcounty
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Social Media Spotlight: #CityHallSelfie Day
King County employees had a great showing for #CityHallSelfie Day last week!
To view the selfies, visit King County, WA on Twitter and search – you guessed it – #CityHallSelfie!
In addition to viewing the selfies from our King County team – including Executive Constantine and, one of our favorites, RALS’ #CityHallSelfie #Twelfie – you can view how public servants around the country and around the world celebrated!
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Featured Job: Education Specialist – Immunizations Program
Closing: 09/03/18 11:59 PM Pacific
Salary: $25.44 – $32.24 Hourly
Location: Chinook Building, Seattle, WA
Job Type: Special Duty Assignment or Term-Limited Temporary
Department: Public Health – Seattle & King County
Job Number: 2018ZK-08517
This position is open to all qualified candidates and is a 6-month term limited temporary or special duty position that reports to the Immunization Educator Consultant in the Communicable Disease Epidemiology and Immunization Section. The Education Specialist performs Vaccines for Children Program site visits with enrolled clinics in King County utilizing pre-designed assessment methodologies. The incumbent evaluates clinic data to determine whether current VFC program policies and procedures regarding vaccine ordering, reporting, inventory management, and vaccine dose documentation are effectively carried out by the practice. The Education Specialist also provides information to health care providers, and conducts outreach to schools, child care providers, and adult vaccine providers to ensure optimal community vaccination coverage levels.
Contact: For more information, contact HR Analyst Zackary King at Zackary.King@KingCounty.gov.
Learn more about this position or all available jobs.
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Trail Spotlight: Eastside Rail Corridor
Crossposted from King County Parks Plog
One of the most exciting projects happening at Parks is the development of the Eastside Rail Corridor (ERC). This trail is being developed in partnership with Renton, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, and Woodinville, along with Sound Transit, Puget Sound Energy and many others.
Once completed this 42-mile recreational trail will connect the Cedar River Trail and Lake to Sound Trail (in progress) with the SR 520 Trail, the I-90 Trail, Redmond Central Connector, the Cross Kirkland Corridor, the Sammamish River Trail, and the East lake Sammamish Trail! That’s a lot of connections.
The new section of the Eastside Rail Corridor where it connects with the Lake Washington Trail.
As if this wasn’t enough, the ERC will be the first example in the region of trail-oriented development where adjacent businesses in Bellevue’s Spring District will be trail-facing. This will bring vibrancy, and vitality to a hallmark of regional recreation and mobility.
Now, it will be a while before this trail is completed, but at least for now we have the existing Lake Washington Trail (also known as the Lake Washington Loop Trail) which circles Lake Washington via a collection of on-road bike paths, regional trails and some protected bike lanes.
Intersections sporting new safety standards on the Eastside Rail Corridor interim trail.
The Lake Washington Trail going north from Renton will now take you onto a couple of the existing interim gravel sections of the Eastside Rail Corridor. While not yet paved, they’ll give you a feel for the coming trail.
So what are you waiting for?! Get outside and explore this new section of Your Big Backyard, get a flavor of the days to come, it’s going to be one awesome trail. Also, join Parks for a celebration of the new interim ERC sections on September 8 at North 43rd Street in Renton.
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King County’s South Treatment Plant celebrates perfection with prestigious environmental awards
The Washington State Department of Ecology honored King County’s South Treatment Plant with a coveted “Outstanding Performance Award” for operational excellence that resulted in perfect compliance with all permit conditions in 2017.
King County’s South Treatment Plant in Renton.
South Plant is one of 111 wastewater treatment plants out of about 300 statewide that received the recognition. To earn the award, the plant had to operate around the clock for the entire year with no violations of any kind. In addition to meeting or exceeding effluent pollution removal requirements, the plant operations also flawlessly complied with monitoring and reporting obligations, pretreatment requirements, and spill prevention planning.
The plant was also the recipient of the National Association of Clean Water Agency’s “Platinum Peak Performance Award” for 20 consecutive years of perfect compliance with effluent discharge requirements under the federal Clean Water Act and the state’s Water Pollution Control Law.
In service since 1965, King County’s South Treatment Plant in Renton protects public health and water quality for about 700,000 people in communities south and east of Lake Washington. The plant treats an average of 90 million gallons of wastewater each day, with a capacity to treat up to 300 million gallons during severe storms.
The plant site also hosts the award-winning Waterworks Gardens Park, where art, technology and nature join in a unique way. The park’s extensive network of wetlands acts as a natural treatment system to clean stormwater runoff from the plant site. Waterworks Gardens is open to the public year-round from dawn to dusk.
Additional information about the South Treatment Plant is available online.
Read the original news release here, and read about DNRP’s other awards in the Newsroom!
Employee News 