Executive Braddock proclaims May as Mental Health Month
May is recognized nationally as Mental Health Awareness Month, providing an opportunity to raise awareness, combat stigma, and promote mental health resources.
“During this month, we encourage King County employees to educate themselves about mental health conditions and treatment option; challenge stigma by speaking respectfully and inclusively about mental health, seek help if they are struggling with their mental health and encourage others to do the same, and create safe, supportive environments for open conversations about mental health,” said Executive Braddock. ”
Read the full proclamation here.
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King County Metro’s AANHP video nominated for Emmy
Crossposted from Metro Matters
King County Metro was honored with a Northwest Regional Emmy Awards nomination for a video celebrating American Asian Native Hawaiian Pasifika (AANHP) culture.
The 10-minute video, created entirely in-house by the transit agency, features Metro employees and artists Vance Sakado, Linh Hoàng, Keiko Budech, and Wan-Lin Tsou.
“Our four Metro colleagues created powerful art pieces as part of the AANHP Visibility Project,” said Metro Multimedia Producer Thomas Hawthorne, who directed the Emmy-nominated video. “While their art was selected to be placed in the community—as a bus exterior, at Metro worksites and on downtown bus shelters, this video amplifies not just their original, powerful pieces, but also the first-hand perspectives and backgrounds of the artists themselves.” Read more.
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King County making progress on creating over 800 new affordable homes
Since the start of this year, five affordable housing projects have broken ground or opened their doors with funding from King County. The developments will create 841 units of new affordable housing for seniors, veterans, and people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.
“King County is focused on building as many affordable homes as we can to drive down costs and make sure everyone — no matter their income or zip code — has a place to call home,” said Executive Shannon Braddock. “As a region, we remain committed to tackling the housing crisis head-on as quickly as possible.”
The King County Department of Community and Human Services provided financial support for the new homes through its Housing and Community Development division’s Housing Finance Program. Read more.
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Join King County in recognizing Mental Health Month
Each May, King County joins people across the country to recognize Mental Health Month. This year, with so much change and uncertainty in the world, many of us are feeling high levels of stress. Mental Health Month reminds us to pause, acknowledge the stress we are experiencing, and explore resources that can help us support our well-being.
Right now, you may be carrying more than usual. Whether it’s the fear of the unknown, changes at work or home, or the weight of trying to hold everything together—I want you to know that you don’t have to weather this storm alone. We can sustain our mental health by supporting one another in our King County community and by accessing resources proven to reduce the burden of our hardships. Read more.
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Arriving soon, e-bike/scooter and pedal bike subsidies for King County employees
Are you looking to make a change in the way you commute? Starting May 1, 2025, King County employees can participate in a pilot subsidy program that provides up to $100/month (for up to three months) on an e-bike, e-scooter, or pedal bike subscription through Ridepanda.
With this subscription, you’ll be able to:
- Choose from a selection of e-bikes, e-scooters, and pedal bikes all through a month-to-month subscription.
- Take the vehicle home and use it like it’s your own for commuting, running errands, meeting up with friends, and more.
- Benefit from included theft insurance, ongoing maintenance, and a complimentary lock and helmet.
- Free delivery to your home or pick up from the nearest Panda Hub.
Stay tuned for more information and launch details from the King County Employee Transportation Program!
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A New Chapter in Recovery: King County Secures a Permanent Site for the SODO Sobering Center
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections
King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) is taking a major step forward in our commitment to behavioral health and crisis response by securing a permanent location for a new sobering center in Seattle’s SODO neighborhood. Part of DCHS’ crisis services available to King County residents, this new center will provide a safe space for people to sleep off the effects of acute alcohol or drug intoxication or opiate overdose and is the result of years of planning and a concerted effort to engage the neighborhood community.
Expected to open this year, this center will be available 24/7 to meet the growing needs of our community and connect more people to treatment, lifesaving interventions, and a path to recovery. It will be operated by Pioneer Human Services and be able to serve up to 40 people at a time. Read more.
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Pinwheels of Hope: Advocating for Children in King County
In recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month, Dependency CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) proudly completed pinwheel installations at both the Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center (CCFJC) and the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC). Each pinwheel represents a child in King County currently in need of a CASA, serving as a powerful visual reminder of the impact our advocacy can have. The CASA signage, complete with a QR code, invites anyone interested to learn more about the program to get involved. With 380 children in active dependency cases needing CASA volunteers, we encourage you to visit the display, scan the QR code, or share the display with your networks to help spread the word. The installations will be displayed through May 5, 2025.
The mission of the Dependency CASA Program is to recruit, train and support community volunteers to represent the best interest of children, alleged to be abused and neglected, that are involved in Dependency proceedings. As part of King County Superior Court, the Dependency CASA Program strives to provide high quality best interest advocacy for children who have experienced abuse or neglect and to promote their safety, permanence and well-being. The primary obligation of this representation is to independently investigate the circumstances of the children and to make recommendations to court with regard to visitation, placement, and services for the family. To learn more, visit kingcountycasa.org.
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Supervisor Spotlight: Highlighting those behind the scenes who keep us moving
Crossposted from Metro Matters
It takes a lot of people to keep a transit system running smoothly across 150 routes and over 300,000 boardings a day.
Bus drivers are the most visible part of any transit system, but there are people behind the scenes who are just as vital in the day-to-day operation of King County Metro.
Their responsibilities include training operators, planning the routes that run throughout the region, and literally being the “traffic controllers” who keep track of the buses on their daily runs.
They’re also the former bus drivers who use their knowledge to guide current drivers. Some were interested in transit from a young age and who put their backgrounds from other fields into good use.
And sometimes, they’re invisible co-pilots that help you get where you need to go when you ride with Metro.
We’d like to introduce you to the staff that help keep the wheels on the bus going “round and round” every day. Read more.
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How King County is making affordable housing more resilient and sustainable in the face of climate change
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections
Across Washington and here in King County, we’re seeing the devastating impacts of a changing climate on our communities, from wildfires to heat waves, ice storms, and polluted air. In response, we’re helping communities become more resilient by supporting affordable housing that withstands extreme weather events and environmental challenges.
“For us, creating affordable housing for everyone means that we’re not only providing homes to people who have been pushed out. We’re also mending the ties within and between communities that were severed by displacement and healing our environment through sustainable design and community planning that center the health of residents and our surrounding ecosystems,” said Sunaree Marshall, King County Housing and Community Development Division Director. “Lack of planning and funding for affordable housing and commercial space, paired with escalating real estate prices leads to displaced families and communities. When people are displaced, they typically move to less climate resilient locations – further from transit, community services, and cultural institutions.” Read more.
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King County and labor partners renew Master Community Workforce Agreement
King County, the Seattle Building and Construction Trades Council, and the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters have renewed a Master Community Workforce Agreement (MCWA) for another five years. First signed in 2020, the MCWA is a comprehensive pre-hire collective bargaining agreement that serves as a standard Project Labor Agreement. It sets basic terms and conditions of employment on the county’s public works construction projects.
The MCWA acts as the mechanism for implementing the county’s highly successful Priority Hire Program, which prioritizes local workers from economically distressed areas on construction projects.
“This agreement demonstrates our shared commitment to diversity, safety, and collective bargaining agreements in the construction industry,” said King County Executive Shannon Braddock. “The MCWA has been incredibly successful, creating thousands of living-wage jobs while diversifying and strengthening our local construction workforce.” Read more.
Employee News 