KCSO Deputy Sare and K9 Chuck make their TV debut
The King County Sheriff’s Office celebrated National Police K9 Day (Sept. 1) by making the local news rounds.
KCSO Deputy/K9 Handler Sam Sare and his partner Chuck made their TV debuts on both KOMO TV (the Arc) and Good Day Seattle on Q13.
Both were most excellent as Deputy Sare explained the benefits and the success of the K9 Program. Chuck, it seems, was born to be a star.
Watch the video clip at the link here: King County K9 unit talks about special partnership.
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Roads interns complete another amazing summer
Crossposted from King County Local
Our amazing Roads interns are wrapping up their summer with us!
Since June, these bright and driven students have been exploring various careers within Road Services – from Bridges and Structures to Geotechnical Engineering, Construction Management, Road and Traffic Engineering, and much more.
Some of their key takeaways from a summer’s worth of real-world experience:
- Picked up pro communication skills and teamwork habits
- Got hands-on with industry programs and software
- Learned the ropes of safely operating field equipment
- Saw what goes into project timelines and development
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Increase connections during Suicide Prevention Month
National Suicide Prevention Month, recognized during September, is a month to bring awareness to the general public and those who are affected by suicide. Mental health struggles, such as suicidal thoughts, can happen to anyone at any time.
Mental health may be especially impacted by the unprecedented levels of loneliness many of us are experiencing. A 2023 Gallup poll indicated that one in five workers worldwide suffer from loneliness. Additionally, the United States Surgeon General issued a report in 2023 stating that our nation was experiencing an epidemic of loneliness and isolation. Surgeon General Murthy described how loneliness and social isolation affect our physical and mental health, noting how people who feel lonely are at higher risk for suicide.
The antidote to loneliness is connection. We can all make a difference in combatting loneliness. Throughout the rest of September, Balanced You will share information about suicide prevention. Read more.
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King County partners with University of Washington to open free veteran civil legal clinic
On Sept. 6, King County Executive Dow Constantine and the University of Washington School of Law announced a new partnership to open a free civil legal services clinic for veterans, servicemembers, and their families.
Starting in early 2025, law students will work with the Veterans Clinic to provide free legal advice, representation, and services to veterans seeking benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and other legal assistance. Read more.
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Fifth annual Reconnect to Opportunity High School Resource fair distributes resources to more than 450 community members
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections
It is back-to-school season, and this August the Reconnect to Opportunity (ReOpp) team hosted the fifth annual High School Resource fair with 23 community partners and 466 community members participating.
The resource fair was initially launched in the summer of 2020 as a drive-through resource fair to connect families to basic needs items for school such as food, school supplies, and backpacks. The fair has become a fixture and draws consistent turnout from the community and organizational partners. Read more.
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King County’s investments in the mental health and well-being workforce
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections
Supporting the well-being and mental health of our communities is a priority for King County. Even before the pandemic, community members were facing new challenges in accessing supports for mental health care. Since the pandemic, those challenges have deepened, especially for young people who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+, and multilingual who have increasing mental health needs but a lack of culturally representative providers.
Among other areas of investments in behavioral health, King County is expanding funding in the workforce. The Crisis Care Centers Initiative invests in expanded licensed mental health care workers. In Best Starts for Kids, our teams are funding efforts to bring in more providers and healers who can offer culturally responsive supports: providers who are LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and multilingual. Read more.
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King County’s Vashon Recycling and Transfer Station achieves zero energy certification, with more climate successes on the horizon
Crossposted from Keeping King County Green
With installation of a new solar array and other energy-saving features completed, the Vashon Recycling and Transfer Station has been Zero Energy Certified by the International Living Future Institute, meaning that over the course of a year the facility generates as much or more energy through solar power than it draws from the electricity grid.
“This is a huge milestone for our division,” said Elly Trinh, King County’s Green Building Team Program Manager. “The Vashon Recycling and Transfer Station is the division’s first zero energy facility, and it’s one of many planned projects to make our operations more climate friendly.” Read more.
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More young people will have access to outdoor recreation, refurbished aquatic centers, and enhanced sports fields with $5 million in King County Parks funding
More young people will have access to outdoor recreation, after-school activities, refurbished aquatic centers, and enhanced sports fields and playgrounds thanks to a combined $5 million in King County Parks funding proposed by Executive Dow Constantine and approved by the County Council.
The 63 funded projects include summer backpacking trips for underserved young people, after-school sports and wellness programs in South King County cities, a new synthetic baseball infield in Seattle’s Central District, and improvements for aquatic centers in Des Moines and White Center.
“With support from King County Parks, more young people will have the opportunity to explore the outdoors, play team sports, swim with friends, and stay connected after school,” said Executive Constantine. “These 63 projects, led by cities, nonprofits, and park districts, will foster healthier kids, families, and communities.” Read more.
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Is your personal information correct in PeopleSoft?
It’s important to review and update your personal information in PeopleSoft.
Here’s why:
- You will receive important Open Enrollment and other employee benefits information mailed to you at the address you have listed as of Sept. 30, 2024.
- Your emergency contact can be notified if something happens to you at work.
- You can be notified of safety directives, building closures, etc.
- You can receive information at the email address you prefer.
Here’s how:
Watch the Updating Personal Details in PeopleSoft video or follow these steps:
- Sign in to PeopleSoft from any device at ess.kingcounty.gov.
- Go to the Personal Details
- Make sure all items are up-to-date, especially your mailing address and email.
- Save any changes.
New feature coming soon on Nov. 1, 2024
In addition to the personal details you’ve historically managed in PeopleSoft, you will soon be able to add your preferred first name and your preferred pronouns. You will also be able to share your pronouns in Teams and the rest of Microsoft 365.
These options will allow you to identify yourself authentically in the core systems of communications at King County.
Important note: Sharing this information will be strictly voluntary; however, if you do choose to share this information, your selections may be subject to public disclosure.
Look for more information on these changes soon.
If you need a new password, go to Forgot My Password. If you have any other login issues, call the IT Service Center: 206-263-4357.
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Preparing for emergencies in National Preparedness Month
Dear fellow King County employee,
King County cares about your safety and well-being and we want to help you stay safe – and keep your family and community safe – in the event of an emergency.
September is National Preparedness Month and I want to encourage you to take steps to prepare for a natural disaster or emergency. Our own Office of Emergency Management has training and resources that make preparing easy. Here are three steps you can take to be more prepared:
- Prepare for an emergency: You can find more information about how to prepare yourself and your household on our Personal and family preparedness webpage, as well as at MakeItThrough.org.
- Attend a training: I encourage you to attend OEM’s King County Employee Disaster Skills Webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 11, from 2 – 3 p.m. Register here.
- Stay informed: You can sign up for two free emergency notification systems offered by King County – KCInform and ALERT King County.
- KCInform: Add your personal email, home phone number, and work email and phone number to KCInform, King County’s employee alert and warning system to stay informed about county emergencies affecting employees. Find out more.
- ALERT King County is a regional public information and notification service that helps you stay informed about potential hazards and threats that impact your area. Learn more.
We know that as public servants we need to keep our services going even during an emergency. We also want to support you, your family, and our community to be safe in an emergency. By being prepared individually and in our homes, we are better able to continue to provide essential services to our communities while ensuring our families are safe and free from harm. This makes our region safer and more resilient and helps us do the work that moves us closer to our True North: Making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive, even in an emergency.
Thank you for taking action to be prepared.
Sincerely,
Whitney Abrams (she, her, hers)
Chief People Officer
Employee News 