July is Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Month
July is Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Mental Health Month, a time to highlight the unique strengths and challenges faced by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in relation to mental health. Named in honor of Bebe Moore Campbell, a journalist, teacher, author, and mental health advocate, this month is dedicated to continuing her legacy by focusing on the mental health needs and experiences of BIPOC communities.
Fear of judgment, cultural beliefs, generational differences, and lack of access to resources often prevent people of color from addressing mental health struggles openly and seeking the help they need. To overcome these barriers, it is essential to foster open and honest conversations about mental health. Breaking the silence is a crucial step toward healing and prioritizing mental wellness. Read more.
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In their own words: Meet the dynamic AANHP Leadership Council
Since its inception, the American Asian, Native Hawaiian, Pasifika (AANHP) Affinity Group has flourished under exceptional leadership: Sung Cho and Stephanie Santos (2019 – 2020), Renee Hosogi and Phoebe Naguit (2020 – 2022), and Helen Potter and Guru Dorje (2023 – 2024). As we transition into a new phase, a collective decision has been made to establish a joint leadership structure known as the AANHP Leadership Council (ALC). This council aims to honor the collective identity of the AANHP community through collaborative leadership. The ALC comprises the following members:
- Allen Ikua Gomes, Crafts Crew Carpenter at Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Parks Operations Section;
- Mark Manuel, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Manager at Metro;
- Meon Yu, Neighborhood Pop-up Customer Service Coordinator at Metro, Mobility Division;
- Molly Marie Faletufuga, Permit Review Coordinator at the Department of Local Services, Permitting Services Division;
- Tyler Jenicek, Lead Customer Services Coordinator at Metro Transit, Mobility Division; and
- Yingying Huang Fernandes, Service Planning at Metro.
We welcome these new leaders as we learn what motivated each of them to step into their roles and how they plan to lead collaboratively. Read more (Sharepoint).
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New Mindfulness offerings for King County employees
Balanced You is excited to share that we heard employees’ requests for more class variety to accommodate busy schedules. As such, Balanced You worked with CuriosityBased and SolJoy to offer shorter class options at varied times beginning in August. Initially, all classes will be online and there will be in-person classes in the future. A schedule and class registration for summer 2024 can be found here.
We look forward to offering new mindfulness programing to all King County employees as we continue our mindfulness journey together.
For more information on mindfulness and other offerings, contact Balanced You at balancedyou@kingcounty.gov. Read more.
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Remembering DNRP’s Steve Bleifuhs
The Seattle Times recently published a tribute for Steve Bleifuhs, a longtime member of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) Water and Land Resources Division leadership team who died July 7 in a small plane crash in Eatonville. The article shares:
Steve Bleifuhs worked as a bicycle mechanic while studying economics at the University of Wisconsin, and later in Seattle’s University District, where he moved to in 1994.
He then started a nearly 30-year career working at the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, where he eventually managed a team of about 70 people.
“Everybody is devastated because of the suddenness” said Josh Baldi, director of the King County Water and Land Resources Division and Bleifuhs’ boss. “We’re going to be processing this for a long time.”
Read more in the original article, Family, friends remember 2 men killed in Eatonville plane crash.
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“The Southard:” Homeownership that is inclusive and sustainable
Patti Southard, a nationally-acclaimed pioneer in her field, as a Green Building Program Manager for King County Solid Waste Division in the Department of Natural Resources and Parks for 14 years, until she passed away in 2019.
Homestead Community Land Trust held a ribbon-cutting event on Friday, June 28, 2024 to celebrate the completion of the Southard, named after Patti. Located in the Cascade View neighborhood of Tukwila, the Southard is Homestead’s latest net-zero energy, Salmon Safe, affordable homeownership development.
June 28, also Patti’s birthday, was commemorated as Patti Southard Day by King County Executive Dow Constantine. He recognized it by presenting this proclamation to Patti’s twin sister Ellen Southard at the event.
Pictured: The ribbon cutting event was attended by many who remembered Patti fondly, including project partners and her sister Ellen Southard.
Kathleen Petrie, King County Program Manager for Green Building Communitywide, said, “The Southard emulates all Patti worked so hard for throughout her career and life. Patti was a teacher, providing guidance on projects when green building practices were not as common as they are today.”
“Homestead Community Land Trust has carried these practices forward by striving to create developments that exceed code and can be replicated across our region, thereby providing healthy affordable housing for people in our community,” she added.
Nori Catabay, King County Solid Waste Division Supervisor for Green Building, also recognizes the impact of this event and Patti’s legacy.
“It was a great event to congratulate Homestead Community Land Trust for building carbon-neutral, sustainable, affordable homeownership. Their achievement is no small miracle during COVID-19 and the construction climate,” she said. “It was a great way to remember the legacy of Patti that continues on, providing much needed housing in our community in an equitable and sustainable way.”
Kelly Rider, Director of the Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) outlined the importance of providing homeownership options that meet climate standards.
“I was fortunate to get to know Patti in our shared commitment toward sustainable, healthy, affordable housing especially here in South King County. Patti’s legacy can be felt and seen throughout every part of The Southard’s design. From the use of materials that reduce environmental impacts and utility bills, to the solar panels and other energy efficient systems meant to achieve net zero energy usage, The Southard is a culmination of this community’s efforts to build affordable homeownership opportunities that also achieve stability, opportunity, and high environmental standards,” said Kelly.
Pictured: Kathleen Hosfeld, Executive Director of Homestead Community Land Trust, holds the Salmon Safe certification plaque.
“Because of these high standards, The Southard is also the first co-certified Zero Energy and Salmon Safe project in the U.S.,” she continued.
“Through affordable homeownership efforts like this, we can reduce racial and ethnic inequities in homeownership access and address climate equity, a vision that we all share for our region. This is a vision that Patti championed and fought for, and I want to applaud the Homestead team for advancing it here and across their work, and for commemorating Patti’s legacy of a restorative and regenerative community carried on in The Southard.”
Elizabeth Loudon, WaterWorks Grant Program Manager in the Wastewater Treatment Division, was inspired by the project and excited to see it come to fruition and congratulate community partners, Homestead Community Land Trust and Parkview Services.
“WaterWorks grants funded exemplary stormwater systems and education at The Southard and that work continues. Ellen Southard, Salmon-Safe, and others are working to share and expand this model of building watershed friendly affordable housing,” she said.
“It was very fitting that Patti’s vision brought us together for this wonderful event. Patti was brilliant at networking and worked hard to connect people and programs. I’m honored to be involved in this visionary project bringing together the highest standards in affordability, community empowerment, and sustainability. And there’s more to come!”
When Patti died, her colleague and friend David Burger, with the non-profit Stewardship Partners, touched on that legacy, and what Patti meant to people.
“We have lost an incredible driving force in the green building community. Patti was a brave and loving friend who made everyone smile and had an infectious way of making hard environmental and social justice work fun. Her environmental contributions at every level surpassed those of anyone I’ve ever met. She was one of a kind and will be greatly missed.”
For more information about the Southard visit www.thesouthard.com. To learn more about the Green Building Program and King County’s efforts to develop sustainable, affordable housing visit the King County website.
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Executive Constantine unveils new national report to tackle mental health crisis
King County Executive Dow Constantine was in Hillsborough County, Fla. last week to unveil a new report from the National Association of Counties (NACo) aimed at improving mental health outcomes and policies.
NACo’s Commission on Mental Health and Wellbeing, which Executive Constantine co-chairs, released its final report on Saturday, titled From Crisis to Solutions: Policy Catalysts for Improved Outcomes. It contains recommendations for federal policymakers and county leaders to address the nation’s mental health crisis.
“We’ve made substantial progress in promoting our priorities for mental health service and policy reform, but there is a lot more to accomplish,” Executive Constantine said. “This report emphasizes crucial data, effective strategies, and recommendations for government at all levels.”
The impact of the mental health crisis in our communities is devasting. The report notes that nearly one in four U.S. adults ages 18 or older in the U.S. experiences any mental illness each year, with 26 percent of those experiencing a serious mental illness. About one in five adolescents aged 12 to 17 experience a major depressive episode per year. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10-14 and 25-34, and the third leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 15-24.
The report highlights the actions the Commission and counties are taking to meet the mental health needs of their communities. It also urges federal policymakers, local leaders, and stakeholders to support and implement policy reforms that will help address this crisis nationally and locally, including eliminating federal restrictions on Medicaid benefits for incarcerated individuals, and streamlining resources to establish crisis call centers and improve crisis response infrastructure.
Executive Constantine also called out the report’s finding that more needs to be done to create career paths for behavioral health professions, especially in underserved areas, and help to ensure an ample and representative workforce. “It takes people to treat people,” he said.
Executive Constantine and Los Angeles County, Calif. Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who co-chaired the group, urged all county leaders to leverage the report’s findings and recommendations for tackling mental health challenges in their communities. “As the formal work of this commission closes, we implore all county leaders to leverage this report, leverage the work we’ve been doing, and take the lead in tackling mental health issues in every community,” Executive Constantine said. Read the report here.
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5th Avenue Theatre discount tickets for all shows in the upcoming 2024-2025 season
King County employees can receive a 25% discount on all tickets for upcoming 5th Avenue Theatre performances through August 2025.
The upcoming season includes Disney’s Mary Poppins, the Waitress, Bye Bye Birdie, and more. Discounted tickets are also available for the show Clue. View the full lineup and more information here.
To take advantage of this offer, book directly at www.5thavenue.org/seacity. Use the promo code SEACITY to purchase tickets.
See all available employee discounts on the Employee Discount webpage.
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No AC? Can’t open your windows? Here’s how to stay cool
Crossposted from Public Health Insider
When it’s hot outside, it can be miserable inside if you don’t have air conditioning or can’t open your windows. These tips can help when it feels like an oven in your home.
How to reduce the heat inside
- Block the sun with shades, open the shades at night. Curtains and shades can keep your home from heating up. But at night, when lights are out and if you don’t need them for privacy, keep the shades open to let the windows release heat.
- Trap heat with closed doors. If one room gets hotter than other parts of the home, close the doors to keep the heat trapped in that room.
- Turn off the lights. Lights generate heat. Only keep on the lights you really need.
- Limit your electronics use. Home electronics heat up the home, so turn off electronics you aren’t using. Reduce the time you spend using computers, video games, TVs, and other electronics.
- Use your oven or stove less. Cooking with heat increases the temperature inside your home.
- Put a bowl of ice under a fan. The fan can circulate air cooled by the ice.
- Hang blankets over windows. Emergency survival blankets or wraps (the silver type also known as “space blankets”) work well to reflect the heat and typically cost around a dollar at drug stores, outdoor suppliers, or online. You can use painters tape to keep them up and block out the heat. The video below shows how simple it is to do.
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Complete Dependent Eligibility Verification by July 29
To ensure your family members continue their coverage on your King County medical, dental, or vision plan, please verify their eligibility by submitting documentation to Mercer. This dependent eligibility verification process must be completed by July 29, 2024, for each person enrolled to make sure they do not lose coverage on Sept. 30, 2024. The verification process can take a few days so don’t leave it to the last minute! If you have coverage questions, please contact King County Benefits.
Access the Mercer Secure Website to check your verification progress and submit documents. If you haven’t logged in to the Mercer site yet, you will need your Audit ID sent to you by Mercer Consulting by mail and email. If you can’t find your Audit ID, please call Mercer at 866-703-3763. You can also submit paper copies of your documents to Mercer at: Dependent Eligibility Verification, P.O. Box 14585, Des Moines, IA 50306-3585. Be sure to block out personal financial data and Social Security numbers before submitting documents.
More information
- Dependent Eligibility Verification FAQ
- Dependent Eligibility Verification Website Demo
- Overview video: in English, Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Ukrainian, or Vietnamese
- Contact Mercer at 866-703-3763.
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Get to Know: King County’s Behavioral Health Outreach Teams
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections
At King County’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Division, we’re working toward a future where everyone is able to access mental health and substance use care when, where and how they need it. We are also actively bringing care and support to people in the community experiencing behavioral health crises.
Our growing cadre of behavioral health outreach teams go anywhere and everywhere in the County to meet people where they are, offering compassion, support, connections to resources and treatment, medications for opioid use disorder, and more in a culturally responsive way. Read more.
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