Loop Truck Shop in North Bend earns LEED Platinum certification
Crossposted from Clean Water Stories
You wouldn’t guess that a semi-truck maintenance facility would be all that tranquil, but on a recent morning in North Bend, the bay doors were open, and the sunshine was pouring in. Between the occasional rumble of a truck firing up, you could hear a woodpecker working on breakfast. Tucked into a thicket of trees just off I-90 sits one of King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division’s newest buildings.
Completed in late 2022 and operational since January 2023, the Loop Vehicle Maintenance Facility (AKA the Loop Truck Shop) has improved our ability to efficiently distribute biosolids to our farm and forestry customers across the state. Read more.
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Look for “KnowBe4” email with cybersecurity training links on July 15
On July 15, King County’s trusted vendor KnowBe4 will send a countywide email with links to cybersecurity training. This is a legit email, not a phishing attempt. Annual cybersecurity training is required for all employees and contractors with access to King County systems. Training must be completed by Dec. 31, 2024.
Cybersecurity training is an important safeguard that helps protect vital King County systems. The number of employees that complete training each year impacts King County’s insurance rates. Total instruction time for the training is about 60 minutes. If employees cannot find the email with the links to their assigned training, they should login to the KnowBe4 website with their work email at https://training.knowbe4.com/ui/login.
Thank you to every employee for doing their part to protect King County. For assistance, contact the KCIT Helpdesk.
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New mindfulness offerings
Mindfulness is the practice of being present and fully engaged with whatever we’re doing at the moment—free from distraction or judgment. It’s a proven method to reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance overall well-being. Balanced You is thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership with mindfulness providers CuriosityBased and SolJoy. This collaboration highlights Balanced You’s dedication to fostering a supportive and inclusive employee well-being program that is in alignment with King County’s values. Learn more.
Supervisors: Here is a printer-friendly PDF with the new Mindfulness Summer 2024 schedule to post at your worksites for employees who do not have access to email.
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Learn about Designated Crisis Responders in King County
Crossposted from Cultivating Connections
When a person is in a mental health or substance use crisis, law enforcement or emergency medical services are often the first to arrive. In some instances, Designated Crisis Responders (DCRs) also come to provide an essential service. DCRs investigate, evaluate, and ultimately decide whether to detain an individual under State statute for involuntary psychiatric or substance abuse care.
People can experience a wide range of behavioral health needs, and with that comes a range of services to respond to these needs. DCRs are a critical part of the continuum of care. So, who are DCRs?
- DCRs are master’s level (or higher) licensed behavioral health clinicians with specialized training in Washington state Involuntary Treatment Act (ITA) law.
- DCRs respond to a behavioral health crisis and balance the individuals needs, their civil rights and public safety, while also considering the least restrictive option available to meet the critical need.
- Per Washington state law, in cases where a person presents with an imminent threat to themselves, others or another’s property or is gravely disabled; DCRs are provided with the authority to place this person on an emergency behavioral health hold.
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Wellness Hero Velda Alexander
Balanced You Wellness Heroes highlights employees doing things to better their lives, the lives of their colleagues, and our community.
Meet Wellness Hero Velda Alexander, King County Metro Transit Operator. In this video she talks about her experience as a Metro bus driver, what keeps her grounded at work, what she does for self-care, and more. Check out the video of Velda below.
We want to hear your stories! If you have a wellness story or want to nominate a fellow co-worker you know to be a Wellness Hero, please send us an email at BalancedYou@kingcounty.gov. Wellness Heroes can be anyone who has used a King County or Balanced You resource to nurture their well-being.
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First-ever Juneteenth flag-raising at King County
Crossposted from the DES Express
For the first time ever, King County raised a Pan-African Flag over the Administration Plaza as part of a celebration of Juneteenth – Freedom Day. After a few brief speeches, participants broke into song at the event on June 18, singing the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” a hymn written as a poem by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson in 1900.
The flag waved proudly over the Plaza through June 19 to commemorate the first Juneteenth celebrations that took place in 1866, a year after Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, to share the news of the Emancipation Proclamation following the Civil War. The Proclamation declared that “all persons held as slaves” in states that had seceded from the Union “are, and henceforth shall be free.” The Emancipation Proclamation itself was signed on January 1, 1863, more than two and a half years prior. News of the Proclamation had been kept from people who were enslaved.
Juneteenth was made a federal holiday in 2021, and has been an official holiday for King County employees since 2022. Watch a brief summary of the event here, and watch the entire flag raising here.
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Keeping young minds engaged at annual Youth Academy
By Manny Apostol Jr., Community Engagement Specialist, King County Sheriff’s Office
Last week, the King County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the Renton Police Department, the Newcastle Police Department, and the DEA’s Operation Engage, held the second annual Youth Academy, which was an exciting and impactful event.
A group of 36 enthusiastic middle schoolers from the Renton School District, ranging from 11 to 14 years old, had the opportunity to engage with public safety professionals from 12 different agencies.
The activities offered were both educational and entertaining, encompassing a combat challenge, captivating demonstrations of drone technology, and an unforgettable visit from Guardian One.
Additionally, the students actively learned about handcuffing techniques, building searches, and were immersed in a realistic mock crime scene investigation. The 4-day Youth Academy was not only about having a great time, but also focused on building positive relationships with public safety professionals and imparting valuable lessons in safety, decision-making, and possible career paths.
The academy ended with a graduation where Patrol Operations Division Jose Marenco and Chief Kajihiro helped to distribute diplomas and gave the graduates some amazing words of advice. Precinct 3 Major John Pugh was also in attendance to congratulate the graduates.
The King County Sheriff’s Office emphasized the importance of connecting with the community, particularly the younger members, at an early age, and saw the Youth Academy as a meaningful opportunity to build these positive relationships.
A huge shoutout goes to Skyway Storefront Deputy Norris, CSO Cariello, Newcastle Police Chief Kajihiro, Newcastle Deputy Gutierrez, Air Support Deputies Sweeney and McCreary, Marine Unit Deputy Brent, Deputy Blazak, CSO Hammock, CSO Wilson, Major Pugh, and of course POD Chief Marenco for their exceptional support and contributions to this collaborative effort involving multiple agencies.
You can watch the full Youth Academy recap video below.
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Reducing lead in cookware leads to BRG Innovation Award for Equity, Racial & Social Justice
By Mary Miller, Executive Communications, Office of Performance, Strategy, and Budget
A joint team from the Water and Land Resources Division of the Department of Natural Resources (DNRP) and Parks and the Environmental Health Division of Public Health – Seattle and King County received the 2023 Best-Run Government (BRG) Innovation Award for Equity, Racial & Social Justice. The project team took significant and decisive action to address the health risks that exposure to lead in aluminum cookware posed to Afghan refugee children – and then broadened new protective measures to help residents throughout the county and state.
Approximately 70 percent of cases referred to DNRP’s Hazardous Waste Management Program were attributed to lead exposure in refugee families from Afghanistan. The program identified aluminum cookware brought from Afghanistan as a potential source of lead exposure for these families. The release of lead from cookware during cooking and storage poses the risk of lead poisoning, which can lead to serious health issues, including neurological and developmental problems. Children are particularly vulnerable.
The Lead in Cookware Project Team partnered with the Afghan refugee community in King County to better understand the problem and identify solutions. In-home investigations by Hazardous Waste’s Residential Services team led to the discovery of lead in aluminum cookware. Using cookware donated by Afghan families or purchased from local and online retailers, the project team worked with University of Washington to measure the amount of lead that can leech out of cookware and into food and determined safer alternatives and community education were needed.
“This team set the perfect example of how King County lives into its True North and values,” said Monisha Harrell, Director of the Office of Equity, Racial & Social Justice and sponsor of the BRG Innovation Award for Equity, Racial & Social Justice. “The team listened to the voices and experiences of the people who were most impacted by the issue and co-designed strategies and interventions with them.”
To mitigate the risk of exposure to lead in aluminum cookware, the project team used a multi-faceted approach:
- Distributed 200 units of safer stainless-steel cookware to Afghan families in King County in partnership with the Afghan Health Initiative
- Increased awareness of the dangers of lead exposure through scientific publications, presentations to community and other partners, and media coverage
- Provided guidance on how to safely use, wash, and store aluminum cookware to reduce the risk of lead exposure
- Encouraged online marketplaces to remove lead-containing cookware
- Supported legislation to reduce lead in cookware in the Washington State Legislature
“These measures have had a positive impact on public health, consumer safety, and environmental protection in King County and beyond our jurisdiction,” said Maythia Airhart, Program Director, Hazardous Waste Management Program. “And they support the County’s commitment to creating healthy communities and a healthy environment.”
Added Harrell, “What started out as a King County project ended up being statewide legislation. It got substantial news coverage and now instead of just working to remove cookware with lead in one immigrant community, it has grown to include other places. We have saved families from lead poisoning because one project team from King County said this was important.”
The BRG Innovation Award for Equity, Racial & Social Justice recognizes workgroups and teams that have made progress toward achieving pro-equity improvements through practices and processes consistent with King County’s Equity, Racial and Social Justice Strategic Plan. The Executive’s Best-Run Government Awards recognize individuals and project teams committed to improving the equity, efficiency, and effectiveness of how King County operates.
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No yard burning: Fire Marshal issues Stage 1 Burn Ban, restricting yard debris fires in unincorporated areas
Crossposted from King County Local
With the dry season fast approaching, King County Fire Marshal Eric Urban has issued a Stage 1 Burn Ban for the unincorporated areas, which prohibits yard debris fires along with fires set to clear land. It took effect Saturday, June 29.
The ban, issued in conjunction with the King County Fire Chiefs Association and King County Fire Marshals Association, does not apply to recreational fires and gas/propane appliances, including grills, pellet smokers and charcoal grills. Read more.
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Making Life Easier, now powered by CuraLinc
Balanced You is excited to announce that, effective July 1, 2024, Making Life Easier (MLE) is now administered by our new vendor CuraLinc. Through CuraLinc, King County employees and anyone living at the employee’s home address now has access to an expanded library of Making Life Easier resources to support emotional and overall well-being. All Making Life Easier resources are confidential and offered at no-cost to you. Read more.
Employee News 