The second application period for the Coalition Labor Agreement Professional Development Scholarship is now closed as of June 4. Awardees for this period will be notified via email no later than July 21, 2023. The scholarship is part of the County’s commitment to Investing in YOU, and is designed to assist employees represented by a union in the Coalition of Unions with their professional development by providing up to $3,000 in financial assistance towards obtaining training, certificates, degrees, licenses, and certifications. For more information go to the Professional Development Scholarship website or email ScholarshipFund@kingcounty.gov.

A new mindfulness schedule has been released! In partnership with Mindfulness Northwest, Balanced You offers free, virtual mindfulness workshops to King County employees. Mindfulness is a practice that can help you reduce stress and bring a calm awareness to your relationships, leadership, inner thoughts and more. This summer, try a new class or revisit a class you have taken before. See full mindfulness schedule on the Balanced You blog.

As Mental Health Month comes to a close, we wanted to recap some of the key resources we shared this month. Bookmark these pages below to return back to in times of need. How to find a mental health care provider: Whether your insurance provider is Kaiser or Regence, there are robust tools at your fingertips to connect you with a mental health care provider. Mental Health resources for children and teens: We are seeing a growing concern around children and teen mental health. Washington state has a free referral service that helps families… Read More

For personal life challenges, Making Life Easier (MLE) provides free counseling and support services to all King County employees, their dependent family members, and anyone living in an employee’s home. MLE offers referrals to therapists and coverage for eight free sessions per topic per year. Many therapists also contract with the Regence and Kaiser Permanente Health Plans so MLE can make a referral for you to a therapist who is also in your health plan network. In that way, if you need more than eight sessions, your health plan benefits will cover… Read More

For Mental Health Month, Balanced You is highlighting mental health resources to help employees in times of need. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a free and confidential county resource that provides county employees with counseling and coaching around work related concerns and problems, including: Workplace stress Coaching and consulting Conflict with co-workers Supervisor support Opportunities and changes in the workplace EAP is for employees only. To make an appointment with an EAP counselor, call 206-263-8733, or email HRDEAP@kingcounty.gov. An EAP counselor will respond to you within 24 hours.

The second and final application period for the 2023 Coalition Labor Agreement Professional Development Scholarship is now open. This period will remain open May 8 – June 4, 2023, to pay for training that will begin anytime between July 1 – Dec. 31, 2023. Awardees for this second period will be notified via email no later than July 21, 2023. For more information and to see dates for the 2024 program year, go to the Professional Development Scholarship website, watch the Employee Information Session video or email ScholarshipFund@kingcounty.gov. The scholarship is part of the County’s commitment to Investing… Read More

Research shows that people with a primary care provider (PCP) enjoy better health outcomes. People who have a relationship with a primary care provider as their usual source of care are more likely to receive high-value care, have better access to care, and report a higher satisfaction with their health care. A PCP who you see regularly is likely to find problems sooner and can be a trusted resource who follows you over time. Seeing your PCP regularly can also help save money and avoid more costly care, such as an emergency… Read More

The first application period for the Coalition Labor Agreement Professional Development Scholarship is ending Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023. Please ensure all outstanding applications are submitted no later than midnight on that date. To apply: Please familiarize yourself with the eligibility and application requirements by first visiting the scholarship website. Click here to apply. Important: Please answer all supplemental questions and provide all requested information on the application to avoid it being flagged as incomplete. Incomplete applications will not be moved forward in the process. Awardees for the first period will be notified via email between March… Read More