The Community Health Services Division “ACEs Collaborative” group is featured in the current issue of “Northwest Public Health,” published by the University of Washington’s Northwest Center for Public Health Practice. ACEs stands for Adverse Childhood Experiences, and refers to an influential study on the impacts of childhood trauma on lifelong health. From the ACEs study, a body of learning has emerged nationally that challenges agencies and organizations to understand the impacts of trauma and help build resiliency. The article, entitled “Hope and Healing: Training a Workforce to Better Support Health,” describes the staff-led work of the Collaborative over the… Read More

Crossposted from Clean Water Stories Another year, another stellar performance that earned national recognition for our treatment plant operations. Four of our plants were honored with Platinum Peak Performance Awards from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies headquartered in Washington D.C. To earn the awards, the treatment plants must meet 100 percent compliance with the effluent discharge limits set by permits under the federal Clean Water Act and the state’s Water Pollution Control Law. Our Carnation Treatment Plant earned its first Platinum award for five consecutive years of perfect compliance with its discharge… Read More

King County Chief Information Officer Bill Kehoe was recently featured in StateTech Magazine talking about the importance of rolling out a robust communications platform for organizations. StateTech spotlighted KCIT’s efforts to roll out a comprehensive communications software that enables King County employees to stay connected via instant message (IM), phone call, and conduct meetings with a voice, video and content sharing. “We’ve seen tremendous increase in staff productivity and savings from not having to travel to and from meetings – and there are thousands of meetings that occur over a month’s time,”… Read More

King County Metro received an Outstanding Case Study Award from the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council for the solar lighting upgrades to the County’s bus shelters. SPLC’s annual Leadership Awards program recognizes public and private sector organizations for leveraging purchasing power to advance the long-term health and vitality of society, economies, and the planet. In January, Employee News featured Metro’s efforts in the Using the sun’s energy to illuminate bus shelters blog post. The Outstanding Case Study Award is in recognition of the County’s contribution of a valuable case study to the library… Read More

The Tobacco Prevention Program’s King County Partners with CHWs to Provide Tobacco Interventions initiative addressed tobacco-related health disparities by integrating Community Health Workers (CHW) into tobacco interventions was recently selected as Model Practice by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Model Practices Program. This NACCHO award nationally honors outstanding local public health practices throughout the country and is highly competitive. Selection indicates that a program demonstrated “Exemplary and replicable qualities in response to a local public health need.” All Model Practices winners will be recognized at the NACCHO Annual… Read More