Providing support for Maui wildfire response
The devastating wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui last week left a trail of destruction and loss of life in their wake. The impact on people, communities, and the environment has been devastating. Rebuilding homes, communities, and lives will take months and years. Our thoughts are with the families of those who have lost their loved ones, with those who lost their homes, and with the first responders working hard to find those that are still missing. Employees may be wondering how they can help. This year’s Annual Giving Drive is… Read More
Susan McLaughlin selected as New Behavioral Health and Recovery Division Director
The King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) welcomes Susan McLaughlin, Ph.D., as the new Director of the Behavioral Health and Recovery Division (BHRD) effective Sept. 11, 2023. Dr. Susan McLaughlin is a licensed clinical psychologist with more than 20years of leadership experience in health, behavioral health, and social services as a clinician, researcher, and policy administrator. McLaughlin started her career in youth mental health and later served as the Health and Human Services Administrator at DCHS in BHRD where she led multiple initiatives to improve public policy and programmatic outcomes… Read More
Lorraine Patterson-Harris appointed County Administrative Officer and Director of Department of Executive Services
Executive Constantine has appointed Lorraine Patterson-Harris County Administrative Officer (CAO) and Director of the Department of Executive Services (DES). Her appointment is subject to Council confirmation. Lorraine has most recently served as the Chief Administrative Officer for the Department of Natural Resources (DNRP). For the last eight years, she has been a champion for that department, leading continuous improvement work, implementing technology systems, the “Green Where We Work” initiative for DNRP’s post-pandemic operations, and leadership development efforts centered around equity, competencies, and our values. Her previous leadership roles with King County include… Read More
Deputies, on and off-duty, team up to halt Lake Sammamish Fire
Crossposted from the KCSO Newsletter On the evening of Sunday, Aug. 6, just before 7 p.m., Marine Unit Deputy Matt Martin and Deputy Alex Thomas were making a routine patrol and safety check on Lake Sammamish. During their rounds, they observed a significant plume of smoke forming along the lake’s western shoreline. Sensing a potential danger, Deputies Martin and Thomas went to investigate and located the beginnings of a small brush fire. Responding promptly, they moored their Marine boat at a dock and immediately acted, utilizing both lake water and their equipment… Read More
Excessive heat warning Aug. 14-16
Hotter than normal weather is forecast for our region from Aug. 14-16. Temperatures could reach the low to mid 90’s during the day, and the 60’s to 70’s at night. Here are some tips from Public Health – Seattle & King County to help you manage the heat: Get more tips and advice on these sites: Public Health – Seattle & King County: Hot weather preparedness King County Emergency News: It’s a summer heat wave in the NW – what you should know | King County Emergency News (kcemergency.com) King County Regional Homelessness… Read More
Regional Animal Services partners with Home To Home to help people looking to rehome their pets
Needing to find a new home for a beloved pet is sometimes a difficult reality. While Regional Animal Services of King County strives to ensure surrendered pets have the best possible stay at the Pet Adoption Center, shelters are still a stressful place for animals. That’s why RASKC has partnered with Home To Home, an online interactive pet placement platform, to help people find new homes for their pets. Home To Home is easy to use. People needing to rehome a pet can visit kingcounty.gov/HomeToHome to register for the service and post… Read More
Local Services seeks input on community needs in unincorporated King County
Does your unincorporated community have the services it needs? Do you need more summer camps, food banks, or tutoring services? Complete the Community Needs survey to help plan and prioritize future spending for your neighborhood. Fill out your survey today at https://publicinput.com/CommunityNeeds. The Community Needs survey is your opportunity to tell us how you want to see funding spent and what services you need to see in your community. Through the Community Needs survey, we ask neighbors what they want and need from their local government to support them as they build… Read More
2023 King County Recovery Plan highlights equitable recovery for community
Check out the latest Recovery Plan Annual Report to learn more about how King County is investing its federal Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery (CLFR) funds to ensure an equitable recovery for everyone in our community. This annual performance report is required by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and describes the County’s use of over $430 million in CLFR funding. This year’s report includes 107 programs that range in focus from homelessness response, public health response, equitable economic recovery, community resiliency, Jobs and Housing, and County operations. Learn more.
Kent Division shines during power outage
Crossposted from the DAJD Employee Newsletter A 15-hour power outage caused big disruptions at the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) last month. Court was cancelled for the day, but shutting down the jail wasn’t an option. Staff worked together throughout the event to ensure a safe environment for everyone in the building. What could have been a disaster ended up merely a nuisance – albeit a long-lasting nuisance that impacted all three shifts. Read more.
Get ready for King County’s new public website starting Aug. 21
On Monday, Aug. 21 King County will begin transitioning our public website (kingcounty.gov) to a new platform. Here’s what you can expect: Site visitors may experience brief, intermittent interruptions;these will be resolved by Aug. 23. Be prepared for customer questions. Online visitors will see the new King County homepage. Your department’s webpages will also look different, and customers may need help navigating to popular web content. If you have content on the current website, work with your departments’ Web Content Manager(s) to make any final updates before Aug. 11. Editing content will be difficult until your… Read More
Employee News 