Public Health-Seattle & King County receives national recognition for advancing environmental justice
By Sinang Lee, Program Manager Public Health’s Environmental Health Services Division’s Fun to Catch, Toxic to Eat Program for the Duwamish River Superfund site was one of 21 programs across the country to receive this year’s prestigious Model Practice Award by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). The award, as determined through a competitive, peer-reviewed process, celebrates local health departments for programs that demonstrate exemplary and replicable best practices in response to a critical local public health need. The program was recognized for building an innovative community participatory… Read More
How to keep your cool when working
It’s finally feeling like summer! A wave of days over 80 degrees, perhaps into the 90s, are in the forecast next week. But things are different this year with COVID-19. Going to a movie theater, a mall, or the library to cool off after work aren’t possible for most of us in King County in this phase of the state’s Safe Start reopening plan. Remember to let safety be your guide. Check with your supervisor or manager for specific information or directions related to your job. Tips from Public Health specific to… Read More
Governor Inslee COVID-19 press conference today at 2:30 p.m.
Governor Jay Inslee will hold a press conference to provide an update on the state’s ongoing response to COVID-19 today, Thursday, July 23, at 2:30 p.m. The governor will accompanied by Washington Secretary of Health John Wiesman. You can watch the livestream here at 2:30 p.m. today.
Celebrating 30 years of the ADA
This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law in 1990 by former U.S. President George H. W. Bush. Here at King County we’ve worked to provide everyone equal access to employment, transportation, housing, education, health care, recreation, and community life. On July 26, 2020, we celebrate thirty years of progress in access and inclusion, and renew our commitment to making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. For more information about the ADA and how can get involved in King County’s efforts to celebrate… Read More
Disability history virtual tour, July 23
The U.S. Department of Defense’s Diversity Management Operations Center, Disability Programs Directorate, a partner in the Office of Disability Employment Policy’s Workforce Recruitment Program, will host a virtual tour of the Smithsonian Institution’s disability history collection on Thursday, July 23 from noon to 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time. During this celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Smithsonian historian Dr. Katherine Ott will show the National Museum of American History’s disability exhibit. Register for the event and request accommodations by emailing dodhra.dmoc-dpd@mail.mil. For more information, visit the National Museum of… Read More
Waiting for your COVID-19 test results? Here’s what you can do
Crossposted from Public Health Insider In the past few weeks, we have heard reports of longer wait times to get COVID-19 tests and delays in receiving test results in some instances. For most labs, the average time from testing to results being available has typically been one to three days, but recently it has been taking five to six days for tests done in some settings. Healthcare providers (or testers) then report results to patients. Because these are averages, some people may wait longer than these times. We believe these delays are… Read More
Americans with Disabilities Act 30th Anniversary celebrated by ODEP
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) posted information on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of its signing on July 26, 1990. Featured is a timeline highlighting disability employment legislation enacted since the signing of the ADA and other notable related events from the past 30 years. Also included are suggestions on ways for organizations and individuals to celebrate ADA30. View the timeline here, and visit the ODEP’s ADA30 webpage.
Wastewater Treatment Division employees help design a world for everyone
The Community Services (CS) team in King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) is known for comprehensive, creative, and thoughtful outreach. CS team members solve problems and find ways to work with diverse communities throughout WTD’s 400-square mile service area. The CS team takes the County’s True North initiative seriously, engaging residents through trusted community-based organizations and expanding translation and live interpretation services every year. CS team member Monica Van der Vieren found ways to address a need that all of us will face at some time in our lives: accessibility. Monica leads… Read More
King County providing clear face masks to support deaf and hard of hearing people
King County will make clear face masks available to employees as part of its efforts to support deaf and hard of hearing people at work and in the community. Clear face masks are critical for the deaf and hard of hearing community, but they are only effective if the hearing community wears them. Therefore, it’s important that our customer-facing employees and employees who have deaf and hard of hearing coworkers have access to these types of masks. King County has ordered 3,600 clear face masks for customer-facing and other employees who may… Read More
Reminder: Need to see a health care provider during the pandemic? Try telehealth.
To protect themselves from the coronavirus, many people have chosen to delay non-emergency doctors’ visits and therapy appointments, hoping they can pause their medical needs until the pandemic is over. Unfortunately, we now realize the virus is likely here to stay for many more months. And so, we are faced with the challenge of developing strategies for safely navigating our new reality. Fortunately, King County employees and family members enrolled in Kaiser and Regence medical plans have access to telehealth services that allow you to virtually access board-certified, trained medical providers from… Read More
Employee News 