Metro HR employee athlete competing in 2018 Special Olympics USA Games July 1-6 in Seattle
The 2018 Special Olympics USA Games will be held in Seattle and King County during the first week of July, and – in addition to being a public partner of the games – King County is proud to have employees participating! Jonathan Leckband, Office Assistant with the Department of Transportation, is one of the employees who will be competing in the games. He is a soccer player who will be representing the State of Washington during the Seattle- and King County-hosted games. More than 4,000 athletes and coaches representing each state and… Read More
More accountability, higher customer standards: upcoming Access paratransit service will have both
Crossposted from Metro Matters By Chrissy Russillo, Managing Director of King County Metro’s Paratransit Rideshare Operations program With the help of customers and advocates, King County Metro is just a few weeks away from reaching a major milestone toward improving Access paratransit service. Later this month, we plan on calling on contractors to formally resubmit service proposals that will better meet the expectations and needs of our customers. A list of key changes was developed with Access customers and advocates of the disability community, built over the course of 11 workgroup meetings… Read More
King County’s Supported Employment Program recognized by Washington Autism Alliance & Advocacy
Washington Autism Alliance & Advocacy recognized King County’s efforts in supported employment “for the County’s commitment to increasing the number of individuals hired with developmental disabilities,” at an event on Thursday, March 15. On behalf of King County Executive Dow Constantine, the County’s Chief People Officer Whitney Abrams accepted the recognition during the WAAALL of Impact Benefit Luncheon at The Rainier Club in Seattle. “At King County, we have a strong commitment to hiring a workforce that is truly reflective of our community and those we serve,” Whitney told attendees at the… Read More
Employee models recovery to empower others
In celebration of October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we share a story focusing on employment and behavioral health. Meet Mindy. Mindy is one of the newest King County employees within the Behavioral Health and Recovery Division (BHRD). Mindy has a Master’s degree from Brigham Young University and has worked at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Harborview Medical Center. She is also someone with a chronic mental health condition who has participated in BHRD’s Supported Employment Program. “I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety at age eight. In college,… Read More
Breaking down barriers with Supported Employment
King County’s Supported Employment Program matches job seekers with developmental disabilities to jobs by identifying efficiencies and unmet needs throughout King County government. King County is celebrating Disability Awareness Month in October and recognizing the work that County employees do to serve and support people with disabilities in our community, including the Supported Employment Program. Many divisions have partnered with Christina Davidson, Supported Employment Program Manager, to hire through the Program to meet their business needs. Recent hiring Departments and Divisions include: Dept. of Natural Resources and Parks in the Solid Waste, Wastewater and Parks Divisions, Dept…. Read More
Supporting Disability Awareness Month through Annual Giving Drive
Each year King County employees help hundreds of nonprofit organizations do vital work in our community and around the world by donating to the Annual Giving Drive, and this year’s Giving Drive is now underway. The start of this year’s Giving Drive coincides with Disability Awareness Month, which King County celebrates each October. The following are four participating nonprofits whose work helps people with disabilities in our community (click and scroll down for details): The Arc of King County (9233) – Serving individuals and families with intellectual and developmental disabilities through case management, peer support, leadership… Read More
Disability Awareness Month – a history of Metro’s Accessible Transit Services
Crossposted from Bytes and Boxes Today an industry leader in public transit, Metro has been shaped by citizen involvement since its establishment by the voters of King County 60 years ago. One significant area of Metro leadership and citizen engagement has been the development of accessible transit services for people with disabilities. The Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle (“Metro”) was formed in 1958 with a public mandate to improve local water quality. Over time, Metro expanded to other civic projects and services. The Forward Thrust bond campaign, headed by community activist James Ellis,… Read More
Success at work!
This article is featured courtesy of Karla Lynch, Employment and Community Access Program Manager, with Department of Community and Human Services When we think about our careers, and how we landed in our present jobs, we recognize that each path is unique. The same is true for persons with developmental disabilities (DD). In the early days of the supported employment movement, most people who experienced a developmental disability worked in sheltered workshops – segregated settings in which persons with DD worked together, typically performing a variety of manual tasks. As we’ve learned more about how to… Read More
Celebrating Disability Awareness Month
This October King County is celebrating Disability Awareness Month and taking the opportunity to recognize the many contributions of people with disabilities to our workforce and our communities. King County provides many programs and services – such as easier access to public transit, greater access to parks, facilities and trails, housing assistance and improvement programs, and Accessible Voting Centers – to help people with disabilities bring their unique contributions to our communities and live fulfilling and rewarding lives. King County Executive Dow Constantine and the Metropolitan King County Council proclaimed the month of October as Disability… Read More
County resources help employee find the right job
Sometimes you get a second chance. When Sean Porter started his career at King County, he had a completely different job. For the first eight months, things went well. But then the pressures grew – along with the workplace distractions. It was soon discovered that Sean had a very treatable medical condition. After working with a trusted supervisor, along with Disability Services, he was able to locate a new job as a Maintenance Planner Scheduler/Transit Administrative Specialist II at Rail. Though it’s never easy to switch jobs, he credits the help of… Read More
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