SOCIAL
In February 2023, King County residents had 34.5 visits involving domestic violence per 10,000 total ED visits (179 visits). This rate is similar to the prior month and February 2022 (Jan 2023 - 33.4 per 10,000 visits; February 2022 - 35.0 per 10,000 visits).
In March 2023, approximately 13% of all households (116,582 households) in King County were enrolled in Basic Food benefits. This is similar to the previous month (117,154 households in February 2023), but a 6% increase compared to one year ago (109,833 households in March 2022).
From March 2020-February 2023, families enrolled in Basic Food received a temporary increase in food benefits. Starting March 1, 2023, households enrolled in Basic Food receive a decreased food benefit amount consistent with pre-pandemic benefit levels.
Public Health will be closely monitoring impacts on food security and assisting people to access food support. For more information about Basic Food benefits, contact Public Health Access & Outreach program at 1-800-756-5437.
ECONOMIC
During February 13-19, 2023, King County's 2-1-1 received 208 calls seeking income support/assistance. This is twice the number of callers compared to one month ago (103 callers during January 16-22, 2023).
This increase in calls is similar to a spike in the number of callers seeking income support/assistance around the same time last year (197 callers during February 7-13, 2022).
In the first half of March 2023, 22% of renters in the King-Pierce-Snohomish County area reported their rent increased $250 or more. This is similar to the first half of January and February 2023 where 21% percentage of renters reported rent increased $250 or more.
HEALTH
In January 2023, 527,560 people were enrolled in Medicaid in King County. This is a 32% increase (over 125,000 individuals) in Medicaid enrollment compared to March 2020, the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, King County residents have kept Medicaid (Apple Health) coverage without needing to reconfirm their eligibility every year. However, starting April 1, 2023 eligibility returned to pre-pandemic operations. This will impact Medicaid enrollees on a rolling basis, as each month a new group comes up for renewal verification.
Click here to read about how you can keep Medicaid coverage.
Public Health is closely monitoring the number of individuals enrolled in Medicaid in King County since we anticipate a decline in the coming months due to this policy change.
ED visits involving suicide ideation were higher in February and January 2023 (233.8 visits and 236.8 visits per 10,000 total ED visits respectively) than they were in December 2022 (191.9 visits per 10,000 total ED visits), but the February 2023 rate is lower than a year ago (272.9 visits per 10,000 ED visits observed in February 2022).
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