Health, Housing, and Human Services – Responding with Care to Crisis
 Watch this video to see how the Mobile Rapid Response Crisis Teams are deployed.
This morning, in the March meeting of the Housing, Health, & Human Services (HHHS) committee, we hosted a panel discussion from the Department of Community & Human Services (DCHS) and Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC), and community partners to hear more about how our region is providing critical community health services, such as mental and behavioral health care to some of our region’s most vulnerable community members.
Many thanks to DCHS Director Kelly Rider, DESC Director of Housing Dan Williams, and DESC Director of Mobile Response Katrina Plewinski for discussing the County's expansion of mobile crisis teams, including a team through DESC, as well as DESC's upcoming STAR Center, set to open soon in downtown Seattle. It was great to learn more about the expansion of these services that are sorely needed all throughout the county.
This presentation was a great reminder that if you see an individual in public that appears to be in distress or crisis, text or call 988 or 206-461-3222, to talk to local crisis counselors from Crisis Connections. When a person in crisis needs someone to respond but doesn’t need police, Crisis Connections can now dispatch a mobile crisis team to provide in-person help, wherever the person is in King County. The mobile crisis team is trained to de-escalate, stabilize, and resolve the crisis in the field and then connect people to other supportive services.
King County's First Crisis Care Center
Click on the image above to learn more.
Connections Health Solutions is now operating King County's first-ever crisis care center in Kirkland, providing immediate support for individuals 18 and older facing mental health, substance use, or emotional crises. With 32 reclining chairs and no strict upper limit to daily patients, the center averages 10-16 people in its 23-hour observation unit each day. Patients receive comprehensive care, including medication-assisted treatment for opioid and alcohol use disorders, all at no cost to them. This facility has become a critical resource for first responders, offering quick, efficient care and freeing up emergency services for other calls.
The Kirkland center is a key part of the Crisis Care Centers Initiative, funded by a 2023 property tax approved by voters. The center aims to address the shortage of available beds and reduce wait times in emergency rooms. As of now, 37% of patients are dropped off by first responders, who appreciate the faster turnaround. The Crisis Care Centers RFP remains open until March 21st, with plans for additional centers in the works, further expanding support for individuals in crisis across the region.
Recognizing Dr. Duchin's Contributions
As Chair of the Board of Health, I was thrilled to honor Dr. Jeffrey S. Duchin for his dedicated service over 30 years to public health, around this region and around the country. Dr. Duchin played a pivotal role in leading King County's public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and with his leadership, King County had some of the best outcomes for managing and preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Over his tenure Dr. Duchin addressed issues like anthrax, swine flu and Ebola — each time reducing panic and increasing the flow of information to the public by telling them what experts know and, perhaps more importantly, what they don’t know, and would continue to work to learn more about.
One of the traits I have most admired about him is his commitment to a holistic approach to public health – he understands how important and relevant the social determinants of health are in guiding Public Health’s efforts.
We are so appreciative of his many years of service, and wish him well in his continued retirement.
Local Progress Board Meeting in DC
 I am proud to be on the Local Progress Board and to have been a Local Progress member for over seven years since first getting elected! It’s always a pleasure and inspiration to join fellow Local Progress Board Members to plan and lead the governance of Local Progress, and we had the chance to do so last week in DC. Founded in 2012, Local Progress has built a powerful network of local leaders — mayors, district attorneys, county commissioners, city councilmembers, and school board members — representing major cities, growing suburbs, and rural communities. Local Progress elected officials come together to develop policy strategies that advance racial and economic justice through all levels of local government. We build power and resilience with underrepresented communities, share ideas and policy among the Local Progress network, and fight to reshape what is possible in our localities all across the country. This work is ever important as we see federal threats and cuts restricting funding and policies for our communities most vulnerable. In these times, we are sharing stories and helping to inform our Congressmembers how the federal administration cuts and programmatic changes are affecting our community. If you have a story and want to share what these cuts and policy changes mean to you and your family, please email us and we will capture those examples for our story bank. If you are a local elected official or want to be a partner or supporter, join us, we will be convening again July 10-12 in the great city of Chicago for Organize Together. Govern for All.
National Association of Hispanic County Officials at NACo
Carolina Mejia (left) and Sarah Benatar (right)
Did you know that Thurston County Commissioner Carolina Mejia was the first Latina ever to be elected to a county council seat in the entire State of Washington? Before her election, there was not a single other Latino or Latina elected to a county seat in the history of this state! As soon as I got elected, Commissioner Mejia reached out to invite us to join the National Association of Hispanic County Officials (NAHCO) – a constituency group of the National Association of County Officials (NACo). I am so thankful for Commissioner Mejia’s warm welcome and encouragement to join NAHCO. This weekend, NAHCO successfully passed five resolutions at the NACo Legislative Conference to direct this national body of county officials to communicate to the White House and Congress the detrimental impact that the federal administration’s Executive Orders are having on our local communities and economies.
A special thanks to Sarah Benatar, Coconino County Treasurer, and NAHCO’s fearless leader and Chair for all her organizing and thoughtful leadership. All the following Health and Human Service Subcommittee Resolutions sponsored by NAHCO members passed, which call for:
Reinstating the Parole Program: During the two-year parole period, individuals may seek humanitarian relief or other immigration benefits, and work during that time. The current administration has stopped accepting applications for several Humanitarian Parole programs and has called to strip beneficiaries of their current parole grants, jeopardizing the work authorization of thousands of individuals who entered the United States legally. Without that lawful parole status, more people will go without the ability to legally work and thus rely on our counties for resources. This is bad for local employers, bad for our local economies, and bad for the county resources, and already local communities are being affected with arrests.
Ensuring the Continuation of Asylum: The administration has directed Homeland Security to reject individuals with claims of asylum at the southern border, risking an increase in the number of unauthorized entries into the United States. This is not only affecting border counties, it affects all our counties. We need to be able to successfully refer folks to eligible programs when people risk coming here from dire situations seeking asylum. As the Seattle Times Editorial Board wrote in Sep 2024 - “King County’s surge of migrants deserves to be treated with dignity.”
Ensuring a Clear and Fair Vetting Process for Migrants: A recent series of executive orders by the current administration allows federal agencies to discourage and prohibit immigration from certain countries to the United States. This opens up for an unfair vetting process of migrants due to their race, nationality, ethnicity, or religion. A fair vetting process will help counties maintain revenue from sales and property taxes and support local businesses by preserving tourism and workforce stability. Unfair vetting processes, like the Muslim Band of the past, created instability here and chaos in local communities.
Ensuring the Right to Birthright Citizenship: The executive branch and members of Congress have introduced executive orders and bills that aim to limit, redefine, deny, and end the right to birthright citizenship here in the United States. Many local governments are joining to Counties have reported, together to file a brief to support a lawsuit challenging the executive order on removing birthright citizenship. That if implemented, local governments would face “administrative chaos and financial strain,” not to mention the stress and devastation this causes for our county residents.
Respecting and Granting Protection to “Sensitive Locations”: Homeland Security has had a long-standing policy for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to generally refrain from immigration enforcement in "sensitive locations," including schools, social services establishments, healthcare facilities, places of worship and disaster/emergency response sites. But In January 2025, the current administration revoked this policy. Our county economies rely on workers to be able to drop their children off and go to school, people need to go to hospitals for care, no one should be afraid to go to places of worship. Now children have been missing from school and daycares due to fear - that means employees are unable to show up for work. Fearful amid ICE crackdowns, some immigrants are skipping health care, that is detrimental to everyone’s health. We call for this to be revoked.
I am proud to be a new member of NAHCO, and thankful for the members who drafted, introduced, defended, and passed these necessary, urgent and thoughtful resolutions to protect the residents in counties across this country. Now NACo must communicate to the White House and Congress the will of the body and call for an end to these harmful Executive Orders and policy attacks.
Woodland Park Zoo Visit
 I joined Councilmember Jorge Barón in his district at the Woodland Park Zoo for a tour and to learn more about the incredible programming the Parks Levy funds! The zoo provides a much-needed respite from the city, offering ample green space for children and adults alike. They have impressive horticulture, conservation, and animal stewardship programs along with many ways of giving back to the community. They so graciously provided individualized data on the specific D8 partnerships they’ve formed and communities they’ve served.
- 3,120 Zoo member households in District 8 (2023)
- 59,243 Free zoo tickets distributed to community-based organizations located in District 8 (2020-2024)
- 6,310 Free or discounted school visits from District 8 (2020-2024)
To continue to advance the goals of the King County Parks levy, the Executive’s proposed increase in levy support is needed to offset large increases in operating costs and to maintain staffing and programs. Rising inflation, the Zoo’s commitment to paying staff fair wages, and significantly higher operations and programming costs greatly impact the breadth of zoo services and their ability to offer them.
Make sure to stop by this gem with a wide variety of attractions and see the Parks Levy at work!
Rooted in White Center
The White Center Community Development Association (WCCDA) has unveiled the extended trailer for Rooted in White Center: The Docuseries, now live on their website. This series, part of the White Center Innovation Project, highlights nine BIPOC refugee and immigrant business innovators working to preserve the vibrancy of White Center while resisting displacement.
Check out the extended trailer for the series here:
Rooted in White Center Extended Trailer 2025 - YouTube
Metro's Green Jobs Community Event
Click on the image above for more information.
Join Metro at their Green Jobs Community Event to explore diverse career opportunities! Whether you're interested in transit operations, mechanics, or leadership roles, Metro offers a variety of positions. Learn how to improve your job applications and prepare for panel interviews. Current Metro employees are also welcome to explore new career paths!
With the transition to a zero-emissions fleet by 2035 and Link light rail expansion, Metro is focused on training and recruiting community members impacted by climate change and social inequities. Be part of a team that reflects the diversity of King County!
Note: This is not a hiring event—resumes and applications will not be accepted.
Register for the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Summit: May 16 – 18, 2025
Visit the registration page to learn about keynote speakers and breakout sessions. This summit will be held in the Tukwila area; details of the exact location will be provided after registration.
 Click on the image above for more information and to register.
Child Care Workers Pay Boost
Click on the image above to read the full Seattle Times article.
Reminder that applications are closing on March 7th for the Best Starts for Kids Child Care Wage Boost Pilot! If you have questions about the application process, eligibility, or what you need to do to get ready for application launch, visit the Pilot website.
To be eligible for the Pilot, facilities must meet the following requirements:
- Located in King County
- Licensed and in good standing
- Open, serving at least one child in care
- Have a max licensed capacity of 175 children
Licensed facilities that have Head Start and ECEAP programs are eligible. However, facilities that are specifically just Head Start or ECEAP are not eligible.
To be eligible for the Pilot, workers at selected facilities must meet the following requirements:
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Work a minimum of 10 hours per week on average
- Work in one of the following roles:
- Center or Family Home Aide
- Center or Family Home Assistant Teacher
- School-Age Child Care Assistant
- Center or Family Home Lead Teacher
- School-Age Lead Staff or Group Leader
- Center Program Supervisor
- Center or School-Age Assistant Director
- School-Age Site Coordinator
- Center Director
- School-Age Program Director
- Family Home Owner
- Other- Anyone who provides direct care of children or essential operations within the facility and is marked as “other” as classified in MERIT
Not eligible: Owner only roles, volunteers, unpaid interns, or contract workers.
King County International Airport Noise Study on March 20
 Participate in the third open house for the Vision 2045 Airport Plan and the Part 150 Study for King County International Airport-Boeing Field (KCIA).
Meeting purpose
- Learn about the draft Noise Exposure Maps (NEMs) that show the current and projected aircraft noise levels in and around KCIA and learn how the NEMs are developed.
- Provide input on the NEMs and the upcoming Noise Compatibility Program (NCP) that will identify measurable actions to reduce airport noise and promote compatible land uses near KCIA.
- Meet with project team members to ask questions about the Part 150 Study and the Vision 2045 Airport Plan.
Event details
Date: Thursday, March 20, 2025
Time: 5:30 – 7:30 pm (Drop by any time)
Location: KCIA Flight Service Station, 6526 Ellis Ave. S Accommodation: Language interpreters will be available for Spanish, Cantonese/Mandarin, Khmer, Vietnamese and Tagalog. To request other accommodations at the open house, please email KCIACommunityOutreach@kingcounty.gov or call 206-296-7380.
Register for Open House 3 here. Registration is not required to attend.
Little Saigon Neighborhood Bus Stops Reopen
Since the stops closed December 16, Metro has focused effort to improve community safety in Little Saigon by Seattle and King County law enforcement and social service agencies, King County Metro reopened four bus stops near 12th Avenue South and South Jackson Street.
Routes 1, 7, 9, 14, 36, 60 and 106 will begin serving the four stops on Monday, March 3. Customer notifications will be posted at both the affected and nearby bus stops. We appreciate the patience of riders during the temporarily shift of service to nearby bus stops. Read more on the Metro Matters blog.
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King County Children and Youth Advisory Board is seeking new members!
Applications due by March 31st at 11:59 pm.
 Crossposted from Best Starts for Kids
The King County Children and Youth Advisory Board (CYAB) is seeking individuals interested in serving on the CYAB for a three-year term beginning late spring 2025. The CYAB serves as the oversight and advisory body for the Best Starts for Kids Initiative, the King County Youth Action Plan, and the Puget Sound Taxpayer Accountability Account (PSTAA).
The CYAB has a strong commitment to equity and intentionally seeks to maintain balanced representation of board members who reflect all communities we serve. Individuals residing in King County, especially those who live in King County District 6 and 3, those who identify as Native America/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander, LGBTQ, residents from rural areas of King County, seniors, and youth 24 years of age or younger are encouraged to apply.
If you have any questions, please contact Kerry Wade at kwade@kingcounty.gov or call 206-263-8653.
Join the Health Through Housing Advisory Committee
Nominations due by March 15th COB.
Crossposted from DCHS’s Cultivating Connections
The Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) is currently recruiting members to fill seven positions on the Health Through Housing (HTH) Advisory Committee. The HTH Advisory Committee plays a vital role in guiding the HTH initiative by advising on its implementation, reviewing performance data, and reporting annually on its impact. The committee is made up of 12-16 members representing diverse communities across King County, with a focus on areas hardest hit by homelessness.
Members will commit to quarterly meetings, thorough review of technical documents, and active participation in subcommittees. The committee provides an opportunity for community members to contribute to expanding equitable and affordable housing, with stipends available for personal capacity participants.
Nominees should represent diverse regions, communities disproportionately affected by homelessness, and individuals with lived experience of homelessness or those who have lived in an HTH building.
If you have any questions, please contact Annelise Osterberg, Health Through Housing Program Impact Coordinator at aosterbe@kingcounty.gov.
Applications due by March 18th.
 Apply to join the King County Climate Equity Community Task Force (CECTF). They are seeking 8-10 individuals representing organizations/collectives to join the CECTF. This is a group of climate justice and community leaders acting on the commitments King County has made in the King County’s Strategic Climate Action Plan (SCAP). The SCAP is a 5 year blueprint for County climate action and it outlines King County’s priorities and commitments for climate action to residents and partners. King County is currently updating the SCAP for 2025-2030, and it will be published in summer 2025.
If you have any questions, please contact Samara Almonte at salmonte@kingcounty.gov.
Note that if you are a youth (under 18 yrs old) please apply to join the CECTF!
King County Parks Levy Grants
Applications due by March 31st at 9 am.
For Youth and Amateur Sports Grants, a separate RFA process will be held starting April 7 to May 5 at 9 a.m. We will have $3.6 million in available funding. Awards up to $100,000 for programs proposals and up to $250,000 for construction proposals. Learn more here.
Best Starts for Kids Child Care Wage Boost Pilot
Applications due by March 7th.
4Culture Project Grants: Art Projects, Heritage Projects, & Preservation Special Projects
Applications due by March 12th at 5 pm.
Request for Applications (RFA): Supporting Street Food Vendors in Becoming Permitted
Applications due by March 21st at 2 pm.
Request for Proposals (RFP): Residential Treatment Facility capital development
Applications due by March 28th at 2 pm.
Request for Proposals (RFP): Youth Development
Applications due by April 15th at 2 pm.
4Culture Building for Equity Facilities Grant Applications due by April 17th at 5 pm; pre-screening process by March 25th.
Building for Equity: Facilities grants help organizations acquire, build, or renovate the brick-and-mortar buildings and spaces that make culture, science, and technology experiences possible. This grant is now open to projects with budgets of $10 million or less. If you have a building project that has a larger budget, please see the Building for Equity: Anchoring Community grant program.
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Both King County Nonprofit Employment Surveys now live!
 Click on the image above to take the survey.
Survey responses accepted through April 18th at 5:30 pm.
 Click on the image above to take the survey.
Survey responses accepted through May 25th.
Learn more about the King County Nonprofit Employment Surveys
On Exhibit at Gallery 4Culture, March 6th to 27th
 Click on the image above for more information.
Opening: Thursday, March 6th, 6 — 8 pm
Location: 101 Prefontaine Pl S Seattle, WA 98104
Reshimu explores embodiment, decay, and co-creation through Falchuk’s collection of transformed fragments. The Kabbalistic term reshimu symbolizes the divine imprint on matter and the sacred work of repair.
Falchuk’s mixed-media works elevate everyday remnants, creating new pairings that reflect her relationships to labor, place, culture, and the body.
Rat City Art Walk
Rat City Art Walk is back on the first day of spring March 20th!
📝 Register Business & Artist Sign-Up Form (Deadline is March 13th to be included in the map)
📅 When? Thursday March 20th 5 – 8 pm+ (hours may vary by business/location)
📍 Where? Participating businesses along the White Center Business Core (around 16th Ave SW between SW Cambridge - SW 102th ST)
💰 Cost? Free for everyone—Artists, Vendors, Businesses & Attendees!
 Thank you for signing up for the #TeresaTuesday Newsletter. We will send you regular updates every other week. If you’d like to reach out or have an issue we can help with, please reach out anytime.
Thank you for allowing us to represent you on the King County Council!
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