King County, WA — Today, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay appointed Dr. Susan McLaughlin to serve as the Director of the King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS). Dr. McLaughlin currently serves as the department’s Acting Director. 

Dr. McLaughlin will lead the department tasked with providing  affordable homes for people experiencing homelessness, coordinating publicly funded mental health and substance use disorder treatment, promoting youth mental health, stabilizing immigrant and refugees in the region, supporting residents who have intellectual and developmental disabilities to participate fully in community life, and strengthening the human services workforce. 

“Dr. Susan McLaughlin is a thoughtful leader who brings deep expertise and a strong commitment to improving the lives of the communities we serve,” said Executive Zahilay. “She has a broad understanding of how our behavioral health, housing, and human services systems intersect and what it takes to make them work better for our residents. During her time as Acting Director, she has brought focus and continuity to this work. I’m proud to nominate her to lead the department as we continue building a more responsive and effective system of care here in King County.” 

A licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. McLaughlin has more than two decades of experience across clinical care, research, and public sector leadership. Her career has focused on improving systems that serve individuals experiencing mental health and substance use challenges, with an emphasis on access, coordination, and outcomes. 

From 1999 through 2017, Dr. McLaughlin held several positions within the Behavioral Health & Recovery Division and also served as a Health and Human Services Administrator in the Director’s Office. She returned to King County in 2023 to lead that division as Director, where she oversaw a wide range of programs for mental health and substance use disorder treatment, diversion and reentry, and crisis services, including the County’s $1.2 billion Crisis Care Center Levy and the MIDD Behavioral Health Sales Tax.  

Dr. McLaughlin previously served as the founding Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of HealthierHere, where she led regional efforts to improve health equity through the Accountable Community of Health. She also served as Director of the University of Washington Medicine Behavioral Health Institute at Harborview Medical Center, advancing work in clinical innovation, workforce development, and research to strengthen behavioral health systems. 

“This is a tremendous honor, and I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve. DCHS is at the forefront of some of the County’s most important work, and I am fully committed to strengthening our impact as we grow, meeting challenges head-on, and delivering meaningful results for the people we serve.” said Dr. Mclaughlin. 

DCHS oversees a wide range of programs ranging from youth and young adults to seniors and veterans. The department invests in services for children, people with developmental disabilities, housing and community development, homelessness services, behavioral health, veterans' services, help for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and education and employment programs for youth and adults.   

Dr. McLaughlin’s appointment is subject to approval by the King County Council.  

Daniel Malone, Executive Director of Downtown Emergency Service Center

"Dr. Susan McLaughlin has the right combination of vision, leadership, and deep community knowledge needed to oversee the vital work DCHS performs.  Her career has been steeped in the essential interactions between behavioral health and other medical care, human services, and housing, giving her a unique ability to bridge the gap between clinical behavioral health initiatives and other housing and homelessness strategies.”

Anthony Austin and Nela Cumming, Co-Chairs, King County Alliance for Human Services

“Susan brings a depth of expertise on critical issues and understands what King County needs to address some of our most complex challenges in the region—from mental health to housing, and direct resources for communities across the County. She has a strong focus on prevention, recovery, and health equity, and has worked with community providers for decades. The King County Alliance for Human Services (KCAHS) looks forward to continued partnership with Susan and DCHS as we work to stabilize and strengthen the human services network.” 

 Sommer Kleweno Walley, Chief Executive Officer, Harborview Medical Center

“Susan McLaughlin has been a valued partner to Harborview Medical Center in her current role and her previous role leading Harborview’s Behavioral Health Institute. We look forward to continuing our partnership with her in her new position.”