About DCHS

In April 2006, the King County Council adopted Council Ordinance 15406 to guide the implementation of the Veterans and Human Services Levy. Because of the many events and initiatives in recent years affecting human services, the ordinance requested updates to the original framework policies, adopted in 1999, as well as a new Human Services Recommendations Report. The council approved the framework policies in August 2007.

The Framework Policies for Human Services adopted by the King County Council in 2007 set the priorities for using the county's discretionary current expense funds and clarify the county's role in human services. These priorities are also reflected in the Human Services Recommendations Report approved by the council in 2007 and in the Department of Community and Human Services 2009 Business Plan.

View Documents

 2007 King County Human Services Framework Policies

 Ordinance 15887 Adopting Framework Policies

Human Services Recommendation Reports

Equity and Social Justice Initiative

In March 2008, King County Executive Ron Sims launched the Equity and Social Justice Initiative, taking aim at long-standing inequities and injustices in King County. The report shows the close relationship between factors of where we live, the color of our skin, how much money we have and our access to education, health care, and economic opportunities. These factors, in turn, impact health, wellness, and even life expectancy.

Among the findings of the report are these sobering statistics:

• A child in south King County is more than twice as likely to drop out of high school as one in east King County.
• A youth of color is six times more likely than a white youth to spend time in a state or county correctional facility.

The Equity and Social Justice Initiative seeks to identify the roots of these problems and work towards long-term, permanent solutions. The Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) will focus efforts in three areas:

1. Improving access to mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment services for youth and adults of color
2. Improving access to early intervention services for infants and toddlers birth to age three
3. Working with the Committee to End Homelessness and other partners to address the disproportionate number of persons of color who are homeless.

Equity and Social Justice Committee - DCHS

To create a work group to learn more about the problems and to promote equity and social justice in all that we do, staff from across DCHS came together to form an Equity and Social Justice Committee (ESJC). In their monthly meetings, the ESJC strives both to increase information and educational opportunities for staff as well as to explore ways to improve DCHs policy and procedures.

Mission:

ESJC's mission is to encourage, enable, and inspire DCHS and individual employees to promote equity and social justice in all areas of business.

Objectives:

• Provide a variety of informational and educational opportunities to DCHS staff on past and present barriers to equity and social justice (i.e., systemic class, race, and gender biases; effects of past prejudiced policies; problems associated with inappropriate service delivery; etc.)

• Act as a vehicle to provide staff with tools for assessing, developing, and embedding practices and policies into their daily work that promote equity and social justice.

• Support DCHS management team in actively seeking out and promoting policies and decisions aimed at equity and social justice, with the goal of long-term, permanent change.

• Build upon past DCHS efforts related to equity and social justice, particularly that of undoing institutional racism.

• Research and develop an online resource library which explores issues of equity and social justice.

• Alert staff to equity and social justice-related educational events in the community at large.

• Build relationships with other departments on equity and social justice issues, primarily by collaborating on educational events.

Coordinating Structure:

Two co-chairs share the leadership role, supported by a planning committee with at least one representative from each DCHS division and site.

Equity and Social Justice Committee co-chairs: Ericka Turley and Adrina Gipson

Equity and Social Justice 2011 DCHS Outcomes

Report on Equity and Social Justice Commitment Outcomes (Jan. 2011)

King County Equity and Social Justice Initiative  

If you have an emergency medical situation, call 9-1-1 immediately.

If you need emergency assistance with shelter or social services,
call the Community Crisis and Information Line at 2-1-1.

Housing assistance following a disaster or emergency

King County Post-Disaster Interim Housing Plan: The Post-Disaster Interim Housing Plan helps individuals and households displaced in the wake of a disaster. It helps people find the resources to get minor repairs to their homes so that they can return to their own homes as soon as possible, and to help those whose homes have sustained major damage to find interim housing.

Damage Assessment: If your home has experienced significant structural damage, or if there is damage to water, sewer or power connections that makes it unsafe or unhealthy to inhabit, please contact your city building department to request an inspection or damage assessment at the earliest possible date.

Residents of unincorporated King County should contact the King County Department of Permitting and Environmental Review (DPER) for safety inspections and damage assessments for residential buildings by calling 1-888-5-INSPCT (1-888-546-7728). Be aware that in the event of a major disaster, the demand for these inspections will be very high.

Emergency Shelter: Local cities, King County and/or the local chapter of the American Red Cross may establish temporary shelters for individuals, families and pets.

Housing Repair Programs: There are a number of home repair programs available in King County, including the King County Housing Repair Program managed in DCHS, that may be able to assist with minor repairs that will make your home safe and habitable again. Programs are limited to low to moderate income households. Go here for information on the King County Housing Repair Program; click here for links to repair programs available in King County cities.

Post Disaster Interim Housing: HousingSearchNW.org, a free web-based housing locator system provides information on affordable housing in any part of King County.

Social services following a major disaster or emergency

King County Disaster Behavioral Health Plan:  In the event of a major disaster or emergency, individuals may need crisis response assistance and counseling. King County has developed a Disaster Behavioral Health Plan that will be coordinated through the Department of Community and Human Services in concert with Public Health-Seattle & King County.

Interim Social Services: After a disaster, access to a variety of social services and assistance may be coordinated by a Disaster Case Management Coalition.

Disaster Alerts and Weather Information

King County Office of Emergency Management - information about how to prepare and respond to different hazards.

Seattle Office of Emergency Management: Information for City of Seattle residents.

Public Health emergencies: Public Health-Seattle & King County offers information on a wide variety of topics related to disaster response and preparedness.

Personal and family preparedness: The best way to weather any disaster or emergency event is to be ready before it happens.

For questions or additional information about public record requests, please see Public Records or send an email to PRA.Requests@kingcounty.gov