Washington State Department of Social and Health Services

The Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing announces the statewide launch of our comprehensive case management program! Our mission is to empower individuals who are Deaf, DeafBlind, Hard of Hearing, Late Deafened DeafDisabled, and have speech disabilities through personalized support, services, and collaboration. Learn more by watching this YouTube video #HardOfHearing #deaf #resources

We are currently hiring for Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor vacancies throughout Washington! In this role, you will independently provide vocational rehabilitation counseling and case management to a caseload of students, youth, and adults with disabilities to assist them in achieving a competitive employment outcome. Details & to Apply: https://lnkd.in/gQiy87gb #VRC #CRCC #NowHiring

"We're thrilled to be back" Forks, WA — After nearly three years of reduced presence, the Department of Social and Health Services is reestablishing itself on the Olympic Peninsula with a Community Services Outstation at the Forks Transit Center located at 551 S Forks Ave. Opening July 1, DSHS is sharing the space with Reflections, which operates a behavioral health program and is the primary tenant of the building. Through this partnership, the two agencies will offer a convenient one-stop location for mutual customers. Story continues at link. #PublicAssistance #community

Quick Thinking by Institutional Counselor Prevents Tragedy at Steilacoom Unit Emergencies can happen in a split second, and nobody knows that better than Justin Alcantara. Alcantara was recently working the tail end of a swing shift, monitoring patients in the Day Room at Steilacoom Unit during their lunchtime. A patient suddenly stood up, tapping his chest. Alcantara, who has worked as an institution counselor at Steilacoom for over two years, immediately recognized what was happening. Once he confirmed the patient was choking, he administered abdominal thrusts to clear the choking hazard. “At first, he didn’t respond,” Alcantara said. “His face started turning red, but I knew what I needed to do.” Finally, with the fifth abdominal thrust, the food was dislodged and the patient could breathe again. Still focused on the patient’s health, Alcantara asked nurses to bring equipment to check the patient’s vital signs and oxygen levels. Remarkably, this was Alcantara’s third incident using first aid to rescue someone in danger of choking to death. The first two times occurred while he was working in a forensic unit in Hawaii years ago. The first time was in a break room. A coworker of his was eating a burger and some food went down the wrong pipe. Alcantara had taken some classes that teach how to recognize when someone is choking, and how to apply the Heimlich maneuver. “But in an actual situation, it’s different,” he said. “You never know how they’re going to respond in real life.” Two years later, also in Hawaii, Alcantara was able to rescue a patient experiencing choking. His experience with these prior incidents helped him to remain calm during the recent incident. “I focused on the (patient). I just kept thinking, I needed to do my best. My job was to make sure he survived.” “Alcantara stepped up without a moment of hesitation,” said Dennis Suarez, Steilacoom Unit program director. “We’re all grateful for his decisive action that day.” Steilacoom Unit, located on the campus of Western State Hospital, provides treatment to patients involuntarily committed by a civil action. #WorkThatMatters #Heimlich

DSHS Weekly Career Spotlight: Psychologist needed in Burien, WA Grow your clinical #psychology experience planning treatment programs for youth and children. Details & to apply: https://lnkd.in/d3ZCQgur #RetireWithUs #WorkThatMatters #NowHiring #InclusionWorks #BehavioralHealth

Extreme Heat Emergency Preparedness Webinar (Provided by Administration for Community Living) Administration for Community Living and the Federal Emergency Management Agency Office of Disability Integration and Coordination invite you to the second event in this year’s webinar series to support people with disabilities and older adults — and the organizations that serve them — before, during, and after disasters. This webinar will address the unique issues surrounding extreme heat. When: 10 to 11 a.m., Monday, June 24. - Register here:https://lnkd.in/gzPaDvVN Additional links are in the comments. #EmergencyPreparedness #ExtremeHeatRisks

Wildfire Season Preparedness-Now is the time to act Washington has experienced a recent uptick in wildfire activity as we officially draw closer to the summer season. Now is a good time to act to be informed and prepared. Planning is a key component of any successful household emergency plan. Disasters often disproportionately impact the vulnerable clients we serve. When disasters happen and DSHS employees are prepared, we can then continue to serve our clients, patients, and residents. See tips and recommendations to improve your preparedness below. Personal Preparedness Review your family’s preparedness plans, communication strategy, and emergency supplies. Build your preparedness plan to meet the unique needs of your household. Make a plan, build a two-week emergency supply kit, and stay informed. 1. Visit Ready.gov for resources, tips, and recommendations to improve your family’s readiness. 2. The American Red Cross also provides helpful resources for how to prepare for emergencies. Wildfire Preparedness Wildfires have surpassed flooding hazards as Washington State’s biggest threat. 1. Register for iNWS Mobile Alerting to receive text and email alerts from the National Weather Service including fire watches, warnings, and advisories. 2. Review wildfire evacuation level terminology. Level 1 (Ready), Level 2 (Set), Level 3 (Go): https://lnkd.in/gT6hEpQU 3. Visit Ready.gov for Wildfire preparedness resources for families. 4. Register to receive public alerts and notifications from your county. (Tip: do a web search by adding your county’s name and add “emergency alerts.”) Smoke Preparedness When it’s smoky outside it’s important to reduce exposure by staying current on air quality conditions, limiting time outside, and keeping indoor air as clean as possible. Exposure to smoke can cause health problems ranging from minor to severe. Those with pre-existing conditions, infants and children, pregnant individuals, and adults 65 and older can be most sensitive to wildfire smoke. Minor symptoms include headaches, stinging eyes, runny nose, and trouble breathing. Having a way to filter indoor air will benefit your health. 1. Protect yourself from wildfire smoke, visit the Department of Health’s Smoke from Fires webpage. 2. Stay updated on wildfires, air quality, the forecast, and health information on the WA Smoke Blog. 3. Find real-time air quality information in your area. Visit the Department of Ecology’s Air Monitoring Network. 4. Be prepared at home. An easy and affordable way to make your own air cleaner is with a box fan and a furnace filter. Click this link to learn more: https://lnkd.in/gRAdC5B #WilfirePrevention #EmergencyManagement #resources

Secretary Meneses Joins Lawmakers, Officials on Tour of Olympic Heritage Department of Social and Health Services Secretary Jilma Meneses recently joined a group of legislators and other officials from DSHS, the Governor’s Office, and the Health Care Authority for an update briefing and a walkthrough tour of Olympic Heritage Behavioral Health. The behavioral health facility is nearing its first anniversary since DSHS purchased the former privately owned hospital. OHBH has played a pivotal role in dramatically improving the wait times of people in jail seeking psychiatric beds by accepting civil conversion patients transferred from other state facilities. The combined effort has helped forge a breakthrough moment for Trueblood patients waiting for much-needed behavioral health services. As of this week, zero patients are waiting more than seven days to be admitted to either of the state hospitals. “There continues to be a steadfast attitude to meet and exceed the ambitious targets related to expansion, facility, program development, and regulatory standards for accreditation (at OHBH),” Meneses said. “While not all the beds at Olympic Heritage are online yet, we’re currently making great use of the bed space for which we were funded.” Seventy-two patients reside in three wards (Camas, Fern, and Juniper). Funding from the Legislature has also been provided to HCA to contract with the University of Washington to operate an additional 40 beds as a residential in-patient facility on a phased-in basis beginning in early 2025. OHBH CEO Dan Davis and his staff briefed the group on subjects including ongoing construction projects that will improve safety and security for both patients and staff. Projects include camera installation, rekeying interior doors, and additional ward security measures. The tour included the two wards under construction and the Treatment Mall for OHBH patients. “It is imperative that we exercise our moral and legal responsibility to the people in Washington and collaborate to solve the bed capacity problem,” Meneses told the group. “How we do that is part of the collective thinking for us all.” "I encourage you to think about the people we serve in Washington. Think about the need here. It shouldn’t be a choice, whether to help. It’s not up to just one agency or office; it’s a collective effort and a collective responsibility we all share.” #BehavioralHealth #TreatmentCare

Washington among 14 states selected to participate in nationwide Peer-Learning Collaboratives Amid a nationwide shortage of direct care professionals, and people who provide home- and community-based services to older adults, Washington is proud to be one of 14 states to participate in State Peer-Learning Collaboratives. States were selected to take part by the Direct Care Workforce Strategies Center, led by the National Council on Aging. Participating states will host learning collaboratives to share best practices for growing the direct care workforce. (Story continues at link) #CareGiver #LaborShortage

Shared from WA State Employee's LGBTQ+ Business Resource Group Save Lives, Donate Blood! Friday, June 21 at the Winged Victory Circle Capitol Campus in Olympia Thanks to new FDA guidelines, blood donation is now more inclusive than ever for our 2SLGBTQIA+ community members. Every donation counts in supporting our diverse community and saving lives daily! The blood drive bus rolls into Capitol grounds (by the Winged Victory Monument) this Friday, June 21 at 9:00 AM! Appointments are required for the best possible donation experience, so use the link below to make your appointment to save lives! More information on the event sponsored by OFM found here: https://lnkd.in/gWMrimXE #BloodDrive