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HSD Staff Respond to Record-Breaking Heatwave

In response to record-breaking heat over the last week, City of Seattle’s Human Services Department (HSD) employees were in touch with our unsheltered and aging neighbors, worked to set up and staff cooling centers and shelters, assisted in water distribution and logistics, and prepared to serve residents in need and respond to requests from emergency operations.

“Be Ready. Be Hydrated.” – Building A Campaign with and For Community

The “Be Ready. Be Hydrated.” campaign ran from July 15 – September 15, 2020. The bilingual public awareness and counter-marketing campaign received nearly 5.9 million impressions, a dozen media placements and grassroots support from Black and Brown communities across the City of Seattle. This blog post is a summary of a report written by The Vida Agency in October 2020 about their work to create a public awareness and counter-marketing campaign for the community, by the community, using revenues from the City of Seattle’s Sweetened Beverage Tax. Click here to read the full report with additional information, data, quotes, and examples of campaign materials.

Community is invited to help shape the future of the Safe & Thriving Communities Division

All are invited to join the Seattle Human Service Department’s (HSD) community forum series on the new Safe and Thriving Communities Division). This new division will respond to community requests for the City shift funding away from traditional police, towards investments in community building efforts through nearly $22 million in annual investments. Through the community forums, you will learn about options to direct the work of the new division. Namely, design a hiring process for the new division director and a community structure that shares responsibility for decisions and outcomes.

Thanking Our Partners for Their Commitment to Ending Gender-Based Violence

“Maria” and her young daughter escaped a physically and emotionally abusive relationship. She received assistance from a DV Housing Program while suffering from broken ribs and other injuries caused by her abuser. The individual apartment provided to Maria and her daughter allowed her the time and space to heal from her physical injuries. She was connected to an Advocate who provided emotional and practical support. Once Maria healed enough to focus on next steps, the Advocate supported her in obtaining legal assistance with issues resulting from the abuse, and addressed challenges which impacted her options for more stable housing. Maria received advocacy to help facilitate payment of past housing debt and resolved past legal issues that were barriers to her being housed. She and her daughter participated fully in many of the programs and activities offered by the DV Program, and her family connected with other families who had also experienced similar trauma. Maria and her daughter recently moved into their own apartment, located in an area of town close by social services and programming that she is working with. As Maria moved out from the Housing Program, she expressed her gratitude and said that she was “grateful for the non-judgmental acceptance and support,” and vowed to “help other survivors in the future in whatever path she takes.” Maria continues to receive support from the DV Housing Program in the form of mobile advocacy, client assistance, and rental assistance. With support from the agency, Maria and her daughter are able to find peace, happiness, and new life free from violence. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It is a time to remember victims/survivors of abuse and exploitation, to raise awareness of violence and its effects on families and communities, and a time to acknowledge and highlight those working to end gender-based violence. This year has been an especially challenging one. While agencies and programs quickly pivoted in response to COVID-19, we have witnessed a rise in reported incidents of gender-based violence and related fatalities both locally and nationally due to social distancing, economic deprivation and related conditions. Those most impacted prior to COVID and during COVID are overwhelmingly marginalized populations: communities of color, GBLTIQ, immigrants and refugees, and those living with disabilities. Maria and her daughter are one of more than 6,000 individuals/families assisted thus far in 2020 by the Seattle-funded network of providers. Our providers work in collaboration to provide wrap around services, including advocacy, counseling, therapeutic services, housing/shelter, legal assistance and representation, and systems improvement. With the “no wrong door” approach, our funded network mirrors the diversity in client population of Seattle-King County in providers and service options. Victim service agencies also participate on committees alongside system partners to assess, identify, plan and address systems needs and gaps, and to ensure that Seattle’s response is seamless. Such committees include: Access to Advocacy, Immigrant and Refugee Network, Peace in the Home, Day One, Coordinated Effort Against Sexual Exploitation (CEASE), Criminal Justice Committee, Domestic Violence Prevention Council (DVPC), and Domestic Violence Intervention Project (DVIP).

‘Prepárate. Hidrátate. / Be Ready. Be Hydrated.’ – Se lanza en Seattle Campaña bilingüe de concientización pública creado por y para la comunidad

El Departamento de Servicios Humanos de Seattle (HSD por sus siglas en inglés) se complace en anunciar una campaña de concientización pública nueva: “Be Ready. Be Hydrated. / Prepárate. Hidrátate.” La campaña promueve opciones saludables para contrarrestar las tácticas de mercadeo dirigidas a los/las jóvenes de color por parte de las bebidas… [ Keep reading ]

Be Ready. Be Hydrated. / Prepárate. Hidrátate. – Bilingual Public Awareness Campaign Created By and For Community Launches in Seattle

The Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is pleased to announce a new public awareness campaign: “Be Ready. Be Hydrated. / Prepárate. Hidrátate.” The campaign promotes healthy choices to counter sugary beverage marketing tactics aimed at youth of color and is funded by the Seattle Sweetened Beverage Tax (SBT). Background SBT… [ Keep reading ]

Update: New Severe Winter Shelter Availability

HSD is activating an additional shelter at the Seattle Municipal Tower (SMT), which is located at 700 5th Ave. This shelter is also available to adults and pets and no one will be turned away. People may arrive at 7pm and wait inside for the shelter to open at 8pm. The SMT shelter will operate through Friday morning, January 17.  HSD and Seattle Parks and Recreation are also opening an overnight shelter at the Bitter Lake Community Center, which is located at 13035 Linden Ave N. The shelter will open this evening at 7pm and run continuously as a warming center and overnight shelter for families with children and people living in vehicles. Single adults and couples are welcome at this facility as well.  This shelter will operate 24 hours a day beginning TONIGHT.

As 2019 Comes to a Close…

The year has kept the Seattle Human Services Department busy, presenting many challenges, opportunities, and reasons to celebrate! As we enter 2020, lets take a moment and look at 19 highlights from ‘19 that demonstrate the incredible work our teams have accomplished together – and with your partnership – over the last year:

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and an opportunity to think about our relationships and those of our friends and family. Often, survivors of domestic violence turn to friends and family for help first, so it’s crucial that we know what domestic violence is and how to help others. Domestic… [ Keep reading ]

Engaging African American Males in Ending Gender-Based Violence

We are excited to co-sponsor an event on September 4, 2019 featuring two incredible experts: Bettie Williams-Watson and Dr. Oliver Williams. They will offer their combined 60+ years of experience and expertise on engaging African American men and boys in ending gender-based violence at the event, co-sponsored by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the Seattle University School of Law. Ms. Williams-Watson and Dr. Williams will speak to the importance of addressing racism, healing trauma that men and boys have themselves experienced, and bringing communities together protect African American women and girls. There are pathways to safety, justice, reconciliation and healing, and the speakers will discuss these issues and help attendees to build upon the expertise that already exists in the community to engage African American men and boys in ending gender-based violence.