After King County’s lawsuit win, sex-ed research funding restored

July 25, 2018.Reading time 2 minutes.

After U.S. District Court Judge John Coughenour ruled on May 29 that the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) failed to adequately explain why it cut King County’s funding to study the efficacy of its FLASH sexual health education program, HHS has now approved the $1 million in funding. As explained in a News […]

King County wins lawsuit, blocks federal government from terminating science-based teen pregnancy prevention program

May 29, 2018.Reading time 6 minutes.

(This News Release comes from the King County Executive Office) King County has won an important victory in U.S. District Court after demonstrating that the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) acted unlawfully in abruptly cancelling its Teen Pregnancy Prevention grants two years early. “We sued the federal government because they are attempting […]

New school health centers promote “whole child” approach

May 25, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

School-based health centers are improving health (and academics) for youth at more than 30 schools in King County – and this year, the number of schools participating is expanding, through Best Starts for Kids. The centers bring medical and mental health services right where it’s easiest for students to access – in clinics that are […]

The unique niche (and diverse roles) for Public Health nurses

May 9, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

When nurses come to work at Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC), they come with a purpose. “The nurses who choose public health as their practice are strongly rooted in service. They want to be of service to those who are vulnerable,” says Amy Curtis, a Registered Nurse who leads recruiting efforts for […]

Rising number of homeless deaths reflects increasing numbers of people needing shelter and care

March 5, 2018.Reading time 5 minutes.

If we’re ever asked to consider that we might die someday, most of us probably hope it’s at home or doing something we love. For people experiencing homelessness in King County, 72 percent die in unfortunate public places, ranging from crawl spaces under buildings, to parked cars, to public parks. In 2017, the King County […]

Video: Student champions make the case for vaccination at Science Center

February 6, 2018.Reading time 2 minutes.

How would you convince a teenager to take vaccines seriously? One approach that can potentially double vaccine coverage rates is to start with their peers. You can learn how that works in this video from a current exhibit at Seattle’s Pacific Science Center called, “Vaccines & Immunity: It Takes a Community.” The video highlights the Public […]