Contact: Chris Wright chris.wright@dshs.wa.gov OLYMPIA — Did you know LGBTQ+ older adults make up 2.7 million of our country’s aging population, a number that’s expected to double by 2030? Older LGBTQ+ people are less likely than their non-LGBTQ+ peers to have children and more likely to take on informal, unpaid…

The column below is from Karen Pitman, a DSHS nurse who is retiring this month. One of the best things about May is that it is the month set aside to honor nurses. According to the latest annual Gallup rating of various professions, nurses lead the nation in ratings for…

June is Adult Abuse Awareness Month Contact: Chris Wright chris.wright@dshs.wa.gov (360) 628–1043 OLYMPIA — Adult Protective Services, a division of the Department of Social and Health Services, received more than 66,600 reports of vulnerable adult abandonment, abuse, neglect, financial exploitation and self-neglect in 2021. …

A 911 call on May 18 led to the Special Commitment Center Fire Department rescuing two young brothers stranded on a sailboat in Puget Sound. Although the day started off windy, when the wind calmed down the 17- and 10​-year-old boys decided to go sailing. When they got about a…

In honor of Nurses Month, we’ve been sharing stories from nurses throughout the Department of Social and Health Services. Please consider taking time to #ThankANurse this month. A couple of nurses from our Behavioral Health Administration were gracious enough with their time to answer a few questions we had about…

Brave Spaces is a periodic feature from the DSHS Behavioral Health Administration My name is Rachel Dreon. I am a leader within the Department of Social and Health Services and the Behavioral Health Administration, a single mother of three successful young adults, a sports lover, an avid traveler and, most…

Happy Nurses Month — a time to celebrate and acknowledge the vital lifeline nurses provide, from critical care and patient advocacy to education and support. The Department of Social and Health Services has about 1,300 nurses and they all play a big role in transforming lives, particularly at the agency’s…

Social isolation during the pandemic disproportionately impacted the most disadvantaged and vulnerable communities in Washington. Connection with others is critical to health and well-being in all age groups — elders, young parents, teens, veterans, family caregivers. What can we learn from the pandemic years to encourage strong social connections? Build…

When a certified peer counselor met Robert* at the courthouse, they were visibly scared — afraid for their life due to their history of self-harm and thoughts of suicide. Robert lived through a traumatic childhood, and was struggling with being on the autism spectrum. …