Social Services Specialist

King-County,-W; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Job summary

King County's Behavioral Health Outreach Program seeks compassionate team members to respond to crises in transit environments and contact individuals in need of behavioral health services. The role involves crisis intervention, outreach, and referrals to housing, health, and employment resources.

Candidates should have a recovery background or peer support experience, a high school diploma or GED, and the ability to work independently or as part of a team.

Qualifications

• Background in behavioral health or related field.
• Experience with peer support and serving diverse communities.
• Ability to engage and de-escalate individuals in crisis situations.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.
• Must pass background check and have a valid driver’s license.

Responsibilities

• Patrol assigned areas on foot and engage with individuals in stations and trains.
• Provide crisis intervention and link to shelter, housing, and behavioral health services.
• Develop and maintain relationships with community partners and service providers.
• Complete reports and record data accurately and promptly.
• Represent the division within community groups and coordinate referrals.

Skills

Recovery background

Peer support experience

De-escalation

Crisis intervention

Communication skills

Driver's license

Education

High School diploma or GED

Five years equivalent education and work experience

Job description

King County's Department of Community and Human Services (OCHS) provides equitable opportunities for people to be healthy, happy, and connected to community.

Our Behavioral Health and Recovery Division is looking for people to join the Behavioral Health Outreach Program (BHOP) team! The Behavioral Health Outreach Program consists of three teams that respond to behavioral health crises that occur in assigned patrol areas within King County. The teams provide assistance and/or intervention to people who are experiencing crisis, homelessness, and/or behavioral health issues. Interventions include community engagement, outreach, de-escalation, screening by visual inspection and brief conversation to determine the need for services, and referrals for service.

There are three teams within this program:

• City Hall Park Neighborhood Outreach: City Hall Park/King County Campus
• Sound Transit Outreach: Downtown Light Rail Stations
• KC Metro Outreach: Burien Transit Center

This recruitment is to fill up to six (6) Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) positions. We are looking to fill up to four (4) full-time positions (TLT/SDA), and two (2) .8 positions (TLT/SDA). The Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) positions are anticipated to end 12 months after start date. If filled by a King County employee who has passed their initial probation, the TLT will be as a Special Duty Assignment (SDA).

To be considered minimally qualified applicant must demonstrate a background that provides the knowledge, skills and ability to:

• Patrol assigned areas on foot and provide outreach and engage with individuals in the light rail stations or on the trains.
• Assist transit security in responding and engaging with individuals who are experiencing behavioral health crises
• Provide crisis intervention/counseling to individuals.
• Offer service information and linkage to shelter, housing, behavioral health, medical, and employment services.
• Provide information and education about health/behavioral health issues.
• Serve as liaison to and represent the Behavioral Health and Recovery Division within community groups.
• Develop trusting relationships with individuals through respectful outreach and client centered engagement practices in order to assess their service needs and respond with appropriate referrals and linkages to resources.
• Develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with community partners, shelters, direct service providers, and other service or resource organizations to ensure continuity of care for individuals.
• Perform job responsibilities in a manner that respects and promotes individual dignity at all times even when challenged by others.
• Monitor and intervene using de-escalation techniques which includes the use of least amount of physical force when physical or verbal altercations occur.
• Maintain the safety and security of individuals by using visual and auditory cues that indicate whether or not individuals are stable and safe during outreach services.
• Complete paper written reports with handwriting that is legible, grammatically correct and complete.
• Enter electronic data by typing and saving data via computer to record information as needed.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WHO HAVE:

• The incumbents in these positions will have a personal history of recovery from mental health, substance use or co-occurring disorders.
• Experience as a peer support specialist or equivalent experience.
• High School diploma, GED or five years equivalent education and work experience in a behavioral health setting.
• Enthusiasm for peer support and the belief that recovery is possible for everyone.
• Experience serving populations impacted by poverty, behavioral health conditions, and mental illness from a harm reduction model of care.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, clients, and outside contacts from a wide variety of ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds.
• Skills in de-escalating verbal aggression, hostile or violent behavior.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Effective problem-solving skills using conflict resolution techniques which result in positive outcomes, and the ability to apply patience and common sense as needed.
• Effective interpersonal skills in working with and promoting positive teamwork.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team that displays sound decision making in the absence of on-site supervisory oversight.
• Current CPR card or attainable within 90 days.
• Current Basic First Aid card or attainable within 90 days.
• Basic knowledge of signs and symptoms of behavioral health conditions.
• Valid Driver's License, or the ability to travel around the County in a timely manner.
• Must be able to pass a criminal background check on a post/offer/pre-employment basis

ADDITIONAL POSITION INFORMATION:

• This position has been designated Non-Mission Critical. Unless otherwise directed by the County Executive, department director or agency head, all employees, regardless of designation, are expected to report to work or request leave during an emergency or inclement weather. For more detailed information, please visit HR Policy County Operations During Emergency Situations and the King County Guidelines for Workforce Management in an Emergency.
• These positions work on site at various locations throughout the county.
• These positions may work between the hours of 6:00 AM - 11:00 PM. These positions mees the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and are overtime eligible with supervisory pre-approval.
• These positions are not represented by a union.
• Classification: Social Service Specialist
  

WHO MAY APPLY: This position is open to all qualified candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. Interviews for this selection process will take place on or around September 9, 2026. Candidates who wish to be considered for this position must submit an online King County application and respond to the supplemental questions. Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the requested and relevant information in the online application and supplemental questionnaire. Applications and/or supplemental questionnaires that state, "see my resume" are considered incomplete and will not be considered to be competitive.

This selection process will fill our current vacancy but also create a pool of qualified candidates should additional Social Services Specialist positions open up within the next 6 months.

King County's Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values unite us. King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency, delivering on commitments with transparency and accountability. We are action-oriented, creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles, engage directly with communities, and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team, we uphold high ethical and stewardship standards, embrace change, stay curious, and continuously improve. Across all interactions, we listen first, act quickly, and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.