Salary: $47.01 - $59.59 Hourly
Location : King County Correctional Facility - 500 5th Ave, Seattle, WA
Job Type: Career Service (Exec)
Job Number: 2026CF27817
Department: DPH - Public Health
Division: Jail Health Services
Opening Date: 08/24/2026
Closing Date: 9/6/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Bargaining Unit: C9A : PROTEC17-DPH, DCHS-Health Prof
Full- or Part-Time: Full Time

Summary
Jail Health Services (JHS), part of Public Health Seattle & King County, is actively seeking a dedicated Senior Social Worker to join our dynamic Coordinated Discharge team. Coordinated Discharge Social Workers are instrumental in facilitating referrals, connecting individuals to medical care, behavioral health treatment, and various benefits and social services. Their efforts focus on eliminating barriers by providing essential support such as medication, transportation, cell phones, clothing, and assistance with benefit activation upon release. The goal is to ensure a seamless transition to the community from one of two King County jails in Seattle and Kent, WA.

As a key team member, you will provide clinical and programmatic support, emphasizing a harm reduction, trauma-informed, and patient-centered approach. While providing release planning to a small caseload, your responsibilities will extend to training new staff, assisting with onboarding, making informed decisions on work assignments, and providing clinical, technical, and analytical guidance. Your role is pivotal in supporting the day-to-day operations of the team and contributing to the overall success of the Coordinated Discharge services.
JHS provides needed health and social services to the incarcerated population located in the King County jails - King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) in Seattle, WA and Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent, WA. The primary services we provide include medical, dental, mental health, social and release planning services, treatment of substance use disorders, and pharmaceutical services. We care about the patients we serve and their health outcomes. Our division includes over 250 employees and an annual budget of over $60 million.

The purpose of JHS is to assure that high-quality health and human services are available to the incarcerated population in the King County adult correctional facilities: the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) in Seattle and the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent. The JHS vision is Opening doors to healthier, happier lives, and the mission is to assess and stabilize serious health problems for the detained population of the King County Correctional Facility and the Maleng Regional Justice Center with a focus on transition from jail.

Staffed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year, JHS provides a broad range of health care to all individuals booked into the jails. For patients with serious mental health or medical conditions, special housing units (psychiatric and infirmary) along with a higher level of services and medical monitoring are provided. Since the patient population varies both in numbers as well as in acuity of health conditions, staffing is adapted and flexed to meet the constantly changing needs of the population.

JHS staff manage the complex health needs of underserved populations, many of whom come to the facility without access to care in the community and with decompensated acute and chronic health conditions.

Work Schedule

This position is Monday - Friday 7:30 am to 6:30 pm. Alternate work schedules are considered based on staffing levels and business needs. Potential future program expansion may involve weekend work. This position is non-exempt and eligible for overtime.

Work Location

King County Correctional Facility in Seattle at 500 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 and at the Maleng Regional Justice Center located at 401 Fourth Avenue N, Kent, WA 98032. However, candidates will need to be available to work at either site if needed. There will also be minimal work in community locations to meet with patients.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.
Job Duties

Equity and Social Justice:

• Appling equity and social justice principles and practices and understanding of the effects of place, race and policy and systems-based inequities on marginalized communities and populations when making decisions and recommendations.

On-boarding and Training

• Serve as the primary point person for onboarding and training new Coordinated Discharge Social Work hires.
• Oversee and schedule orientation activities, ensuring a comprehensive and welcoming onboarding process.
• Conduct regular meetings with new hires to provide guidance and support during the onboarding phase.

Daily Management Lead:

• Assist with daily management activities such as making decisions on work and shift assignments for release planning staff.
• Assist caseworkers in navigating program requirements and challenges.

Clinical Quality Assurance:

• Support clinical support through trainings, technical and analytical guidance, and clinical case consult (1:1 and group).
• Provide periodic clinical chart review.

Collaborative Problem Solving:

• Ability to handle interpersonal challenges and maintain a positive work environment.
• Effectively problem-solve with Jail Health Services (JHS) staff, community partners, and non-medical or social services personnel.
• Effectively work with internal/external providers in trouble shooting service delivery issues by identifying process issues or barriers identifying possible solutions.
• Maintain a broad working knowledge and good professional relationship with key community substance abuse treatment facilities, social and health/mental health care providers, and criminal legal and corrections personnel. Identify and foster new possibilities for effective collaboration with outside providers.

Standard Work:

• Assist with regularly scheduled program review, updating, and reinforcement of standard work.
• Contribute to the ongoing standardization efforts to enhance program efficiency and effectiveness using the Plan- Do -Check- Adjust (PDCA) model with the Release Planning staff.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Required:

• Master's degree in social work, psychology, or counseling from an accredited university or equivalent.
• State of Washington associates license (LMHCA, LMFTA, LICSWA, LMFTA, LSWAA) or recognized equivalent) OR ability to apply for licensed agency affiliated counselor (LAAC) within 30 days of employment
• Two (2) years' full-time work experience (within the last 5 yrs.) in a counseling, social work, or case management capacity with adult populations experiencing severe and persistent behavioral health conditions.
• Two (2) years of full-time experience (within the last five years) maintaining accurate clinical biopsychosocial assessments, updating case records, documenting interventions, progress, and outcomes, and reporting patient status in an electronic health record
• Two (2) years of full-time experience (within the last 5 years) coordinating medical, mental health, substance use, and other social service resources in KING COUNTY for Medicaid-eligible adults
• Two (2) years of full-time experience (within the last 5 years) in counseling, social work, or case management with adult populations living unsheltered and experiencing severe and persistent behavioral health conditions
• At least two years experience working in a position where you routinely coordinated with the criminal legal system in either King County, Pierce, or Snohomish (courts, defense attorneys, prosecution, probation, correctional institutions).
• Experience working in a position where you routinely coordinated with the criminal legal system.
• Knowledge of specific challenges, trauma responses, behavior and needs for people experiencing legal involvement, housing instability, economic insecurities, substance use disorder and mental health conditions compounded by discrimination and systemic oppression.
• Pass a security clearance and/or background check to secure access to the jails.
• Proficiency in the use of personal computers, with working knowledge of MS Word, MS Excel, database programs, Internet, cell phones, and Outlook, electronic health record.
• Ability to travel to various sites within Seattle-King County.

Desired:

• Bilingual/ bicultural/ individuals with diverse backgrounds, including people with lived experience with behavioral health and recovery, incarceration, houselessness, people of color, and members of the LGBTQIA+ communities.
• Experience working in a position where you routinely coordinated medical, mental health, substance use, and other social service resources in King County for Medicaid-eligible adults.
• Experience supporting social services staff by providing technical, clinical, and analytical assistance, including tasks like onboarding new hires, conducting chart reviews, offering case consultations, and interpreting procedural guidelines

Work Environment Requirements

• Position is based in a secure jail setting with frequent walking, stair climbing, and navigating confined areas.
• Includes conducting cell-side visits through pass-through slots, often in noisy or low-privacy conditions.
• May require assisting individuals with mobility needs (e.g., pushing wheelchairs) and occasional lifting (up to 25 lbs.).
• Requires emotional resilience, sound judgment, and flexibility, with professionalism and compassion essential for success in a dynamic care environment.

Supplemental Information
Are you ready to make a difference? dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Application Process
The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:

• NEOGOV Job Application (The responses on your job application should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• Supplemental Questions (The responses to the supplemental questions should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• A Cover Letter
• A Resume

(Please note: additional attachments will not be reviewed as part of the evaluation process if not outlined as a required application material as outlined above).

Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.
If you are interested in pursuing this position and supporting King County's vision for unified, equitable, and high-performing government, please follow the application instructions carefully. Provide us with your work history as applicable, ensuring that you provide details that highlight your ability to fulfill the requirements for this position.
If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, or you would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process, please contact Catherine Fitzpatrick, HR Supervisor by clicking