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Coronavirus Resources

Coronavirus Resources

COVID-19 information & resources for Seattle, King County, & Washington State.

Solid Ground has helped our community overcome crises for over 45 years – and we’re here now to help people and our community during the pandemic. Check this webpage for resources and updates, or call our main phone line at 206.694.6700.

Topics on this page:*

Translated Language Resources

*While this page is updated weekly, please be aware that COVID-19 information is rapidly and continuously shifting, and some resources listed may not be the most current available.

Health & Medical Resources

King County COVID-19 Call Center

The Call Center is open to answer questions daily, 8am-7pm, PT. The best source of information for you and your family during this evolving situation is Public Health- Seattle & King County. 

Who to call:

  • If you are in King County and believe you were exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19, or if you’re a healthcare provider with questions about COVID-19, contact the Novel Coronavirus Call Center: 206.477.3977.
  • For general questions about COVID-19 or Washington State’s response, please call the Washington State Novel Coronavirus Call Center at 800.525.0127.
  • If you have symptoms like cough, fever, or other respiratory problems, call your healthcare provider. Isolate yourself and wear a mask before leaving your home. Do not go to the emergency room; emergency rooms need to be able to serve those with the most critical needs.
  • If you are having a medical emergency, call 9.1.1.

MORE INFO: Visit www.kingcounty.gov/COVID and alert.seattle.gov for the most up-to-date information, and  sign up for @AlertSeattle, the City of Seattle’s emergency notification system, to receive customized alerts via text, email, voicemail, Facebook, or Twitter (message and data rates may apply).

Basic COVID-19 Health Information

COVID-19 Testing

  • Information on getting tested (Washington State Department of Health)
  • Free COVID-19 testing is available from Public Health – Seattle & King County for people with symptoms of COVID-19 who are at highest risk for severe illness from the disease and don’t have regular access to healthcare. Symptomatic healthcare providers, workers in congregate care settings, and people working in critical infrastructure occupations will also be served.

Any staff or resident of a shelter with any of the following symptoms are eligible for testing:

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms or combinations of symptoms may have COVID-19:

  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Or at least two of these symptoms:

  • Fever (100.4°F or higher)
  • Chills
  • Repeated shaking with chills
  • Muscle pain
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • New loss of taste or smell

Children have similar symptoms to adults and generally have mild illness.

Resources for People Experiencing Homelessness

Information on Isolation & Quarantine Facilities

For those who cannot self-isolate or quarantine in their own home, and for those who do not have a home, King County is creating isolation and quarantine sites at multiple locations. Isolation and quarantine is a proven public health practice for reducing the spread of disease. Examples of people who may need this assistance include those who do not have a separate bedroom in their home away from a family member who is elderly or medically fragile, students in congregate dormitory settings, or people experiencing homelessness. Individuals can only be placed into these sites after a health professional with Public Health – Seattle & King County has determined that they need isolation or quarantine.

Call Center & Mobile Assessment Team: Notify the King County Call Center at 800.525.0127 if there is concern about COVID-like-illness circulating in a shelter or other congregate housing facility. A disease investigator will follow up to gather more information, and Public Health will deploy a Mobile Assessment Team to do testing at the facility if advised.

Bathrooms Open at Seattle Public Libraries – The restrooms at the following Library locations are currently open 10AM-6PM, Monday through Sunday:

No other services will be offered in those buildings when the restrooms are open. Locations will be staffed with security personnel, custodial workers, and library staff. To help prevent further spread of COVID-19, Library branches will employ social distancing protocols, ask patrons to complete a brief COVID-19 health screener prior to entering the building, and will limit the number of individuals permitted in the building for restroom use at a time. The restrooms will be regularly cleaned in accordance with guidance from Public Health – Seattle & King County.

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Housing & Utilities Resources

  • Byrd Barr Place Rental Assistance – Byrd Barr Place helps renters avoid eviction with temporary rental assistance and connections to housing resources.
  • City of Bellevue Rental Assistance – To apply for funding, leave a message between 12:01am-11:59pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays only on this dedicated hotline 206.694.6780. Counselors will call you back to screen for eligibility. Bellevue residents may can still call 2-1-1 to be screened for rental assistance and get information on other rental assistance resources in the community. (Please note: We review messages in random order to be as fair as possible for people whose schedules only allow them to leave messages at certain times. Depending on the call volume, we may not be able to get back to everyone; please allow one week after your initial call before you leave another message, and thank you for your patience!)
  • City of Seattle Utility Discount Program – Eligibility and application information for discounted utilities for Seattle residents.
  • Coordinated Entry for All Providers by WA State County

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) Assistance – PSE has funds available to help customers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including those who recently became unemployed, partially unemployed, or cannot work. These carryover funds from PSE’s Low Income Program are available to residential customers in Island, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lewis, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston and Whatcom counties who meet the household size and income criteria.

TO APPLY:

  • Create and/or sign into your my PSE account either on www.pse.com or via the my PSE mobile app for smartphones or other mobile devices, then go to the Energy Portal’s CACAP portal link.
  • Submit a complete and accurate application at www.pse.com, including: 1) Proof or a self-declaration of unemployment or underemployment and 2) Photo ID with date of birth of the customer. (All supporting documents can be either scanned or photographed to create a JPEG picture file which can be uploaded to the portal.)

QUESTIONS? Contact Brandon Leyritz, King County Outreach Lead, at 425.417.5925 or visit www.pse.com/covidhelp.

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Food Resources

  • COVID-19 Food Safety Resources – A comprehensive listing of best practices resources to help manage COVID-19 risk for people at home and for food environments such as restaurants, grocery stores, food banks, gardens, and farms (based on guidance and best practices from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), World Health Organization (WHO) and the best available science). All items are peer reviewed by an expert panel, and many are translated into Spanish and/or Mandarin.
    Topics include:     ⇒Food Safety Basics ⇒Dining Out ⇒Grocery Shopping ⇒Takeout ⇒Grocery Store Safety/Shopping & Handling Groceries ⇒Cleaning & Disinfecting Reusable Bags ⇒Bulk Meat Sales Safety ⇒Cloth Face Coverings and much more.
  • Free Grab-and-Go Meals (Puget Sound area) – A King 5 News listing of places to find free grab-and-go meals for kids at Puget Sound schools during the coronavirus shutdown.
  • Free Meals Sites During School Closures (WA State) – United Way’s statewide listings for free meals.
  • Seattle Food Bank Directory – Links to 29 Seattle food banks, with information about current hours and services during the pandemic.
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Jobs & Unemployment Resources

  • Critical Job Opportunities – Essential businesses are currently recruiting and hiring for multiple entry-level job openings in King County, WA.
  • More WorkSource Job Opportunities – WorkSource offices statewide are closed for in-person services due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but customers can get help from WorkSource staff at 833.572.8400, through their Live Chat feature and by using WorkSourceWA.com.
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Legal Help & Public Benefits

How to Get Things Done in King County Superior Court During COVID-19 When You Do Not Have an Attorney – This document provides info on how to access the court during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some processes have temporarily changed to make it easier to participate in court cases from home and minimize travel to courthouses.

Free webinars on public benefits during COVID-19

The Statewide Poverty Action Network and partners Solid Ground, Northwest Justice Project, King County Bar Association’s Housing Justice Project, Catholic Community Services’ Tenant Law Center, Eastside Legal Assistance Program (ELAP), Benefits Law Center, and Unemployment Law Project partnered to create and offer a series of free webinars on temporary changes to state and federal benefits and housing policies.

Public Benefits & Legal Help to Access Them

Solid Ground’s Benefits Legal Assistance attorneys provide FREE legal help to get or keep WA State public benefits, and they are open for business as usual during the COVID-19 crisis. If you are having an issue obtaining or maintaining your state public benefits, please contact us at 206.694.6742 or benefitslegalhelp@solid-ground.org.

Additionally, Washington State has made temporary changes to public benefits systems that may impact your ability to get or keep state benefits. These changes are current as of April 29, 2020. Note that they are temporary and will be in place until the state indicates otherwise, so be sure to check back in for up-to-date changes.

  • Update to all benefits programs (TANF, ABD, HEN, SNAP): As of April 24, 2020, any individual or family with benefits certification periods ending in April or May automatically get an additional six-month extension to October or November 2020. Also, DSHS will waive the mid-certification review requirements for the remainder of April and May, and participants will continue to receive benefits through the end of their certification period as long as they meet all other eligibility criteria.
  • AGED, BLIND, & DISABLED (ABD): The state will not be enforcing sanctions due to the participant’s inability to follow required treatment, vocational rehabilitation, and/or SSI requirements.
  • BASIC FOOD ASSISTANCE / ABAWD: Prior to COVID-19, Able Bodied Adult Without Dependents (ABAWDs) received Basic Food Assistance for three months and then were terminated unless participants met certain work requirements or other criteria, including ⇒an inability to work due to a physical or mental limitation, ⇒caring for a minor child, and ⇒pregnancy. However, participants in all counties will be temporarily able to continue receiving those benefits and will not be terminated after three months. In addition, if your ABAWD was previously terminated after you used your three months, you are now eligible for food benefits under this temporary rule and should reapply for food benefits immediately. This means you will NOT be penalized if you are unable to meet the work requirement, and you will be able to continue receiving food benefits.
  • Additional Supplemental Food Benefits Available: Many  Basic Food benefits recipients will have additional funds available for March, April, and May 2020. Most recipients will receive the maximum amount of food benefit for their household size for March, April, and May, regardless of income level. If a participant has an overpayment in place, that family is not eligible for the additional benefits. Supplements for May will be deposited at the time of the regular May benefit deposit date. March and April supplements should have been deposited in April.
  • DSHS (Department of Social and Health Services, WA State) RESOURCES: COVID-19-related information such as childcare resources available to families, new rules to protect older adults in nursing homes and living facilities, Paid Family Medical Leave information, and more.
    • Disaster Cash Assistance Program (DCAP) – Available for one month, in a 12-month period, to all Washington State families and people without children, who meet income and resource rules and who are NOT eligible for other cash programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); Aged, Blind or Disabled (ABD) cash; Pregnant Women Assistance (PWA); Unemployment Compensation; or Paid Family & Medical Leave through ESD or their employer. TO APPLY: Call the Customer Service Contact Center at 877.501.2233 (Language Line interpreters are available), or apply online at WashingtonConnection.org.
    • Food, Cash, & Medical Support (WA State) – Find out if you are eligible for expanded food, cash, and medical supports available in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES (TANF):
    • Extending Program Benefit Time Limits: Effective April 1, 2020, all TANF applicants and current recipients will be granted Time Limit Extensions (TLE) when they reach the 60-month time limit for program participation. These extensions will remain in place for the duration of the COVID-19 emergency. Applicants previously denied TANF due to exceeding the 60-month time limit are encouraged to apply again.
    • Suspending WorkFirst Sanction Process: All WorkFirst sanctions and terminations are suspended as of March 16, 2020.
    • Restarting benefits when terminated in sanctions: Participants who were terminated from TANF in the sanctions process will no longer have to cure their sanction prior to restarting TANF benefits. Participants should contact their WorkFirst case manager or apply on the Washington Connection website to restart benefits.
    • Suspending WorkFirst Participation: TANF participants are not required to participate in WorkFirst activities. While WorkFirst activities are still available, a participant’s benefits will not be impacted for failure to participate.
    • WorkFirst Orientation: Orientations will be conducted at home, either on the computer or via telephone, and in-person orientations have been suspended.
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General COVID-19 Resources

Child Care:

Consumer Warnings & Safety Tips  – Federal Communications Commission (FCC) information on phone scams during COVID-19

Disaster Cash Assistance Program (DCAP) – Effective April 17, 2020, DSHS’s Community Services Division began administering a Disaster Cash Assistance Program in response to Washington State Governor Jay Inslee’s declaration of a statewide emergency. The DCAP is available for one month, in a 12-month period, to all Washington families and people without children, who meet income and resource rules and who are NOT eligible for other cash programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); Aged, Blind or Disabled (ABD) cash; Pregnant Women Assistance (PWA); Unemployment Compensation; or Paid Family & Medical Leave through ESD or their employer.

TO APPLY: Call the Customer Service Contact Center at 877.501.2233 (Language Line interpreters are available), or apply online at WashingtonConnection.org.

King County COVID-19 Resource Guide (King County Office of Equity & Social Justice, 4/6/20) – Resources for small business owners, immigrant and refugee communities, and others seeking unemployment, public health, housing, cash, and utilities assistance.

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Translated Language Resources

Basic Information & Resources

Various Topics – Multiple Language Translations 

City of Bellevue Coronavirus Resources – Emergency Financial Assistance, Legal Assistance, Food, Grab & Go Meals for kids & teens, Mental Health Support, and more – including a map of Bellevue School District Food Distribution Sites.

Chinese

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Emergency Child Care for Essential Workers

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Isolation & Quarantine Infographic

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Know Your Rights During the Coronavirus Pandemic – This guide, created by HIAS, offers information to refugees, asylum seekers, asylees and other immigrants about the rights you have during this uncertain time.

Arabic

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Swahili

 

Testing  for COVID-19 Infographic

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Unemployment – CARES Act Fact Sheet – The CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act provides a much-needed boost to the nation’s unemployment benefits and extends eligibility to recognize many workers and situations that previously didn’t qualify.

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WA State Eviction Moratorium through 6/4/20 – Tenant Protections During COVID-19 Flyer – In order to keep people safely home, Washington State and local lawmakers have instated increased protections for renters during this crisis, including Governor Jay Inslee’s statewide moratorium on residential evictions through June 4, 2020. Here’s what this means for renters.

English

Japanese

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 Español/Spanish Language Translations

Siga estos enlaces para obtener recursos (Español):

Spanish Language WA State Unemployment Insurance Resources

 

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SOLID GROUND'S WALLINGFORD OFFICES ARE CURRENTLY OPEN ONLY TO EMPLOYEES.

The main phone line is currently answered in person M-F, 10am-2pm, and we return calls as quickly as possible outside of these hours:

Monday – Friday, 10am – 2pm

206.694.6700

For over 45 years, Solid Ground has helped our community overcome crises – and we're here now to help during the pandemic. For current COVID-19 resources & info for Seattle, King County, & Washington State, visit our webpage:

Coronavirus Resources

FamilyWorks Food Bank & Resource Center provides food, diapers, and other supplies via outdoor pickup on the south side of 1501 North 45th Street in Wallingford. Call them at 206.694.6727 for their most up-to-date hours and information.

Food Bank Info

 

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