King County provides mental health programs to help employees and their family cope with the personal outcomes of tragedies, stress, change, or trauma. The Making Life Easier Program (MLE) is one free resource that is available for employees to use when experiencing difficult situations.
MLE offers support with various services, such as free mental health counseling to address any issue, financial advising, credit and legal consultation, support for alcohol and drug dependency, and childcare and elderly services. Interactions are confidential and the program’s flexibility lets you request a counselor by race, ethnicity, and language, as well as change counselors as needed.
“We want to offer different support and coping methods to everyone that needs it,” Employee Assistance Program Interim Manager, Heather Steffensen said. “It’s really about meeting the needs of our people, to understand that they are unique, and not use a one-size-fits-all approach. Everyone needs something different and these MLE resources are here to help you.”
How to access Making Life Easier
Making Life Easier is available to employees and their dependents, as well as anyone who shares the employee’s address, including roommates.
MLE can be accessed by calling 1-888-874-7290 or by visiting the MLE website (password: king county), where you are able to review available services, schedule appointments, and see different activities to help you destress, like desk yoga.
Of note, if you are facing layoff, MLE is available now and for 90 days after your layoff goes into effect.
For more information on mental health resources, click here to view the King County Mental Health Resource Guide. If you need immediate assistance, you can talk to a Crisis Counselor 24 hours, seven days a week at 1-888-874-7290.
Questions? Contact balancedyou@kingcounty.gov.