KING COUNTY – King County Executive Girmay Zahilay celebrated the confirmation this week of Dr. Susan McLaughlin as Director of the King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS). The King County Council confirmed Dr. McLaughlin on Tuesday, June 16 following Executive Zahilay’s nomination earlier this year.
“Dr. Susan McLaughlin is a thoughtful leader who brings deep expertise and a strong commitment to improving the lives of the communities we serve,” said Executive Zahilay. “She has a broad understanding of how our behavioral health, housing, and human services systems intersect and what it takes to make them work better for our residents. During her time as Acting Director, she has provided steady leadership during a critical period for the department. I’m proud to have her lead DCHS as we continue building a more responsive, effective, and equitable system of care for King County residents.”
Dr. McLaughlin has served as Acting Director of DCHS since December 2025. She brings more than two decades of leadership experience within the department, including serving as Health and Human Services Administrator and Director of the Behavioral Health and Recovery Division. In those roles, she oversaw a wide range of programs supporting mental health and substance use disorder treatment, diversion and reentry services, and crisis response systems, including implementation of the County’s $1.2 billion Crisis Care Centers Levy and the MIDD Behavioral Health Sales Tax.
“This is a tremendous honor, and I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve. DCHS is at the forefront of some of the County’s most important work, and I am committed to strengthening our impact as we grow, meeting challenges head-on, and delivering meaningful results for the people we serve.” said Dr. Mclaughlin.
Over the course of her nearly three-decade career, Dr. McLaughlin has focused on improving regional systems that support people experiencing mental health and substance use challenges, with an emphasis on access, coordination, and outcomes. Prior to serving as Acting Director of DCHS, she was the founding Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of HealthierHere, where she led regional efforts to advance health equity through the Accountable Community of Health. Dr. McLaughlin also served as Director of the University of Washington Medicine Behavioral Health Institute at Harborview Medical Center, helping advance clinical innovation, workforce development, and research to strengthen behavioral health systems.
About the King County Department of Community & Human Services
The King County Department of Community and Human Services works to strengthen communities and improve quality of life for King County residents through investments in housing, behavioral health, education, childcare, services for veterans and older adults, supports for people with developmental disabilities, and other essential human services.
Each year, DCHS serves nearly half a million residents and oversees implementation of several voter-approved and locally funded initiatives, including the Crisis Care Centers Levy, MIDD Behavioral Health Sales Tax, Health Through Housing, the Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy, Best Starts for Kids, and the Puget Sound Taxpayer Accountability Account.