Home > About Us > Mission and Values

Mission and Values

The mission of Aging and Disability Services is to develop a community that promotes quality of life, independence and choice for older people and adults with disabilities in King County.

We will accomplish this by:

• Working with others to create a complete and responsive system of services.
• Focusing attention on meeting the needs of older people and adults with disabilities.
• Planning, developing new programs, educating the public, advocating with legislators, and providing direct services that include the involvement of older adults and others representing the diversity of our community.
• Promoting a comprehensive long-term care system.
• Supporting intergenerational partnering, planning, and policy development.

In fulfilling our mission, we follow these values:

• Older people, adults with disabilities and their families have a right to be treated with respect and dignity and to make decisions affecting their lives.
• Diversity brings richness to our community and within our agency and supports a wealth of ways to capitalize on this strength.
• The support and nurturing provided by family, domestic partners, and friends are important, and we seek to strengthen this capacity.
• Community partnerships are central in bringing together funders, providers, consumers, and community members to develop solutions that address changes in housing, education, health, long term care and advocacy needs.
• The concerns of low-income older people, adults with disabilities, and traditionally underserved groups are recognized, and the needs and potential of every member of our community.
• Efforts that encourage independence and enable individuals to remain in their community for as long as possible provide our main focus.
• It is important that older people, adults with disabilities, and those having cultural and language differences within our community have knowledge of and access to the services for which they are eligible.
• Accountability to the public trust means the programs we oversee are consumer guided, responsive and useful.
• Leadership is shared with our regional, state and federal partners and other city institutions as they develop ways to serve older people and adults with disabilities.