What is One Health? I How is the department involved? I Collaborative I Workgroups I Resources
What is One Health?
One Health is a collaborative effort of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally and globally to improve the health of our ecosystem, including humans, animals and our environment. One Health promotes multi-sectoral and cross-disciplinary collaboration to solve health challenges.
How is Department of Health Involved?
One Health requires relationship-building, communication, collaboration, and coordination among professionals in multiple sectors. Several offices and programs at the Department of Health use a One Health approach, including Communicable Disease Epidemiology, Environmental Public Health Sciences, and the Climate and Health program.
DOH is one of the coordinating agencies for the One Health Collaborative (below). In addition, DOH worked with the Governor's Office for recognition of One Health Day, on November 3rd, to raise awareness about the necessity of an interdisciplinary approach to solving health challenges.
Governor's Proclamation for One Health Day (PDF)
One Health Collaborative
The One Health Collaborative in Washington State seeks to improve the lives of human and animal Washingtonians and our shared environment through pragmatic relationship-building, cross-agency collaboration, and constructive communication. We meet quarterly to facilitate a One Health approach among people working in government agencies and institutions related to One Health.
One Health Collaborative Mission and Vision Statement (PDF)
Participating Agencies:
- Washington State Departments of Agriculture, Fish and Wildlife and Health
- Office of the Governor
- University of Washington Center for One Health Research
- Washington State University College of Global Animal Health
- Washington State University Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
- United States Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
- United States Army
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Public Health Seattle & King County
Workgroups
One Health Combating Antimicrobial Resistance Workgroup
The goal of this group is to promote activities that combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in humans, animals, and the environment. Membership includes experts in human, animal, and environmental health. A key project is to develop a state plan for One Health antibiotic stewardship and AMR surveillance. Another project is to perform integrated surveillance of AMR in humans, animals, and environmental samples to provide data for decision making by clinicians and health officials. Contact marisa.dangeli@doh.wa.gov for more information.
Surveillance and Data Systems Workgroup
The goal of this group is to integrate and share data regarding diseases crossing between humans, animals, and the environment to enhance disease surveillance and prevention. An example is the increased sharing of reportable disease data between animal health and human health surveillance efforts, and to compare environmental risk data to disease reports. Contact hanna.oltean@doh.wa.gov for more information.