This podcast focuses on the Washington State Department of Health’s (WA DOH) approach to understanding and addressing climate and equity concerns. Guests discuss the need to continuously make connections between climate change and public health, the role of community engagement and partnerships in advancing these efforts, the use of existing networks to reach at-risk populations, and how to stay grounded in the public health messaging on climate change. WA DOH discusses some of its recent initiatives for engaging environmental justice communities, shares its approach for training and coordinating resiliency planning, and highlights ways the department raises awareness of the climate’s impact on health.  

Resources:

• WA DOH Climate and Health Web Page
• WA State Environmental Justice Task Force Final Report
• ASTHOReport: Climate Change and Environmental Justice: A Snapshot of Jurisdiction Activities

Guests: 

Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH, Secretary of Health, Washington State Department of Health

Rad Cunningham, MPH, MPA, Senior Epidemiologist, Washington State Department of Health