The Non-Healthcare Congregate Settings (NHCS) Program works to prevent and respond to communicable disease cases and outbreaks across Washington State. Our program provides expertise in disease prevention and transmission in congregate settings, including K-12 schools, childcare facilities, agriculture sites, correctional facilities, and shelters for people experiencing homelessness. We provide cross-cutting epidemiology support and subject matter expertise on non-influenza respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and Legionnaires’ disease.
What we do
- Prevent communicable diseases through public health efforts and education
- Engage with partners to improve disease prevention and outbreak response in non-healthcare congregate settings
- Perform data analysis to determine disease burden and trends over time
- Advise and support non-healthcare facilities and local health jurisdictions during case and outbreak investigations
- Develop guidance for disease prevention and outbreak response
- Prepare for and respond to public health emergencies
Other program activities
- Our program houses cross-cutting epidemiology support for the Office of Communicable Disease Epidemiology, including the Legionnaires’ Disease Prevention and Response Program. We partner with the Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance Program, Office of Environmental Public Health Sciences, and Washington State Public Health Laboratory to provide comprehensive, interdisciplinary Legionella prevention and outbreak investigation support.
- We perform disease surveillance and develop prevention and response guidance for respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 and RSV.
Contact us
- Email the NHCS program for more information (NHCS-COVID@doh.wa.gov)
- Email the Legionella Prevention and Response Team (Legionella@doh.wa.gov)
Washington residents or healthcare providers should contact their local health jurisdiction for assistance.