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Message from the Secretary


Washington State Department of Health

Given all that public health does, it's often hard to keep up with the present, let alone plan for the future. But it's important to think about what lies ahead and be prepared. I want to address six challenges I believe will have a significant impact on our work in this century, and share with you how the state Department of Health is getting ready to meet them head on.
1. Our growing, aging population - In the past 10 years, Washington State's population has grown by more than one million. There will be 6.6 million of us by 2010. We're also getting older. In five years, the fastest growing group in our state will be those aged 65 or older. By 2020, one in six of us will be in that age grouping.
2. More pressure on our environment - More people mean more waste and more health hazards from the water, air, and soil.
3. Infectious disease will continue to be a challenge - Today, pathogens can travel faster and farther. We're seeing increasing resistance to drugs. Exotic diseases are striking closer to home.
4. Poverty - Poverty is a public health issue because we have a responsibility to protect and improve the health of every person. When I became secretary of health, I rented a home in Olympia. It was the first time in my life I didn't live in an economically distressed area. I can tell you from personal experience it's harder to have a good diet, safe housing, and access to health care if you live in a distressed, rural area.
5. Unhealthy lifestyles - The leading causes of death are all behaviors we can change - tobacco use, poor diet, physical inactivity, and alcohol misuse - and they will become more important as our population ages.
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable premature death. The Department of Health launched a major new program this fall to prevent tobacco use and help tobacco users quit. Radio, TV, print, and Internet ads are aimed at convincing young people it's not cool to smoke or chew, and at adults who want to quit. In November, the Washington Tobacco Quit Line, a telephone counseling service for people who want to quit tobacco use, goes "live." In addition, programs that will discourage the use of tobacco products are being funded in schools, communities, and multicultural groups.
6. Less money - I must include funding as a challenge because limits on government spending make it difficult to carry out current programs, let alone meet new needs. The public expects a lot from public health: all children immunized, safe food and drinking water, protection against E. coli and other health threats, and many other services.
To be ready to meet these challenges, the state Department of Health has developed and is now deploying its first true strategic plan. The key goals we want to accomplish through the strategic plan are:

  • We want people to understand what we do and want to make a difference in their health.
  • We want to be responsive to our customers and have strong partnerships that make a difference in people's health.
  • We want to make sure our funding is directed to those programs and activities that make a difference in people's health.
  • We want to do our work as efficiently and effectively as possible.
  • We want to hire and retain the best people, and sustain our ability to change and improve.

    • During the coming months we'll be working with our partners around the state as we begin implementation of this plan. We are confident our strategic plan will help us become an organization that is well prepared to meet future challenges.

    Mary C. Selecky
    Secretary Washington Sate Department of Health